November Page Turner of the Month

Every month we like to highlight one of our superstar Page Turners. Our amazing November Page Turner of the Month has read a whopping twenty nine books since she first started in August.

our November Page Turner of the Month is…

Cheryl Converse-Rath

Thank you Cheryl!

Although she only joined Page Turners in August, Cheryl already stepped into a major role on our BookFinders team. She helps to manage our Page Turners reading list and scout for new books to add to it. It’s the perfect fit for Cheryl, a self-professed “book nerd”.

1) How did you get started with Words Alive?

I signed up as a volunteer tutor with Oasis this year. Because of Covid, the tutoring will be online and had not yet started, I wanted to find some other way to get started. Kristen from Oasis "introduced" me to Jose Cruz from Literacy San Diego. He suggested Words Alive and I am so happy he did!

2) What has been the best book you've read with Page Turners?

So far, I have only read 3 books for Page Turners- 2 elementary and Moxie. I have read several for Words Alive so that I could do 1 pagers for Write Now. Those are Born a Crime, Internment, Anger is a Gift, and The Poet X. Honestly, I have enjoyed them all. With the exception of Born a Crime, which I read a while back, none of them are books I would have read on my own. I thought Anger is a Gift was especially timely for what has been going on in our country.

3) Why did you start volunteering with Page Turners and why do you continue?

I retired from teaching middle school in June. I had planned to get lots of travel in, but then Covid...

I LOVE to read and I also love sharing books, talking about books, writing about books. In case you haven't guessed, I'm a real book nerd! I love the mission of Words Alive and Page Turners. There are so many worlds open to readers- anything I can do to foster that is wonderful!

4) How has spending time volunteering for Page Turners affected what you read or how you think about reading?

I have always loved to read, so it is just a way to continue to look at books for non-adult audiences. I know that having literature where anyone can see themselves is important. I am excited to discover new books that I can share with my teacher friends and friends who are grandparents.

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Are you a book nerd who wants to read book reviews and scout out new books for Page Turners? Attend a volunteer orientation to become a BookFinder!

Want to become a Page Turner? Get started below:

The Words Alive Reader: November 16th, 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 us, a cohort of 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.

- Zoe, Eli and Titiksha, Words Alive Storytelling Team

Processing the Election With the Power of Writing

Red, blue, and purple word bubbles made of paper spell “Be The Change.”

In our last edition of The Words Alive Reader, we shared about the launch of our virtual Read Aloud Program — we now have 33 classrooms participating! This week, we want to share something else we've been working hard on: Write Now, a digital space for teens to cope and connect with current events through writing.

As emotions run high over everything that's going on in our country right now, we're highlighting several of our Write Now prompts that feel especially fitting for this moment. Use them with your students or children, or try them for yourself. We hope that they empower everyone to reflect and respond in healthy ways to current events. 

Explore positive ways to respond to the news, remember to take a self-compassion news break, and, finally, think about ways to be the change you wish to see in the world.

2020 Authors Event & Fundraiser: Success!

Screenshots of Ayad Akhtar, Dr. Seth Lerer, and an image of Homeland Elegies. Text reads: “Annual Authors Event — Featuring Ayad Akhtar in conversation with Dr. Seth Lerer.”

With an entirely new, online format, this year's Annual Authors Event and Fundraiser was an adventure for all of us! We are grateful for everyone who came together to make this event a success.

More than 250 attendees joined us from all over the country, raising $77,000 to connect children, teens, and families to the power of reading. It brought us so much joy to see our community come together in this way.

If you missed the event, don't worry! You can still support us by purchasing access to the prerecorded conversation between Seth and Ayad through the end of 2020. Thank you for supporting Words Alive! 

Write Now with Susan Meissner

A picture of Susan Meissner in front of posters of her books.

