Meet Bailey, Our Family Literacy Program Intern

Hi everyone! My name is Bailey Dill and I am a third year Child and Family Development student at San Diego State University. I am so excited to be a part of the Words Alive Family Literacy program because it will provide me with more experience on how to make reading more engaging and fun for others.

I want to pursue a career in becoming a teacher, so this opportunity to learn about making books more captivating is a perfect skill to have and then apply down the road. Words Alive was really intriguing for me to become a part of because I also want to be able to empower other families in becoming reading advocates as well! I think reading is so important for so many different reasons, such as inspiring imagination and creativity.

I personally have been reading since before I even knew how to read words. When I was younger, I loved picture books and even though I couldn’t understand the story itself I would make up stories using my imagination and I would entertain myself by just staring at the pictures.

The first books I actually remember reading are the Junie B. Jones books by Barbara Parks and Denise Brunkus. I owned every book in this series and I read each one multiple times. These books were so fun for me because they are chapter books, so I could split up the time I spent reading them, and they also had illustrations which helped with my visualizations.

Reading has always been something that I love, and before all the electronic devices became popular, that’s how I would entertain myself. I also especially love books that connect to a movie or series, because then I can compare my imagination to what someone else imagined. One summer, I read the entire Twilight series, and then I watched all the movies right after. Reading the books beforehand made the movies so much more fun to watch because I had that opportunity to compare what I had pictured in my head to what the movies actually looked like.

Overall, I think reading is such a wonderful skill to have, and it is such a fun way to improve other skills as well. I am so excited for this semester, and I am so happy to be able to share my love for reading with all of you through my position here at Words Alive! 

Introducing our 2022-2023 Theme: Authentic Voices

Written by: Melinda Cooper, Words Alive Program Director

Student in summer programming connecting themes from a story and their authentic voice in a writing exercise.

When you hear the phrase “true, authentic voice,” what comes to mind? Maybe you thought of speaking the truth, keeping it real, or being the genuine article. Maybe you thought of being worthy of acceptance, or, simply, of being good.

Authenticity is universally valued across groups, cultures, and societies. People of all backgrounds understand the importance and power of being authentic. After all, authenticity build trust amongst individuals and communities, who themselves have the power to ensure that healthy systems are nurtured and sustained to support current and future generations.

Self-expression comes naturally to children, as all caregivers and teachers know, and at Words Alive, we believe in the ability of families and communities to co-create self-expression with their children and we are committed to nurturing the resiliency of children and teens through the transformative power of reading and storytelling using authentic voices.

When young learners hear and resonate with the stories of others, they learn more about themselves. Through exposure to consistent, responsible role models enthusiastic around reading, as well as access to high quality curriculum and materials, young learners in our programs are able to draw and explore connections with the texts, which supports their healthy self-expression, brain development, social-emotional skills, and future successes. 

Author, Marcie Colleen, with a family who just received their new copy of Penguinaut!

This year, 5,000 students from across our programs and the region will participate in a series of volunteer-led, dynamic sessions including discussions, creative writing, books to keep, and art! Our anchor texts will feature characters navigating challenges and friendships on their journey to discover and celebrate their authentic selves.

In our Family Literacy and Read Aloud programs, which collectively serve kids from preschool to third grade, you’ll find us reading such books as:

•  The Legend of Rock, Paper, Scissors by Drew Daywait

• Penguinat! by Marcie Colleen

• Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival

 Youth participating in our Adolescent Book Group program will be reading texts throughout the school year that represent a range of intersectional identities, family structures, and socially relevant issues. Titles include:

•  Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly

• The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

• Not So Pure and Simple by Lamar Giles

In addition to carefully developed reading guides, discussion questions, and instructions for families in their home language(s), young scholars will also receive learning kits to keep and take home. Our learning kits are thoughtfully equipped with the tools young readers can use to help bring the stories alive and draw connections between the text, themselves, and the world.

As students read fresh and relevant texts about characters who face challenges with resilience, courage, and kindness, these young scholars will develop the ability to reflect on their own tribulations and sharpen their coping skills. Talking to each other about the texts and reading aloud to one another builds their confidence and emotional awareness while also developing their vocabulary and critical thinking.

