Making an Impact in the Community

 

At Words Alive, our mission is to open opportunities for life success by inspiring a commitment to reading. Since 1999, we have set our sites on improving literacy in San Diego County and giving children the tools they need to become great readers.

This past June, Words Alive awarded $30,000 in scholarships to 11 outstanding former Adolescent Book Group participants with our Westreich Scholarship Program. The award recipients were invited to join us at our 13th Annual Author's Luncheon on October 19th. Diana Gonzalez Soto, one of the scholarship recipients and luncheon attendees, posted on social media about how the event and Jodi Picoult's conversation resonated with her.

“I did not expect the author of Small Great Things to be so blunt about race and racism while being aware of her privilege in being white. I am happy I was able to hear her opinion on the topic of race, as she mentioned most white people don’t like to discuss that topic...I love that she mentioned that she didn’t write this book for people like me (people of color), we don’t need to be told of this, we live it! #bookschangelives”

During the author Q&A, Jodi Picoult mentioned that our book shelves are a reflection of ourselves and our world. She encouraged everyone in attendance to go home and take a look at the authors they read. What is the color of their skin? What is their economic background? Are they similar to us, or different? We tend to surround ourselves with people who look like us and come from similar backgrounds, but imagine the possibilities if we embraced those who are different! By choosing to read about the experiences of those who are different from us, we can expand our knowledge and have a better understanding of the world around us. Soto's reflection reminds us that we can find common ground with anyone, even those who appear to live very different lives from our own. 

Words Alive strives to bridge this gap and create opportunities for different groups to come together in collaboration. We want to build stronger readers, life-long learners, and encourage children and teens to be a voice of change within their communities.

“I am fortunate enough to be part of this organization that is helping me in many aspects of my life, most importantly in my desire and need to continue a higher education.”
— Diana Gonzalez Soto

Author's Luncheon - Thank You!

On Wednesday, October 19th, Words Alive celebrated our 13th Annual Author's Luncheon. We had such an amazing time at this event getting to thank our sponsors, volunteers, and donors that help us change lives through reading. Words Alive was able to raise over $200,000 through marketplace proceeds, the silent auction and raffle, and the generous support of those who attended. With these funds, we will be able to reach more children, teens, and families across San Diego and Orange Counties and inspire them to become life-long readers and learners. 

We enjoyed hearing about the inspiration behind Small Great Things and how Jodi Picoult's passion for social issues shaped the novel. Small Great Things was released on October 11 and is already a #1 New York Times Best Seller! Thank you Warwick's for making Jodi's appearance possible.

Special thanks to our program moderator, Sam Zien, and interview moderator, Lacy Crawford, for being such an integral part of the luncheon. We loved having Sam keep up the energy in the room and hearing Lacy’s thought-provoking questions about Small Great Things. They were both invaluable additions to our event.

Our event would not have been possible without the generous donations of our luncheon sponsors: Gurtin Municipal Bond Management, Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa, Geppetto's, P.S. Platinum Properties, ATTSavings.com, Christopher Weil and Company, and Ace Parking. 

Thank you to all those who donated to the raffle and silent auction or participated in our marketplace. We are so grateful to have partnerships with so many businesses and individuals throughout San Diego County. Your continuous donations to the luncheon provide Words Alive with so much support! 

Lastly, thank you to YOU — the table sponsors, donors, attendees, and those who are new or long-time supporters of Words Alive. Without your donations and countless volunteer hours, we would not be able to change the lives of so many children, teens, and families in our community. Whether you have been with us since 1999 or are just now discovering the work we do, thank you. Your support has given us the chance to be in over 215 classrooms, train over 500 volunteers, and continue the expansion of our programs. 

To keep up with our work, be sure to follow Words Alive on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We look forward to seeing you at our 14th Annual Author’s Luncheon next year!

Check out some of our favorite photos from the event:

Whole-Person Development

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The term whole-person development refers to the “holistic development of a person’s actions and behaviors as compared to just acquisition of specific content knowledge.”* While this is an idea commonly used in professional development and similar settings, Words Alive has come to embrace this concept of whole-person development when working with our Westreich Scholarship students.

When looking at different models of whole-person development, there are generally six different facets: emotional, interpersonal, professional, physical, wealth, environmental, and mental development.

Source: http://www.leadership-retreat.com/whole_person_Development.html

 

Every year approximately 10-15 students from our Teen Services program are awarded the Words Alive Westreich Scholarship in support of their pursuit of higher education. While many scholarship programs focus solely on the academic success of the recipients, we are much more interested in seeing our students develop as whole people. This is why we allow scholarship funds to be used not only for tuition, books, and strictly educational expenses but students are also eligible to receive funds to help with rent, food, childcare, clothing, travel, and other expenses. Each student is also paired with a mentor, who helps provide guidance, direction, and emotional support throughout their tenor with the scholarship program.

