Preventing the Summer Slide

Words Alive was honored to have been a partner in the Readers in the Heights program this summer alongside Community Housing Works, San Diego Workforce Partnership, San Diego County Office of Education, San Diego Council on Literacy, City Heights Public Library, and United Way San Diego. Readers in the Heights was a pilot program aiming to prevent summer slide by aligning and leveraging existing resources to bring summer learning opportunities to the City Heights Community Development Corporation (CHCDC). This year there were 51 children enrolled in the program and 36 children with perfect attendance. The diverse demographics of the children involved in the program is reflected in the varied language spoken at home. Families reported Somali, Amharic, Spanish, Arabic, Kizigua, or Haitian Creole as their primary language spoken at home. During the program the children had the opportunity to take field trips to the library, be read aloud to, create arts and crafts and make new friends. 

Words Alive modeled our Small Group session during the Readers in the Heights program and providing volunteers to read preassigned books to the children followed by a small group book discussion. During the small group, children are divided into groups of 4 and have the opportunity to look more closely at the book. The Words Alive volunteers ask questions that encourage participation and analytical thought while providing a space for every child to share their opinions about the story. The Readers in the Heights facilitators have noticed and reported the positive impact of the program, “The kids look forward to the reading components as the ‘special part’ of the program”. 

After 4 weeks of hard work and fun the participating families graduated from the program. Graduation day celebrated the families for their dedication and time they have invested in their children’s education. We wanted families to walk away feeling appreciated, empowered, and fulfilled. 

Words Alive Welcomes New Hire

Words Alive continues to grow, and as we expand, we are continually building our team. In that vein, we are excited to announce our newest team member, Sara Mortensen. Sara joins the Words Alive family as the Office Coordinator, responsible for front desk operations and supports development, events, communications and programs.

Sara is native to San Diego and graduated from the University of California, San Diego with both a B.S. in Cognitive Science with a specialization in Neuroscience and a B.A. in Dance. Previously, Sara worked as a Research Assistant with the Veterans Medical Research Foundation on the QUICK Study, which aimed to quantify how the use of Electronic Health Records in clinical settings affects physician-patient communication. Sara is also a volunteer for The Harry Potter Alliance, a nonprofit organization that works to create positive social change through the power of story. She currently holds the position of Research Team Lead for the Campaigns Department. Sara is very passionate about reading and is excited to be working with the Words Alive Team.

Now, let’s hear from Sara!

Sara, tell us what intrigued you about Words Alive?

I am very passionate about reading and since I have graduated from college, I have been interested in finding a full-time job at a nonprofit organization. So Words Alive seemed like a perfect fit for me! I think that the work that Words Alive does is so important for our community, and I really wanted to be a part of making that happen.

What are you most excited about in your new position?

I am most excited about how much I am going to learn in this position! I'm looking forward to working closely with multiple different departments here and seeing how I can best contribute to the success of Words Alive.

What is your relationship with literacy?

Books have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I have early memories of reading, whether it was first learning to read in preschool, helping my best friend learn to read better in second grade, my mom reading Harry Potter with me every night, or discussing what books I'm currently reading with my friends. Literacy has been so important to my personal development and success, and I think that my love of books shapes a lot of my personality. When someone asks me to describe myself, the first thing I say is usually, "I'm a reader!"

And by the way, what are you reading currently?

I am currently reading Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and I am also listening to the audiobook of The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. This is my third time reading The Name of the Wind; it is one of my all-time favorite books!

Currently, there are no employment opportunities at Words Alive, but we are ALWAYS recruiting for wonderful volunteers to work in the classrooms with both other students and families. Check out how to get involved as a Words Alive volunteer! #makereadingmatter #wordsalive.

Sydney MacDonald - Words Alive Volunteer of the Month - August 2016

Please join us in congratulating Sydney MacDonald– Words Alive Volunteer of the Month for August 2016!

Sydney, like so many Words Alive volunteers, joined our family through her own friends and family.  Her mother, Andrea MacDonald, is current Words Alive board vice chair and has chaired the annual fundraising event, the Author’s Luncheon for two years.  Sydney was looking for a fun summer experience, and our office was looking for an intern – the timing was perfect!