Teens in our Adolescent Book Group program reading Hey Kiddo!

As they connect to the topics and themes of the texts through curriculum-backed crafts and creative writing activities, the young scholars in our programs are motivated to engage with their own authentic voices in a way that is fun, impactful, and sustainable for a lifetime.

Plot Twist: 2022 Youth Volunteer of the Year Thanvi Narapareddygari

Welcome to our blog series, Plot Twist! Here, we'll be sharing the stories of people in the Words Alive community — stories of change, growth, and maybe a few surprising twists! We hope that through these stories, you'll get to know our community a little better and see the power of literacy come to life. This article is part of a special edition of this series as it spotlights our incredible volunteers who have been nominated for Words Alive’s 13th Annual Volunteer Appreciation Celebration!

An image of Thanvi Narapareddygari.

Our stellar Youth Volunteer of the Year, Thanvi Narapareddygari serves out of her passion and belief in the power of reading. Joining us from Tampa, Florida, she currently contributes to Words Alive in her key roles as a Pathfinder and Volunteer Engagement Analyst.

When she learned of Words Alive and its mission through VolunteerMatch, Thanvi knew that she had to sign up. As opposed to volunteering for a short time and then stopping in one-off projects like she was used to, she expressed her joy of being able to regularly hear volunteers’ stories and connect with the people we serve through her virtual roles in her day-to-day life.

As a Volunteer Engagement Analyst, Thanvi reaches out to different volunteer teams and assists in keeping track of engagement information such as volunteers’ service hours and the work they’re doing for Words Alive, which critically factors into grant reporting and more. Becoming one of our first Pathfinders later on, Thanvi crucially supports newer volunteers at the beginning stages of their Words Alive journeys as she meets with newcomers who are unsure of where they’d fit, gets to know their motivations and goals, and directs them to specific programs and roles that would best suit their volunteer interests.

Thanvi’s enthusiasm in her Words Alive roles flows from experiencing the impact of reading in her own life. Describing herself as “always [having her] head stuck in a book” since she was young, Thanvi found books to be constants for her as she traveled from place to place in her childhood. Thus, reading helped her to express herself and feel comfortable regardless of where she was.

“I feel inspired to continue reading in my own life and to appreciate how much literacy gives us in our day-to-day...sort of getting a reminder like, oh, there’s kids that are extremely excited to read that book, to turn that page—to see them and think about them sometimes keeps me going as well.”

— Thanvi Narapareddygari

Thanvi was reminded of her passion for books when she was invited for the first time to attend a virtual Family Literacy Program (FLP) session during her earlier volunteer days. As a new Engagement Analyst tracking FLP volunteer hours, she shared that she had not been able to witness any volunteer activities up until that point. However, observing the children in the session excitedly engage with the book they were studying together (which was also without words!) brought her back “to when [she] was little and what got [her] so excited about books in the first place and why [she] started volunteering” for Words Alive.

“I feel like I will never stop being a reader, I’ll be a lifelong reader because of this organization.”

— Thanvi Narapareddygari

This experience left her inspired not only to continue reading and volunteering, but also to appreciate the value and foundational role literacy plays in her future moving forward. As she prepares to into the medical field as a pre-med student, she shared that nurturing her love and excitement for reading at an earlier age motivated her during hard moments in her journey and allowed her to realize the importance of passing that gift onto others. She says, “The fact that these children are getting this opportunity through Words Alive to sort of experience the power of literacy, the power of reading at a young age and to be involved in that myself is truly amazing.”

Thanvi, thank you for your magnanimity and dedication to share the gift and power of reading with children, teens, and families! We are so appreciative of you!

Book recommendation: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

---

This post was created by Gabby Villadolid, Words Alive’s Storytelling Intern! Do you love writing and have an interest in helping Words Alive create this type of content? We'd love to have you on the team! Email to learn more.

The Words Alive Reader: March 17, 2022

Welcome to the Words Alive Reader, our newsletter keeping you up-to-date with the latest in how we’ve been connecting children, teens, and families to the power of reading. We have exciting new stories and opportunities to share as we continue our celebration of National Reading Month!​​​​​​​

Thank You Bentivoglio Family Fund!

