The Words Alive Reader: August 12, 2020

Welcome to The Words Alive Reader, a regular newsletter keeping you up-to-date with the latest in how we've been connecting children, teens, and families to the power of reading. What have we been up to and how can you help? Read on to find out!

This newsletter, in addition to our blog and social media content, is written by a cohort of volunteers! Do you love writing and have an interest in helping Words Alive create this type of content? Email Robyn, our Volunteer Coordinator. 

#GreatSanDiegoBookGiveaway

An image of a young child wearing a face mask and holding up a sign that says “I’m a Summer Super Reader!”

If you're reading this newsletter, you probably know that books are essential in supporting a young child's growth. We also know that too many children from underserved communities in San Diego are at home without books of their own during this pandemic. Words Alive, the Molina Foundation, the San Diego Council on Literacy, and the San Diego Public Library all came together this past week for The Great San Diego Book Giveaway, a campaign that resulted in 325 families (all of whom participated this spring in the remote version of our programming) taking home brand-new books for the entire family to enjoy!

Learn more about the event here on our blog and donate to help children and families build their home libraries!

Readers in the Heights

An image of Readers in the Heights resources: a book, reading guide, and craft supplies.

For the 5th year in a row, we’ve partnered with United Way of San Diego for Readers in the Heights, a collaborative effort between multiple San Diego organizations to engage families in weekly literacy and self-expression activities to help prevent the summer slide. This year, the program is more important than ever due to COVID-19 and the learning losses expected from transitions to distance learning. This is exactly why we’ve partnered with the staff from the Karen Organization and City Heights CDC to deliver our tested programming to families. 

Even more exciting! Programming is taking place in five languages including Karen and Burmese. Do you want to help us translate our resources into different languages? Take a look at our new virtual volunteer opportunities!​

Upcoming (Virtual) Events:

Celebrating 100 Days of Words Alive Story Station! Watch on Facebook Live @WordsAliveSD every day at 2 pm PT/5 pm ET.

Special Novel Ideas Tour!

Join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of our Novel Ideas interactive online gallery on Tues, 8/18 from 3:00-3:30 p.m. Sign up here. 

100th Day of Story Station!

TOMORROW marks the 100th day of Story Station! We have been hosting daily read alouds since the pandemic hit to spread joy, and engage our little learners with fun and inspiring stories. In July alone, Story Station reached 38,000+ people! Join us for our 100th Story Station at 2 p.m. PT tomorrow, August 12th, on Facebook Live. ​​​​​​​

Trending on #QuaranTEENS:

#QuaranTEENS: Prompts to cope with COVID & lessons from the news.

Top stories and activities trending this week on #QuaranTEENS, our online platform helping teens navigate and cope with the COVID-19 crisis and distance learning through reading and writing:

1. Pandemic Podcast

2. The Coronavirus in Six Words

3. Just Breathe

Donate Here to Support Words Alive!

Books Connect Us: April 24, 2020

Through Words Alive’s response to COVID-19, “Book Connect Us,” we are sharing best practices from our 20+ year history to help children, teens, and families use the love of reading to navigate this turbulent time. Here are a few highlights from the past few days. 

Mark Oshiro and Matt de La Peña Take Over #BooksConnectUs!

Words Alive is very excited to host authors Mark Oshiro and Matt de La Peña on #BooksConnectUs! This week Mark Oshiro desgined an exclusive writing lesson for our QuaranTEENS, check it out here.

Next Wednesday, April 29th, Matt de La Peña will be taking over Story Station on Facebook live with a reading of his book Love! After the reading make sure to check out the Story Station and QuaranTEENS pages for activities tying into the book!

Words Alive Celebrates Volunteer Appreciation Week!

This week is National Volunteer Week and we want to thank our volunteers for all of the passion, hard work, and dedication they bring to Words Alive!

We shared special thank you messages from our staff this week on social media. To hear our thanks, click here!

Read Aloud and Distance Learning!