Sydney has exuded an incredible professionalism in all of her projects.  She has assisted our staff with website maintenance and review, with donor communication around the upcoming Luncheon, with data clean-up and programmatic projects.  No matter whether the task has been entertaining or monotonous, Sydney handles everything with the utmost detail and quiet focus.

Sydney has been able to help us get organized and update our Donor Management system so that we can pull reports more efficiently. She has also helped us reach out to Raffle and Silent Auction Donors for our upcoming event. Her organization skills have helped keep the development and communications office moving this summer.

Thank you, Sydney, for giving us your time this summer and for your hard work!  We are lucky that you have shared your talents with us, among many other summer activities like teaching dance class!  We are very proud of you.  Thank you.

Check Out the Volunteer of the Month Interview with Sydney Below!

Sydney, tell us a little about yourself! 
I am 16 years old, going into my junior year of high school.  I have a passion for dancing and spend most of my time either at my dance studio or at my school's dance room. When I'm not dancing or working at Words Alive, I am at the beach with my friends or reading.

How long have you been volunteering with Words Alive, and how did you get involved? How did you first get involved with Words Alive?
I have been volunteering at Words Alive since June.  My mother has been volunteering at Words Alive for a couple of years and I have always really respected what they do.  Reading has always been a big part of my life and I love the idea of bringing it into other people's life. Since I knew I was going to have free time this summer, I thought helping out at words alive would be the perfect solution.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your volunteer service with Words Alive?
My favorite part of working at Words Alive is sending out donation requests and information sheets about the upcoming event, the annual luncheon. It is very exciting to know that I am informing new people about Words Alive and that they can see the magic of this nonprofit that I see.  The most rewarding part is when people respond to these requests.

And, by the way, what are you reading lately?
I am currently reading Mind Prey by John Sandford.

2016 Adolescent Book Group Impact Report

It's that time of year when Words Alive begins sharing the outcomes of its programs from the recently completed school year. Through our work with the San Diego County Office of Education, we've been able to share quantitative outcomes of our Adolescent Book Group - the numerical value the program has had on teen participants. This has generally included test scores and other measurable indicators highlighting increased critical thinking skills and better language and vocabulary usage.

However, another element we really want to know is whether or not HABITS around reading have formed. Are the students BECOMING readers? Has the PRACTICE of reading taken hold? These are very important qualitative indicators that show that the lives of the young people in the ABG program are improving. Gathering this data, and creating a narrative around these outcomes have proven more difficult to get.

Since January 2016, with the support of the William R. Gumpert Foundation and under the direction and guidance of Dr. Steve Patty's organization, Dialogues In Action, we joined a cohort of other local non-profits to explore just that - the deeper, more meaningful findings that qualitative data tells us about the impact of our programs. We designed evaluation instruments that gave us insight to the role that reading plays on the students' lives, and the kind of people they were evolving into because of their relationship to reading. 

On August 11th, we had the opportunity to present, briefly, some high points of this discovery publicly. This month, we also shared with the Board of Directors, the findings as anthologized in the 2016 Project Impact Report as published by Dialogues in Action. Here, we're proud to provide to you the full report, complete with findings as well as our methodology. We encourage you to read it. It's fascinating to see how these young people evolve and change in some extremely positive ways. 

Many of us take the act and practice of reading for granted. We've always done it. We know that the ability to read and write effectively is responsible for much of our success. We see how reading plays a vital role in nearly every aspect of our lives. But for a lot of young people in our community, the regular act of reading - and the benefits there of, have yet to be fully present. This is the purpose of Words Alive - to make reading MATTER. You'll see in the pages of this report, that this purpose is taking hold, and consequently changing a lot of lives for the better.

Please, click HERE to read the report.

Danny Cung - Words Alive Volunteer of the Month - April 2016

Please join us in congratulating Danny Cung - Words Alive Volunteer of the Month for April 2016! 

Danny Cung joined the Words Alive Family in 2014. He, along with a few other board members, represent the wonderful things we acquired along with the Rolling Readers program after the acquisition.Danny jumped into board service with Words Alive that January, and has since served as our Treasurer.