We are thrilled to share Words Alive recently received an astounding $200,000 gift from the Bentivoglio Family Fund - the single largest donation ever received by Words Alive! We are humbled by such an investment in our work to uplift children, teens, and families through the power of reading!

​​​​​​​In partnership with local Head Start, Boys & Girls Clubs, elementary and high schools, and more than 1,000 volunteers all over the world, this historic gift will help Words Alive reach more than 4,500 students and families throughout San Diego this school year. To learn more about this gift, click here.

Reading with Teens at the Jackie Robinson YMCA

This week, Words Alive is launching new spring book clubs for teens at the Jackie Robinson YMCA in collaboration with United Way, San Diego Foundation, and amazing community partners. We are training YMCA leaders to run our Adolescent Book Group for students in the Lincoln High School cluster, starting with the award-winning graphic novel, Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett Krosoczka.

Are you an experienced or past ABG volunteer? We would love your help training and coaching partners to facilitate the program. Email us at [email protected] if you're interested!

New Books and Learning Kits for 2,400 Students

This week 2,460 students at 15 partner schools throughout San Diego will be receiving a new hardcover book - Bruce's Big Storm by Ryan T. Higgins - and a learning kit for each student with the supplies to make their own cloud viewer!

This project is thanks to an amazing collaboration: books were donated by the San Diego Council on Literacy and were paired with a learning kit imagined by the Fleet Science Center, supported by Hunter Industries, and compiled by UCSD's Center for Student Involvement.

Check it out and read along! Click here to download the learning kit and family guide (available in 8 languages). You can find the book at your local library.

2021 Volunteer Trends

Words Alive's volunteers are amazing! Our 2021 Volunteer Round Up report is hot off the presses with incredible data about the community who supports our work!

Did you know:

• 58% of Words Alive's volunteers are under the age of 25

• 35% of our volunteers identify as Asian

• 20% of our volunteers have a graduate degree

• 6% of our volunteers are active-duty military or veterans

Representation matters at Words Alive, and we are dedicated to reflecting our community's lived experiences in everything we do. This report highlights our evolving demographic data on our volunteer base's ever-changing gender, racial, educational diversity and more.

Check it out here to learn more about our 2021 volunteer trends.

Thank you EY!

In a celebration of service, 225 EY employees from around the world participated in Words Alive projects around Martin Luther King Jr. Day this year! We'd like to thank our corporate partner, EY, for their commitment to empowering communities through reading!

Do you have a group of 25+ people and/or might be interested in sponsoring a service day for your team? Email us at [email protected] or call us at 858-274-9673. We'd love to talk about custom group service projects and/or opportunities to host service events at your office.

RSVP For Volunteer Appreciation Celebration

Register at our Zoom link to attend Volunteer Appreciation Celebration!

You are cordially invited to our 13th annual Words Alive Volunteer Appreciation Celebration that will take place virtually on Thursday, April 21 at 4:00 pm Pacific. Words Alive would not be the robust, thriving nonprofit it is today without the contributions of our volunteers!

Join us at this hour-long virtual event by signing up at this Zoom registration link. We hope to see you there as we honor our outstanding volunteers!

This newsletter, in addition to our blog and social media content, is written by us, a cohort of staff, interns and volunteers! Do you love writing and have an interest in helping Words Alive create this type of content? We'd love your help! Email to learn more.

The Words Alive Reader: February 10, 2022

Welcome to the Words Alive Reader, our 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!​​​​​​​

Welcome Families!

This week we welcome 292 families, and their 364 children, to Let's Read with Words Alive, our family literacy program!  

Each week families participate in a 45-minute virtual session, in English or Spanish, reading a story and completing a craft together. Between sessions for the next six weeks, parents will receive SMS-based support from volunteers to encourage at-home reading with their new books.

Teachers at Harriet Tubman Village Charter School sharing Let's Read with Words Alive books.

Through this wave, we are excited to offer parallel tracks for families with preschoolers and those with school-age students (TK-2) through partnerships with:

• Diamond Educational Excellence Partnership

• Edison Elementary

• Freese Elementary

• Harriet Tubman Village Charter School

• Neighborhood House Association

• Rolando Park Elementary

We are deeply grateful to the Dr. Seuss Foundation and Conrad Prebys Foundation for their leadership in helping us transform our family programming this year!