Did you know more than 110 classrooms of children are virtually participating in our Read Aloud Program while at home? Words Alive wants to extend a very special thank you to one of our volunteers who partnered with Warwick’s in La Jolla and Run For Cover in Ocean Beach to donate books to kids in our program! The books will be sent directly to students’ homes to help build their home libraries and allow them to follow along with our Read Aloud content.

Are you interested in sponsoring our Read Aloud classes and helping children build their home libraries? We’ve got you covered! Email Robyn to get started.

Upcoming (Virtual) Events:

Join us for Story Station every weekday afternoon (2 pm PT on Facebook Live):

4/27: Rubia and the Three Osos by Susan Middleton Elya

4/28: The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates

4/29: Love read by author Matt de La Peña

4/30: Amelia & Elenor Go For A Ride by Pam Munoz Ryan

5/1: ¡Un día una señora se tragó unos libros! por Lucille Colandro

(Recordings are available on our Facebook page after the reading.)

Trending on #QuaranTEENS:

Top stories and activities trending this week on #QuaranTEENS:

1. Turn an Idea Into A Story by author Mark Oshiro

2. Stuck Inside, but Writing Outside the Box

3. DIY Mind Jar with Mindfully Empowered

Books Connect Us: April 17, 2020

Through Words Alive’s response to COVID-19, “Book Connect Us,” we are sharing best practices from our 20+ year history to help children, teens, and families use the love of reading to navigate this turbulent time. Here are a few highlights from the past few days. 

Words Alive Worldwide!

Image of a child holding their hands up to their eyes while watching Words Alive Story Station.

With the jarring arrival of COVID-19, Words Alive knew our decades of experience could help children, teens, and families use the power of reading to cope with the imminent trauma and turbulence, but we didn’t realize just how many people we would reach. 

Since March 26, there have been more than 7,000 unique visitors to our website from every state and 21 countries. (This week we’re averaging 500+ each day!) In addition, we’ve hosted 18 live story times on Facebook that average 720 views each. We can confidently say we’re connecting more children and families to the power of reading than ever before – and we are humbled to do so during such a stressful time.

Want to help spread the word? Become a Words Alive Ambassador and share our resources with the loved ones in your life. Get started here.

Going the Distance!

Image of a student writing with a laptop open in front of them.

Students are “returning” from spring break to find that Words Alive is embedded in their virtual classrooms. We worked with our teacher partners to launch exclusive virtual modules for more than 100 classrooms participating in our Read Aloud and Adolescent Book Group programs. These resources include videos of trained volunteers reading aloud to students, virtual and print books and resources, writing prompts and discussion questions, hosted online discussions, and interactive platforms for sharing work.

To learn how to bring these exclusive resources to your schools or classrooms, or to support this work, let us know you're interested here.

Mindfulness Mondays!

Starting Monday, April 13th, Words Alive launched an 8-week mindfulness series in partnership with Mindfully Empowered! 

Image of a Mindfulness Monday graphic! This one featuring a DIY activity to calm the mind.

We will “Make it Lit” by accompanying each post with a reading extension, journal prompt, or other writing activity. During this uncertain time, skills to manage stress and anxiety are more important than ever before. Words Alive and Mindfully Empowered are excited to help teens develop healthy coping skills through reading, writing, and creating together. Check out new activities every Monday here.

Upcoming (Virtual) Events:

Join us for Story Station every weekday afternoon (2 pm PT on Facebook Live):

4/20: Chalk by Bill Thompson

4/21: Hilda Must Be Dancing by Karma Wilson

4/22: Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Elhert

4/23: Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

4/24: ¿Es tu mama una llama? por Deborah Guarino

(Recordings are available on our Facebook page after the reading.)

Trending on #QuaranTEENS:

Image of our QuaranTEENS logo!