His leadership and guidance in the role of treasurer have been critical in the expansion and growth of the organization these past couple of years.Danny’s financial expertise has helped the board and finance committee with better budgeting for the coming program years.He has also suggested a new format of reporting out that makes financial reporting clear and easy to understand for any member of the organization.

Danny’s connections in the financial community have been a huge help as well.He recruited the newest member of the Finance Committee, Sandra Korwek, who also supported our past Author’s Luncheon.Sandra has brought great ideas for development to the table.Danny also introduced Words Alive to a reputable small business auditor and helped lead the organization through its first ever financial audit!

Programmatically, Danny has become quite involved with our scholarship students each year.He leads a finance management workshop for the students and their mentors that has direct application to their success in school and in our scholarship program.The students learn about saving, responsible spending and more.

Lastly, Danny has been a great champion – bringing new members of the community to observe our programs in the classroom and to attend the annual Author’s Luncheon to learn more about our impact in the San Diego Community.We are so thankful for your years of service and all of the leadership you have demonstrated!Thank you, Danny!

Check Out the Volunteer of the Month Interview with Danny Below!

Danny, tell us a little about yourself! 

I moved to San Diego for school at UCSD back in 2002 and never left!  I work for a great investment firm in Del Mar and live in Mira Mesa with my wife Vivian and our three cats, Max, Izzy and Arthur.

How long have you been volunteering with Words Alive, and how did you get involved?

I join the board of directors in 2014. I was on the board of directors for Rolling Readers and I joined Words Alive when Rolling Readers and Words Alive merged in 2014.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your volunteer service with Words Alive?

I am grateful for the opportunity to work with great people doing great things in the community. Organizations like Words Alive gave me an opportunity many years ago and today I am honored that I am given the opportunity to help any way I can. 

And by the way, what are you reading lately?

The Big Short. 

Family Literacy and the Power of Play

Play is important for children and adults everywhere. Not only is play a good stress reliever, but playing with your child is a good way to bond and assess your child’s development milestones. For the children themselves, “play contributes to children’s fine and gross motor development and body awareness as they actively use their bodies.”

During our Family Literacy session each week we talk about two major themes: The power of play, and how to make reading more playful. We emphasize the importance of children using their entire body and senses to learn.

A delicious example of this is the book Growing Vegetable Soup. During this session we played a smelling game, asking families to guess the fruit or vegetable in an unmarked container by using only their sense of smell. After the game the children stamped vegetables on paper plates to remind them that literacy is all around us, including in the kitchen. One little boy said, “I want to make sure we put this somewhere in my room so I can see it every day.” The families shared different items they can use at home to play the smelling game (i.e cinnamon, basil, mint, cloves, anise star etc…)  

Through this example we are connecting the power of reading with the world that surrounds us. Having children use their outside sensory abilities to connect to the book will allow for them to have a deep and more meaningful connection to reading and to the world around them.

The First week of April marked the start of our second session of Family Literacy Programming for the 2015/2016 season. For seven weeks we will be working with over a 100 families. Each week we have fun activities and games to engage families, making reading a part of their daily routine!

Here are some of the things families shared they are doing at home after they completed a 7 week session with us:

“When we read ABC Animal Action at home my kids wanted to read the entire book and act out the letters and the way the animals moved.”

“When we read Is Your Mama a Llama, my daughter made sure to point out all the rhyming words.”

“We had the Spanish copy of Is Your Mamma a Llama so his dad can read to him, and we love it because it rhymes in Spanish too.”

Our Family Literacy Program is a full adventure for both the parents and children.  If you are interested in visiting one of our Family Literacy sessions we would be happy to make the arrangements. We have ongoing sessions from now until May 20th. Please contact Amanda Bonds at, [email protected] to schedule a time and join us at a site, as we continue to MAKE READING MATTER!  