Thank you S. Mark Taper Foundation!

We are so grateful to the S. Mark Taper Foundation for making an incredible $35,000 investment in Words Alive!

The S. Mark Taper Foundation, founded in 1989, is a private family foundation dedicated to enhancing the quality of people’s lives by supporting nonprofit organizations and their work in our communities.

Unrestricted support, like this, enables us to invest in our incredible staff, develop new connections with community agencies, and build our capacity to reach more children, teens, and families. Thank you, S. Mark Taper Foundation!

Welcome Board Members!

Please join us in welcoming Meredith Baratz and Laura Galinson to the Words Alive Board of Directors! 

We look forward to their wealth of expertise and leadership to foster Words Alive's growth. You can learn more about Meredith and Laura, as well as the rest of our Board members, here.

If you're interested in serving on our Board of Directors or supporting one of our many committees providing professional guidance to the organization, please reach out to Rachael Orose to start a conversation.

Read Aloud Volunteers Needed

Help children learn to become a reader by volunteering today!

Each week, teachers and principals ask how Words Alive volunteers might read aloud with their students. If you are excited about reading remarkable stories aloud with classrooms of children (TK-3rd grade) and can commit to read for one hour a week through May, we have a spot for you!

We have virtual and in-person openings for readers at schools in central and southeast San Diego. 

Our best Read Aloud volunteers are excited, engaging, and love sharing stories.  No prior experience is necessary! Volunteers bilingual in Spanish and English are in high demand. 

We host weekly, virtual volunteer orientations where you can learn more. You can also email us for more details.

This newsletter, in addition to our blog and social media content, is written by us, a cohort of staff and volunteers! Do you love writing and have an interest in helping Words Alive create this type of content? We'd love your help! Email to learn more.

The Words Alive Reader: January 12, 2022

Happy New Year and welcome to the Words Alive Reader, our 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!​​​​​​​

We Need Your Help

We have an incredible opportunity to connect thousands of readers to Words Alive: Christopher Weil & Company, Inc. is matching the next $5,000 donated to support Words Alive in the Champions for Youth competition! 

Your gift will reach twice as many children and bring us closer to our $60,000 goal before the January 30 deadline.

​​​​​​​Every gift counts! Even if you're a regular donor to Words Alive, a simple $10 gift made on this link can help.

Through the Champions for Youth competition, Words Alive earns bonus funds from the Century Club of San Diego and Farmers Insurance based on how we rank, against five other charities, in two categories: number of donors and funds raised. Thanks to Christopher Weil & Company, Inc.'s match, your gift today will propel us forward in both categories. 

 A very special thanks to the William Gumpert Foundation and the S. Bernstein Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation for matching earlier gifts to the campaign, enabling us to reach the first 75% of our $60,000 goal.

Volunteers Compile Hundreds of Learning Kits from Home

Debbie Wappler, volunteer, stands with hundreds of Learning Kits she, her family, and colleagues created.

During the holidays, Debbie Wappler mobilized her family and colleagues at Commonwealth Financial to compile 700+ Learning Kits for children and families participating in this spring's "Let's Read with Words Alive" family literacy program.

Debbie set up assembly lines at her home and office to compile take-home bags for families reading two titles, Penguinaut! and Giraffes Can't Dance.

Learning Kits include tips for families, a copy of a book, and a simple craft activity related to each title. Since the new COVID variant is limiting our ability to compile kits at our office, we're looking for volunteers, like Debbie, interested in organizing family, neighbors, or colleagues to help compile the remaining Learning Kits at your home or office for our spring sessions.

Our Program Coordinator, Murphy Hernandez, can help you get started. He can be reached at [email protected] or 858-274-9673.

Welcome New Team Members

We are thrilled to welcome amazing new team members to Words Alive.

Jenn Belgarde joins Words Alive as our Young Adult Program Manager, leading our signature programs for youth ages 12-24. 

Kristi Stoza joins Words Alive as our Engagement Coordinator, playing a key role in mobilizing volunteers and engaging donors. 