All of this is in-keeping with the tenants of whole-person development. After all, what good would money for school books be if you were having trouble paying your rent or buying food? By focusing on the bigger picture, this scholarship program is opening up opportunities for success for these students, whether that success be academic, emotional, financial, or interpersonal. Our relationship with these students started as an introduction of the joys and benefits of reading through our Teen Services programming in the classroom, and because of this scholarship program, we are able to witness this whole-person development in action.

*http://www.igi-global.com/dictionary/whole-person-development/37300

Warwick's and Words Alive present Jamie Metzl October 10th

Words Alive and Warwick's Books was recently introduced to an amazing author, Jamie Metzl. And we'd like to introduce him to you, too, and invite you to meet and discuss his latest book Sunday, October 10th at 7:30 pm.

An extraordinary thinker, Mr. Metzl is a Senior Fellow of the Atlantic Council and has served in the US National Security Council, the US State Department, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and with the United Nations in Cambodia. He appears frequently on national and international media, and his writing is featured regularly in publications around the world. He holds a PhD from Oxford, a JD from Harvard Law School, and is a magna cum laude graduate of Brown University. 

In his new book, Eternal Sonata, Mr. Metzl explores concepts of aging, immortality, and the lengths to which science can, or shold, prolong life. Eternal Sonata is a suspenseful, science-based literary thriller that poses the compelling philosophical question about how far we can and should go in wild pursuit of immortality.

We hope you wll join us Sunday, October 10th at 7:30 pm at Warwick's Books in La Jolla as Mr. Metzl reads from and discusses his new book.

Author Roulette: Spin to Win!

Looking for a way to spice up your book club? Come to our Author's Luncheon on October 19th for your chance to spin to win an author at your next meeting! By making a donation at our Teen Services Author Roulette table, you will be given the opportunity to spin our wheel of fate and bring one of the following authors to your book club. 

Kathy Aarons is the author of Death is Like a Box of Chocolates, the first in the bestselling Chocolate Covered Mystery series. It was chosen by Mysterious Galaxy for their Fabulous First Books Club and as a Top Book of 2014 by the San Diego Union Tribune. The second and third books in the series, Truffled to Death and Behind Chocolate Bars, are also out now.

Michelle Gable became a New York Times bestselling author for her debut novel, A Paris Apartment. She found herself writing about the City of Lights yet again in her second novel, I'll See You in Paris, which she wrote between her daughters' softball games and a day job as VP of Investor Relations for Ellie Mae.

Kim Hooper's debut novel, People Who Knew Me, tells the story of a woman who leaves everything behind and jets off across the U.S. to begin a new life in the aftermath of 9/11. It's a compelling story of loss, desperation, and reinvention that invites the reader to answer "What would you do?"

Shelli Chosak is the author of the award-winning self help book, Your Living Legacy. Chosak was inspired by personal loss and her career in psychology to write a book that allows parents to become self-aware and confident in guiding their children through life.

Elizabeth Cobbs' newest novel, The Hamilton Affair, tells the story of the remarkable life of Alexander Hamilton and his courageous wife Eliza Schuyler. Cobbs writes fiction and non-fiction books that inspire readers to take fresh, unexpected perspectives when looking at our history.

Jen Coburn is a USA Today best selling author of six novels and contributor to four literary anthologies. We'll Always Have Paris recounts Coborn's adventures through Europe with her daughter, Katie, and encompasses everything from Parisian cafes to the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Laurel Corona tells the story of a woman living in a country violently divided by religion in her newest novel, The Mapmaker's Daughter. It has recently been chosen by the Jewish Book Council as one of a handful of books that are recommended to members of the National Jewish Book Club.

Tammy Greenwood is the author of nine novels. Her latest book, Where I Lost Her, follows one woman's journey through heartbreak and loss as she searches for the truth about a missing child.

Neal Griffin's first novel, Benefit of the Doubt, landed him on the Los Angeles Times bestseller list and set the stage for the future Newberg Mystery Series. His sophomore novel, A Voice from the Field, is a thrilling mystery that draws from Griffin's long career in the police force.

Jill Hall's debut novel, The Black Velvet Coat, tells the story of two women brought together by a magical coat. The experience takes them on a journey of self-discovery and forces the women to face their deepest fears. Hall turned to writing after a long career in education, and has also published poetry in a number of anthologies.

Mike Sager is a best-selling author and award-winning reporter who has been called "the Beat poet of American journalism." For his stories, Sager has lived with a crack gang in Los Angeles, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, a Mormon family in Arizona, and U.S. Marines at Camp Pendleton, among others.