Words Alive Awarded Community Partner of the Year by Neighborhood House Association

(Pictured left to right are: Dr. Alfonso Rodriguez - Director of Research and Training, NHA, Carter Anderson - WA Read Aloud Program Manager, Kimberly Maraya - WA Read Aloud volunteer at Miller Head Start, Sharon Gruby - WA Read Aloud volunteer at McGill School of Success and Read Aloud Program co-chair, Terri Hamlin -WA Read Aloud volunteer at McGill School of Success and Read Aloud Program co-chair, Amanda Bonds - WA Senior Program Manager)

Words Alive is honored to be recognized by the Neighborhood House Association as the 2016 Community Partner of the Year! For the past 5 years, Words Alive, our dedicated volunteers and the NHA have worked together to bring quality reading experiences, parent education and book ownership to Head Start families who need it most. We all agree that a strong literacy foundation is a key factor in scholastic success and we look forward to accomplishing more great thing together! 

At Words Alive, we believe that reading is a cornerstone skill and our mission is to open opportunities for success by cultivating a commitment to reading. Since 2011, we have partnered with the Neighborhood House Association and their collaboration sites within the San Diego Unified School District to bring the love of reading to preschool age children from underserved communities across San Diego. Through weekly read aloud sessions led by trained volunteers, parent workshops, lending libraries and book donations, we have worked alongside schools and families to build a culture of reading. The Neighborhood House has been an important partner in this endeavor and has worked with us to continually deepen our impact on literacy readiness among the families who need it most. Below is a snap shot of what we have accomplished together between 2011 and 2015 (the clock is still ticking on the current school year!):

·        Words Alive has donated 20,255 new and gently used books (given to children to build their home libraries and to site to create center-based libraries where families can borrow books from the same place they bring their children each day) .

·        Volunteers have dedicated 1,633 hours to reading aloud with children in the classroom, helping students cultivate a love of stories and wonder about their world.

·        Words Alive staff has led 255 hours of parent education workshops, helping parents to recognize and grow their power as their child’s first teacher.

These efforts have aligned nicely with the NHA’s three year goals to:

·        Engage the whole community in working together to ensure that children are ready for school (school readiness).

·        Develop programs, competencies and linkages that support and promote parent empowerment and self-sufficiency. (Parents – empowerment/Self-Sufficiency)

Other WA volunteers who read at our Head Start locations but were not able to attend NHA’s Volunteer event include; Sharon Gruby, Charlotte Germundson, Tora Grossman, Terri Hamlin, Christy Moore, Charline Meulemans, Kim Maraya, Cynthia Shenkman, Kathy Zybelman, Linda Sorrentino, Valentina Jones-Wagner

Summer Reading Book Drive

It is Reading Awareness Month in San Diego and to help share the importance of reading, Words Alive is participating in a summer reading book drive to benefit the libraries of San Diego. 

“More than half of the achievement gap between lower- and higher – income youth can be explained by unequal access to summer learning opportunities. As a result, low-income youth are less likely to graduate from high school or enter college."

Low-income students lose more than two months in reading achievement over the summer months. Books collected will be distributed to students by the San Diego Public Library to ensure they are able to keep up with their reading over the summer.

To announce this new endeavor, on April 19th Words Alive brought a Read Aloud Program classroom from Washington Elementary to the City Council Meeting. Our students were so excited to learn about what goes on at these meetings and shared their love of reading with the City Council. Madeline from the third grade class addressed the Council and shared, “reading is important because it lets you go places.”

In partnership with Council member Lorie Zapf, City of San Diego, United Way of San Diego County, and the San Diego County Public Library The Summer Reading Book Drive will run through May 31. We will have a collection bin here at Words Alive and keep a look out for bins at your neighborhood public library and select City Administration buildings in San Diego.

As part of our commitment to make reading matter to everyone, we want to encourage all of the work being done in San Diego that supports our mission, “to open opportunities for life success by inspiring a commitment to reading!”

Click HERE to view a list of all of the San Diego County Libraries and locations.

Celebrating Volunteerism: Words Alive and the San Diego Community

As Words Alive joins the nation in celebrating Volunteer Appreciation during the month of April, we thank the volunteer core that tirelessly devotes time and talent year-round to make our mission, and the work of many other organizations, possible.