Read about Jenn and Kristi on our blog.

We are also thrilled to welcome Julie Chen, a student at UCSD and our new Page Turners intern. Know someone interested in learning more about working with nonprofits? We are currently recruiting for spring and summer volunteer interns. Details here.

Volunteer Opportunities Available

Help young children learn to become a reader by volunteering today!

New in 2022, we're thrilled to expand our programming at many school sites throughout San Diego - reaching more classrooms and more ages. 

For example, at Rolando Park Elementary, a new partner in 2022, our volunteers are starting the new year both reading aloud to elementary students and leading family literacy workshops.

This is creating many new, engaging volunteer opportunities both virtually and in-person. To learn about ways you might be able to help, we host weekly volunteer orientations. Click here to find the virtual orientation schedule and more details. 

This newsletter, in addition to our blog and social media content, is written by us, a cohort of staff and volunteers! Do you love writing and have an interest in helping Words Alive create this type of content? We'd love your help! Email to learn more.

The Words Alive Reader: December 14, 2021

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!

On Track to Reach 100,000 Touchpoints

Maliyah proudly sharing her rocketship she created after reading "Penguinaut!" by Marcie Colleen in our Family Literacy Program.

"I never knew you could incorporate play into reading, it just never occurred to me.  But, it's a wonderful strategy and I see the difference in my daughter's learning when this technique is used!  [It is] so much more complete and extensive. She will talk about a story for days now!"

 - Danielle, about her daughter Maliyah participating in our Family Literacy Program

By helping Danielle, and hundreds of parents each year, nurture the power of reading through play, we increase their awareness of how they can support their children on the path to become life-long learners.  We are proudly on track to provide 100,00 similar touchpoints this school year with parents and students across San Diego!

Calling All Volunteers

Have you been looking for a chance to volunteer with students and families? Now's your chance!

Beginning in January, we will be starting new sessions (virtually and in-person) with nearly 1,000 students across San Diego!  Opportunities to help include working with:

• Teens: 4-6 volunteers explore books with a classroom of students through discussion, creative writing, and activities every other week.

• Children (TK-3rd): Volunteers are matched with a classroom to read aloud weekly.

• Families: 2-3 volunteers guide a cohort of families through stories and craft activities once a week in this 6-week workshop series.

No previous classroom experience needed - just a love of reading and working with children, teens, and families! We provide robust training, resources, and support to help you succeed. Email [email protected] or call 858-274-9673 to learn more or sign up for a training.

$10 Could Unlock Thousands

Words Alive is one of only 6 San Diego youth charities to participate in Champions for Youth, a fundraising competition administered by The Century Club of San Diego.  The organization with the most donors that make a gift between now and January 30 could earn a prize of more than $35,000!

Your donation of $10 (or more) could be the one that puts Words Alive over the top and earns tens of thousands of bonus for the children, teens, and families we serve. You can help by making a $10 gift today.

Other Ways to Give

There are many ways to give to Words Alive this holiday season!

 1) Find our wishlist here.  You can purchase books and school supplies that we critically need for our programming. 

 2) When you shop these businesses, they donate a portion of their sales to Words Alive. 

 3) We accept all types of gifts including stock/securities, IRA rollovers and conversions, legacy gifts, donor advised fund gifts, and more. Click here for details.

This newsletter, in addition to our blog and social media content, is written by us, a cohort of staff and volunteers! Do you love writing and have an interest in helping Words Alive create this type of content? We'd love your help! Email to learn more.

The Words Alive Reader: November 4, 2021

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!

We’re Back in School!

Image of book given out to Read Aloud students and craft puppets created to help students retell the story.

In October, Read Aloud volunteers kicked off the school year in an epic way!  Volunteers read We Don't Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins with 1,530 elementary students across 51 virtual and in-person classrooms. Every student received a book to keep, a clothespin-puppet craft activity, and family discussion guide (available in 8 languages) to bring the joy of reading home. 

One teacher from Burbank Elementary shared:

"My students were so excited to get a new book...I heard from the families that their children use the puppets to retell the story [at home].  We are so fortunate to count on you to provide excellent literacy content. Our reader, Mrs. Hopkins, is amazing.  She connects with the students really well." 