Susan Meissner is an acclaimed author, a San Diego local, a Words Alive volunteer, AND one of the authors in this year's Authors Auction! At our latest Write Now workshop for teen writers, brought to you by Words Alive and the San Diego Public Library, she had plenty of advice for aspiring writers, especially when it comes to tackling the familiar enemy known as writers’ block. “It’s kind of like when you go into a pool, or the ocean, and the water is kind of cold, but stay in it, and your body finally acclimates,” she said. It’s all about persistence!

Find the full workshop, along with other exclusive videos from published authors, on our website!

Plot Twist: Logan Holland

A picture of Logan Holland.

Our volunteers come from all different kinds of backgrounds, proving that great books impact us all. Take Logan Holland, for example: a graduate student in biology at UC San Diego. The lessons she draws from her favorite books go hand-in-hand with her studies. As Logan puts it, “I wanted to understand humans biochemically, and then figuratively with literature.”

To read more about Logan’s unique perspective on the intersection of science and literature, and learn why she volunteers with Words Alive, check out Plot Twist, our new blog series! Keep an eye out for more stories in the future on the Words Alive blog.

Join the Words Alive Page Turners!

Graphic illustrating the “Life Cycle of a Page Turners Book.” Through Page Turners, new books are (1) discovered, (2) read, (3) reviewed, and (4) loved by our program participants!

We launched Page Turners in January so volunteers could help us choose the books we read with our students. Since then, more than 600 volunteers have joined Page Turners, contributing nearly 1,900 hours of service! This has allowed us to add 30 new books into our programming, with the knowledge that students will be engaging with high-quality titles our Page Turners have already read and loved. Some of our students at Monarch School are even reviewing books for Page Turners! Through this program, they're taking ownership of what they read in a very tangible way.

Are you interested in joining a community of passionate readers who are helping us read and review books? Visit our website to learn more.

Donate here to support Words Alive!

Plot Twist: Gayle Early

Welcome to our new 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.

A picture of Gayle.

Meet Gayle Early! Gayle is a freelance writer and new volunteer who found us recently through the Californians For All Summer of Service project. Though she’s only been with Words Alive for a few months, her passion and enthusiasm for our mission overflows from the minute you meet her! In this interview, she shares her experience supporting in-person volunteer opportunities during the pandemic and her desire to share the magic of stories with others. (Note: all in-person volunteering took place earlier in the year, in accordance with county and state guidelines and restrictions. Stay safe!)

Gayle adores reading books of all kinds, which makes volunteering with Words Alive a natural fit. She jokes that she’ll even read the phone book if you let her! Years ago, at a boring dinner party, she opened a volume about the difference between oil- and water-based paints. It was the only book she could find, so she started reading without hesitation. “I was like, ’I can learn something here!’” she remembers, laughing. “If there's a book around, I'll pick it up,” she declares. “When you come to my house, the most I have of any object is books,” she says happily. “I would just give my last nickel for a book at a secondhand store.”

Gayle reading with one of her daughters when she was little.

She made sure to pass on this love of stories and reading to her own children, reading aloud to them even before they were born! She also volunteered as a reading tutor in her daughters’ school, where she found a lot of meaning in helping struggling students learn to enjoy reading. “Stories are magical and books are magic,” Gayle emphasizes. “I wanted to join this organization to have a little bit more of that magic with other kids besides my own.”

And Gayle doesn’t hesitate to turn her passion into action. When we asked for volunteers, her response was simple: “I was all in!”  

One of her first assignments was picking up book donations from other volunteers who were at high risk for COVID-19 and unable to leave home. “I was really happy to help with that for them, so that they didn’t need to go drop anything off or drive anywhere,” she says. She has also helped process large book donations from ReaderLink, which she really enjoyed. “That was so much fun!” she says. “Diving into an entire room full of brand-new books—that was pretty exciting for me.”

Volunteers sorting book donations. (Note: All in-person volunteering took place earlier in the year, in accordance with county and state guidelines and restrictions. Stay safe!)

She also loved the ability to safely connect with other volunteers, masks and all, over a passion for stories as they sorted through the titles. “It was like the highlight of that particular week of otherwise complete isolation,” Gayle says. “It was also a good workout!” she laughs, describing the process of moving boxes of books up and down the stairs.