San Diego is a philanthropically active community, and Words Alive is one part of the call to action.  The University of San Diego’s Caster Family Center for Nonprofit and Philanthropic Research, a partner in Words Alive program evaluations, published their State of Nonprofits in San Diego report in 2014 that cited a total of 9,364 501(c)3 nonprofits in San Diego.  The nonprofits reported represent a variety of foci including but limited to education, health, environment and animals.  Of the thousands of nonprofits reported, only 23% have paid employees – meaning the work of over 7,000 organizations is facilitated entirely by volunteer support. Of the few thousand nonprofits with paid staff, 59% have fewer than 10 employees (Words Alive included). 

The impact of San Diego’s volunteer community becomes clear – an enablement of thousands of charitable organizations to make their missions reality.  We can attest to that: our core of 550 volunteers empowers us with the ability to reach 5,000 children, teens and families each month with our programs.

Turns out, a culture of giving is not limited to San Diego.  In 2014, the State of California had the highest number of reported volunteer hours in the nation.  As if the time spent and the talent shared isn’t enough of a testament to the impact of volunteerism, the dollar value of each hour given is incredible.  In the last year alone, Words Alive volunteers have contributed over 10,000 hours toward our mission.  According to the Corporation for National & Community Service, each volunteer hour is attributed a monetary value of $26.87 (as of 2014). Since April of 2015, Words Alive volunteers have given nearly $269,000 worth in time!

On behalf of every nonprofit in San Diego, thank you for your devoted and often thankless work to ensure that we remain an aware, progressive and giving community.  You provide a model for the world of how your shared time and talent can bring such valued impact. 

Sources:

Schumann, M.J., Jones, J.A., Hunt, K., Mitchell, C., Krasynska, S., and Deitrick, L. (2014).  Annual Report:

State of Nonprofits in San Diego.  San Diego, CA: Caster Family Center for Nonprofit and Philanthropic Research, University of San Diego

Investing In Early Childhood Development

Words Alive is working alongside some great organizations to support early education in San Diego, such as the Education Synergy Alliance P-3 Salon and the Diamond Education Excellence Partnership. Words Alive brings our expertise in early literacy to the table offering Family Literacy programming as part of community solutions. Early childhood education lays the groundwork for success in Elementary School and beyond.

“A critical time to shape productivity is from birth to age five, when the brain develops rapidly to build the foundation of cognitive and character skills necessary for success in school, health, career and life.” 

Dr. James Heckman, Nobel Laureate in Economics and expert in economics of human development, argues that

it also pays to invest in a child’s early years.  The Heckman Equation shows for every dollar invested in early childhood education there is a “7%-10% per year return, based on increased school and career achievement as well as reduced costs in remedial education, healthy and criminal justice expenditures” for early childhood education.

During a recent visit to Dewey Child Development Center to join the celebration of families graduating from the Words Alive Family Literacy Program, I was struck by the story of a mother’s resilience and the role she felt Words Alive played in helping to empower her to be her child’s first and most important teacher. Maria has 2 children, Max age 4 and Camila, age 7. Maria shared that growing up and attending school in Mexico, reading was a challenge because she did not have books or the support that she needed to make reading accessible; “My parents never read to me, my mother never came to my school.” Asking what influence the program had on reading habits with her children, she continued “one of the most important things I learned is that reading isn’t just about the words on the pages, it is about colors, the pictures, rhyming, and the themes in the book." Maria said that both of her children are more engaged in reading now because she knows how to make it a fun part of their routine.

Maria and her children were just one of seventy families graduating from the 7-week Family Literacy program in March armed with new knowledge, a kindergarten readiness tool kit, and a commitment to continue to make reading matter for their children.

Programs like Family Literacy and the wide variety of early childhood programs throughout San Diego will give these families and children a level playing field, a better start to their school career, and an increased opportunity for high school graduation – all of which will lead to a boost in our economy. By one projection,

“A 5% increase in male high school graduation rates is estimated to save California $753 million in annual incarceration costs and crime-related expenditures. If that same 5% not only graduated but went on to college at the same rate as typical male high school graduates, their average earnings would accrue an additional $352 million annually.”

If a collaborative effort is made to provide access and empower families with young children we at Words Alive and other organizations working together can make a huge impact on our community. At Words Alive we believe that Literacy is the foundation of community and economic development. When everyone can read, whole communities thrive.