We are building a love of reading and home libraries thanks to the remarkable and collaborative investments from donors and volunteers. If you'd like to help us reach more students, click here to become a monthly donor or email us so we can help you find your on-ramp.

North County Philanthropy Council Volunteer of the Year: Jim McIlhon

Graphic congratulating Mr. Jim McIlhon on being honored as a 2021 Volunteer of the Year

Words Alive is proud to celebrate James "Mr. Jim" McIlhon as a Volunteer of the Year at the North County Philanthropy Council's 2021 Volunteer Awards Celebration, held Friday, November 5. You may recognize Mr. Jim from Facebook Live, where his Story Station videos exploring books and modeling read aloud best practices have been viewed more than 250,000 times!  Learn more about Mr. Jim here.

More than 1,600 passionate volunteers help us bring words alive for children, teens, and families. Click to find opportunities to volunteer.

Thank You to The Conrad Prebys Foundation!

Child doing a craft project while following along with virtual Family Literacy Program

Words Alive is thrilled to announce an extraordinary $80,000 investment from The Conrad Prebys Foundation to grow our programming for families. Through our Family Literacy Program, hundreds of families explore early literacy and language development while connecting reading with play. 

This gift allows us to hire our first dedicated staff to the program at a time when supporting family learning is most critical. You can learn more about this extraordinary investment from The Conrad Prebys Foundation here.

Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser Postponed

Attendees at a past Author’s Luncheon sitting around a table.

We've decided to move our annual Author's Luncheon and Fundraiser to Spring 2022. We're hoping to welcome you to an in-person event celebrating the resilience and passion of our community throughout the pandemic. Date and details are forthcoming.

For a limited time, you can watch last year's virtual event with Ayad Akhtar, discussing his novel Homeland Elegies, for free here. 

Interested in supporting our Author's Luncheon & Fundraiser? We'd love to connect.

Welcome New Staff

Image of two new staff members - Faryl Kander, Family Program Manager; Murphy Hernandez, Program Coordinator

Please join us in welcoming two new staff members to our organization, Dr. Faryl Kander, Family Program Manager, and Murphy Hernandez, Program Coordinator! We're excited about the unique skills and experiences they bring to Words Alive. 

 The demand for our programming continues to soar amidst this time of post-traumatic growth. Find staff and intern positions and volunteer opportunities on our website.

Stay Connected

Graphic saying “Follow Us” @WordsAliveSd

Follow us on social media for daily updates about how our Words Alive community makes a difference in the lives of children, teens, and families.

Follow @WordsAliveSD on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. 

You'll find examples of Words Alive "In The News" on our website as well.

This newsletter, in addition to our blog and social media content, is written by us, a cohort of staff and volunteers! Do you love writing and have an interest in helping Words Alive create this type of content? We'd love your help! Email to learn more.

Meet Our New Family Program Manager, Faryl Kander!

We are so excited to announce a new addition to the Words Alive team: our new Family Program Manager, Faryl Kander ! Read on to learn more about Faryl and what she’s bringing to Words Alive.

Faryl’s professional interest in education began when she learned about the inequities that exist in our education system and wanted to work to find a solution. She became a Teach for America teacher working in multicultural urban environments with linguistically and culturally diverse children and families. Faryl’s love for teaching developed into roles as a literacy coach, teacher educator, and most recently a Title I Reading Specialist. Faryl believes that all children deserve a quality education and is committed to authentic and meaningful practices that develop readers and writers. She firmly believes an education that enthuses a love of reading supports students in becoming deep and critical thinkers who will change our world. Faryl received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Arizona State University, a M.Ed. with a concentration in Educational Leadership from the University of San Diego and holds a B.A. degree in English from San Diego State University. 

Now, a few words from Faryl!

What intrigued you about Words Alive? Why did you want to join Words the team?