Ever since she was little, reading has played an important role in Gayle's life. “Books saved my life when I was growing up, they really did,” she says, describing the library in the small town where she grew up. “I would go to that library and just get a stack of books and just escape into other worlds as a child.” One of her favorite books was a children’s science fiction novel by Eleanor Cameron called The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet. In the book, two young boys build a rocket ship and have adventures with aliens on a faraway planet.

The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet, one of Gayle’s favorite childhood books.

“As a little kid, I was in that rocket flying out to outer space, where the aliens were actually friendly and sweet and kind and funny,” she remembers. Instead of fear of the unknown and unfamiliar, this book represented “exploration and adventure and friendship” to Gayle. “It really paved my mentality for being a curious person, instead of a fear-based person,” she says. She also credits the literacy skills she picked up from devouring so many books with helping her excel in school.

Today, she hopes that she can help others have similar experiences with the transformative power of books. “I want that for kids in our community who might not have the support or may come from a tougher home life like I did,” she explains. “Reading is an escape from the reality that someone might be in, but it also expands the world,” she says. Through a good book, a kid in California has the opportunity to go to San Francisco in a story, or New York, or out to the country, or into the ocean—the possibilities for learning and exploring are endless.

“Stories can be healing, and stories can help you feel less alone. You recognize that some things are things we all have in common.

”

And as they expand our worlds, stories also bring us together. “Stories can be healing, and stories can help you feel less alone. You recognize that some things are things we all have in common,” Gayle says, a reminder that feels more important than ever right now. “Literacy is about empowering everybody to recognize and show up with their unique abilities and talents, because we need everybody, as a society,” she says. “Literacy is one way to reach people to show them what the possibilities are.”

Gayle, thank you for bringing your time, energy, and enthusiasm to Words Alive! We know that your story will inspire more volunteers to raise their hands and say, “I’m all in!”

Plot Twist: Logan Holland

Welcome to our new 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.

A picture of Logan.

Meet Logan Holland, one of our awesome Words Alive volunteers! Logan is currently a graduate student at UC San Diego studying mitochondria and the heart, and she is a passionate and dedicated supporter of our mission. We sat down with Logan to talk about the surprising connection between science and literature, the role of books in her own life, and why she volunteers with Words Alive.

Logan joined us in 2018, during her second year of college. She was feeling unfulfilled in her undergraduate science classes—“like I needed more words and literature in my life,” she puts it—so she did a Google search and discovered Words Alive. She started out as an ABG and Art & Lit volunteer and has gone on to support us in many different roles since!

Logan's current favorite book, Bone Light by Orlando White.

“Literacy definitely impacts every single facet of everyday life,” she says, describing how literacy factors into civic engagement, navigating the healthcare system, and developing critical thinking skills (“becoming a better human!” as Logan puts it). And at Words Alive, she says, “Everyone is super passionate about reading and really spreading reading as not just a hobby, but as something that can really further education, further people’s opportunities, further people’s futures. That’s why I’ve stayed and tried to get involved as much as I can.”

In addition to the importance of basic literacy skills, she's passionate about the power of story to change lives. “Everything I did in college is because of books that I read as a kid,” she explains, “which is why I want to work with this organization.”

Words have held an important role in Logan’s own life ever since she was little, a book-loving kid reading for hours to pass the time while her parents worked. But until she began volunteering with Words Alive, she didn't fully appreciate how far books have gotten her. “Only one of my parents went to college, so I did not have this strong academic upbringing,” she says. But today, as a graduate student, she concludes: “I think the only reason I’m here is because I was reading a lot of books.”

““Doctors are interacting with humanity in a pretty raw form, right? Literature is doing the same thing, but just in a different way. It’s just really getting into what makes us human.””

The books that she read inspired her to explore the connection between science and stories with a major in biochemistry and a minor in literature and writing. “I like to think of myself as a double major at heart,” she says. “I wanted to understand humans biochemically, and then figuratively with literature.”