Top stories and activities trending this week on #QuaranTEENS:

1. History Happening Now

2. Stages of Coping with COVID-19

3. Journal Prompt: Hope

Books Connect Us: April 10, 2020

Through Words Alive’s response to COVID-19, “Book Connect Us,” we are sharing best practices from our 20+ year history to help children, teens, and families use the love of reading to navigate this turbulent time. Here are a few highlights from the past few days. 

Reaching Coast to Coast

With the launch of Books Connect Us, Words Alive has seen an outpouring of individuals wanting to help!

We are excited to welcome our newest volunteers from California, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, and Virginia!  More than 50 new "virtual volunteers" have reached out to ask how they can help create content, read and review titles, coordinate virtual book drives, promote Books Connect Us, and more.

We rely on our community's expertise, passion, and commitment to help deliver exceptional programs and resources to families - and for your support we are truly grateful.

We’re hosting weekly virtual volunteer orientations. Click here to learn more.

Help Support our Westreich Scholars

Last week, Words Alive hosted a virtual check-in with our young adult Scholars and Mentors to see how they are coping and what we can do to help.

Given the implications of the pandemic on schools, jobs, housing, and health, the Scholars in our Westreich Scholarship and Mentorship Program are leaning into their resilience to adapt to a "new normal." Many are struggling to access food, shelter, internet, and child care – making a shift to distance learning in their post-secondary program extremely challenging.

We are honored that our volunteer mentors are side-by-side with this year's cohort to help them creatively problem solve and prioritize their pursuit of education during this turbulent time.

You can support our 14 Scholars by investing in our mentorship program, signing up to become a mentor, and/or donations of grocery, meal delivery, or gas gift cards. Click here to find out how.

Story Station en Español & Upcoming (Virtual) Events!

¡Hola! ¿Quieres escuchar una historia? Join us on the Words Alive Facebook page for a special edition of Story Station every Friday at 2 p.m. PT as we feature a different a story in Spanish!

Are you interested in reading stories or creating resources in Spanish or another language?  Click here to get started!

Join us for Story Station every weekday afternoon (2 pm PT on Facebook Live):

4/13: Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae

4/14: Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham

4/15: We Do Not Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

4/16: I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont

4/17: Gracia, Sr. Panda by Steve Antony

(Recordings are available on our Facebook page after the reading.)

Trending on #QuaranTEENS

Top stories and activities trending this week on #QuaranTEENS:

1.  Write a Letter To Your Future Self

2. All the Feels - Writing Tip from author Elly Swartz

3. TikTok Challenge: Why are books the best stay-at-home activity?

Books Connect Us: An Introductory Guide!

As the effects of COVID-19 continue to evolve, we are wishing good health and peace to the greater Words Alive and San Diego community!  And as we continue to navigate this situation, we are writing to share free and engaging resources to continue connecting children, teens and families to the power of reading! 

Please use and share these ideas as ways to support learning, healing, and a sense of connection among your families, students, and communities! 

Visit our Books Connect Us page at www.wordsalive.org/booksconnectus, and check back often as new content is added daily. 

Here's a sneak peak: 

• #QuaranTEENS: Where you'll find: 

  • Activities and writing prompts helping teens process and cope with impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as response poetry and 6-word memoirs. Fun challenges for teens on TikTok, live author talks, and virtual book discussions are coming soon! 

  • Collection of videos from YA authors and illustrators with insights into their experiences as writers and creators. 

• Story Station: Where you'll find:

  • A growing collection of ready videos of wonderful stories read by both authors and Words Alive guest readers, many with links to ideas for extended activities that families can do together at home. Stories in Spanish are coming soon! 

  • Short videos for parents and caregivers about strategies they can use to help children connect with books and stories at home. 

  • Storytime on Facebook Live!: Join us every weekday at 2pm PST for a new, interactive storytime. Our first two have seen over 1,500 views and were a blast! Find us on Facebook at @WordsAliveSD. Please share with families, on social media, and with fellow educators.

From everyone at Words Alive, stay safe, be well, and we'll see you soon.