When I learned about Words Alive, it’s mission and programs, I couldn’t believe it was true. I was intrigued that a nonprofit understood the importance and significance of supporting and understanding kids as readers, rather than simply focusing on skills-based reading approaches. I had been in professional roles as a classroom teacher, literacy coach, reading specialist, and studied literacy in-depth as a teacher educator responsible for reading and writing methods courses, but this important distinction was often sidelined in classrooms or schools due to external constraints (mandated curriculums, limited resources, etc.). I wanted to join the Words Alive team because they offer a dynamic edge within the educational space operating from the perspective of what literacy can be. Words Alive was also exactly where I was at in my professional journey in that I wanted to transfer what I had learned in my career to another industry or sector. 

What are you most excited about in your new position?

At Words Alive I get to do all my favorite things: work with children and families, grow with dedicated professionals, and serve in a way to contributes to the greater good as a society—all while reading amazing books!  I am excited about being able to make a difference in authentic and meaningful ways because of Words Alive belief in an asset-based approach to the work we do. I am also excited about opportunities to further connect, learn, and grow with our San Diego literacy community partners.

What is your relationship with literacy and learning?

I have always been a very curious and deep thinker looking to make sense of the world around me. Some of my favorite childhood memories are going to a library or bookstore, immersing myself in the stacks of books, coming home, and being so engrossed in reading that I didn’t want to put the book down. Being able to get lost in a book or story I think is one of the greatest gifts. Reading has taught me about new cultures, perspectives and allowed me glimpses into history and the future. Literacy (reading and writing) has provided me with a safe space to learn more about myself and others. For me, literacy as a tool for learning is where hope and possibility live.

What are you currently reading?

My stack always includes a beachy fiction read, YA, something personal growth oriented, and a read aloud with my daughter. Currently that includes People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry, All American Boys by Jason Reynolds, Wonder by R.J. Palacio, and The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel.

---

We are so excited to have Faryl on our team! Are you interested in working with Words Alive? You can find employment and internship opportunities here.

Words Alive Receives $80,000 Grant from The Conrad Prebys Foundation; Announces New Hire of Dr. Faryl Kander to Lead their Family Literacy Program

Words Alive received an $80,000 investment from The Conrad Prebys Foundation to strengthen programming connecting families and their children to the power of reading.

Words Alive Executive Director Rachael Orose said funds will pay for dedicated staff to support their Family Literacy Program for the next two years. 

Dr. Faryl Kander to lead Family Literacy Program

 Words Alive also announced the hire of Dr. Faryl Kander to lead the program. “As the pandemic continues to hinder learning and cause uncertainty,” explains Orose, “parents are increasingly expected to take on roles to support their child’s education. Thanks to this stunning investment from The Conrad Prebys Foundation, we are delighted to welcome Dr. Kander to help Words Alive empower San Diego’s families to cope with, and emerge stronger from, the pandemic,” said Orose. A San Diego native and experienced Title I reading specialist, Dr. Kander holds a doctoral degree in Curriculum and Instruction, Language and Literacy from Arizona State University, and degrees from University of San Diego and San Diego State.

Over the past nine years, Words Alive’s Family Literacy Program has served more than 6,000 children and adults in San Diego. Through the program, parents explore age-appropriate literacy and language development concepts, paired with simple strategies and new books to ignite a love of reading for families. Family Literacy is delivered in partnership with community agencies including Neighborhood House Association Head Start, Oceanside Public Library, the Diamond Educational Excellence Partnership, and several other community organizations.

“The resiliency of San Diego’s youth has been stretched and challenged in unimaginable ways during the pandemic, and the Foundation is grateful to be able to give to a range of nonprofits as they work to support, inspire and care for the future leaders of our region,” said Erin Decker, director of grantmaking at The Conrad Prebys Foundation. 

Founded in 1999, Words Alive connects children, teens, and families with the power of reading. Words Alive provides access to relevant and quality books, shared reading experiences, and a connection to reading that lays the foundation for continued success. To learn more about Words Alive visit: www.WordsAlive.org.

The Conrad Prebys Foundation was established by real estate entrepreneur Conrad Prebys to perpetuate his commitment to philanthropic endeavors. The Conrad Prebys Foundation inspires transformational change by funding projects in alignment with Conrad Prebys’ legacy interests and continuing his efforts that spark meaningful advancement in our communities. For more information, visit www.ConradPrebysFoundation.org.