Susan Meissner is a multi-published author, speaker, and writing workshop leader with a background in community journalism. Her novel Secrets of a Charmed Life was named a 2015 Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist.

Dr. Julie DuCharme's book Leading By My Ponytail highlights the strength of femininity and the unique value it brings to the workplace. In addition to being an author, Dr. DuCharme is a public speaker, coach, mentor, and college level instructor.

Susan Carol McCarthy is an award-winning author of three novels inspired by real events in Florida's history. Her most recent novel, A Place We Knew Well, investigates the sociological affects of the Cuban Missile Crisis on an ordinary Florida family and their community.

Make sure to donate at the Author Roulette table for your chance to bring one of these acclaimed authors to your book club! For more information about our Author's Luncheon, or to purchase tickets to the event, please visit the Author's Luncheon tab at the top of this page.

 

Words Alive Collaborates With Live Well San Diego

Collaboration is one of our core values here at Words Alive because of the way that it allows us to expand the reach of our services, increase our efficiency, and brainstorm new ideas with new partners.

Recently, we had the opportunity to collaborate with Live Well San Diego, an organization that works to promote the County of San Diego’s vision of a region that is building better health, living safely, and thriving. Live Well’s mission includes four central tenets: 1) Building a Better Service Delivery System, by improving the quality and efficiency of services offered to the community 2) Supporting Positive Choices, by providing resources to the community that inspire them to take action for their well-being 3) Pursuing Policy and Environmental Change, by creating environments that make it easier for everyone to live well and 4) Improving the Culture Within, by increasing understanding about what it means to live well.

Words Alive has been invited to be an official Live Well partner because of how our programs and services fit so well into Live Well San Diego’s four-part mission. In honor of this collaboration, Words Alive’s Executive Director, Patrick Stewart, appeared on Real Talk San Diego’s Live Well Radio Hour to discuss the work of Words Alive and the importance of literacy in our community. We are looking forward to all of the amazing work we can accomplish with this new partnership!

You can listen to the Live Well Radio Hour segment here: https://m.soundcloud.com/realtalksandiego/al-brislain-patrick-stewart-09-09-16

Lily Glasser - Words Alive Volunteer of the Month - September 2016

Please join us in congratulating Lily Glasser – Words Alive Volunteer of the Month for September 2016!

Lily attended a volunteer orientation in July, and immediately hopped on board as an office intern for the summer months.  Her passion for reading and can-do attitude are impressive, and made her an outstanding fit for the position.

Lily worked within the volunteer program to clean up data collection, to create fun and effective advertising for our volunteer opportunities and to build the content for an outreach banner.  She has quite an eye for design, and educated the staff about design programs such as Photoshop and Adobe InDesign through her work with the programs.  Lily was detailed in all of her work, and produced exceptional quality in all assigned projects. 

We have been so lucky to have your support, Lily!  Your maturity, work ethic and skill set are superior – you have such a great academic and professional future.  Thank you for all of your work this summer!

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

Lily, tell us a little about yourself! 
I developed a penchant for reading, writing, and language at a young age. An avid, albeit sporadic, reader I enjoy novels, poetry, and short stories. I am currently enrolled as a high school senior, and outside of school I enjoy rowing competitively and listening to music. Through my editing position on staff of my school magazine as well as through perusing popular periodicals, I have gained an interest and appreciation for photojournalism, sensationalism, and design. I aspire to work towards achievement in the language, linguistics, and social science as I go on to pursue higher education.

How long have you been volunteering with Words Alive, and how did you get involved? 
I have been volunteering for WA since the end of July/beginning of August of 2016.

I was drawn to WA because of the organizations meaningful contributions to the community through the promotion of literacy. I first got involved with the organization through correspondence with Christina Meeker.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your volunteer service with Words Alive?
The most enjoyable aspect of my volunteer responsibilities has been being able to create designs to advertise WA; it is rewarding to know that these contributions will be able to advance the organization's reach in our community.

And, by the way, what are you reading lately?
I am currently reading Native Son by Richard Wright.

Author's Luncheon "Going Green"

In an effort to help the environment and direct as much of our budget as possible towards programs Words Alive will be sending electronic or e-mail invitations this year. Make sure that we have you, and all of your friends', e-mail addresses by Monday, September 5. We want to make sure everyone gets our invitation that will be going out next week. 

We are going to have another exciting, sell out event, with author Jodi Picoult. A limited number of individual tickets will go on sale Saturday, September 10, 2016. Sponsorship opportunities are still available and we are happy to design an experience that best represents your partnership with Words Alive. Please visit our event page for all of the details. 

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 Mortensen

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.