Her passion for exploring the human condition eventually led her to the field of medicine. “Doctors are interacting with humanity in a pretty raw form, right?” Logan points out. “Literature is doing the same thing, but just in a different way. It’s just really getting into what makes us human.”

She points to the framework of narrative medicine as an example. In narrative medicine, clinicians are trained to see illness, diagnosis and treatment as a story. “They’re having doctors read books and take creative writing classes to foster that empathy because that is super important in clinical practice, but also everyday life,” she explains. Logan sees this as evidence that stories are vital for helping us connect with and understand each other more deeply. “The more books we can get everyone reading, the better,” she declares. And through her work with Words Alive, she’s helped us do just that.

A screenshot from our Zoom conversation with Logan.

Since the pandemic hit, Logan has really taken leadership in training other volunteers to make an impact in this new virtual environment. She’s always enthusiastic and eager to help others understand the impact of the work they’ll be doing—she even recruited her roommate to start writing curriculum for us!

Throughout this experience, she has been surprised and encouraged by the amount of people who have stepped up to help. “It has been really amazing to work with Sara [our Communications Manager] and just recruit a lot more people because I think the more people helping, the bigger the better, the bigger the impact,” she says. She misses seeing the results of her work in person, but until then, she says, “I really hope that Words Alive can keep using the power of the internet to spread their message and recruit more volunteers.”

Of all the many hats she’s worn at Words Alive, from helping with Art & Lit to translating literacy sessions in Barrio Logan to virtually training other volunteers, writing curriculum is her favorite. Through her time volunteering in classrooms before COVID-19, she saw firsthand how good curriculum impacted the students she worked with; well-written questions got them engaged with a story, excited about a character or passionate about a cause.

A student speaks about the 2019 Art & Lit project, “The Radius of All of Us.”

She remembers one Art & Lit experience in particular, when she was able to see the impact of the book The Radius of Us on one of the students. “He gave a speech of gratitude of how much this book changed his perception of the world,” Logan says, smiling. “That is my favorite memory. To see that impact in one person was very, very cool.” 

Knowing that the questions she writes can lead to such powerful reactions is why she loves curriculum writing so much. “I’m just writing words on my computer at home,” she says, “but people are interacting with these words and they’re becoming ideas, or passions, or career choices—which is my life story.”

Logan, we’re so grateful for the time and energy you dedicate to bringing the power of words to our community. Thank you for sharing your story with us!

The Words Alive Reader: October 16, 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 us, a cohort of 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.
- Zoe, Eli and Titiksha, Words Alive Storytelling Team

Your Own Private Audience with a Best-Selling Author!

A collage of books from authors participating in the Authors Auction with the words “Authors Auction” and “www.WordsAlive.org/authors2020”

Through our Authors Auction, you can bid to win virtual visits with more than 40 award-winning, best-selling adult and children's authors!

Take advantage of this unique chance to personally interact with authors from the safety of your home, during your virtual book club, or, you can donate your win to a classroom. This year's authors are offering a variety of experiences — conversations, book discussions, a memoir-writing workshop, and even cooking demonstrations!

And when you place a bid, you'll be supporting Words Alive's mission in a time when literacy matters more than ever. Bidding starts at $99 and begins closing October 28. Visit the auction here!

Read Aloud Program is Back — Virtually!

A smiling student sits at a desk.

Our Read Aloud Program (RAP) launched virtually this week! As part of RAP, 22 classrooms (about 575 students!) will enjoy weekly virtual read alouds from a dedicated reading role model from the community.

Even virtually, books are connecting volunteers and students! Here's what one of our reading volunteers, Al, had to say: "Reading to the 2nd graders on Tuesday at Monarch was wonderful!...I didn't think I would be too thrilled about zoom reading but this experience was very special!" 

Even during these difficult times, we are excited to keep sharing the joy of a good story while helping children develop the cognitive, language and social-emotional skills they need to be capable readers. Donate to help us reach even more children this school year!

Write Now with Alan Gratz

Alan Gratz holds up a copy of his book, Refugee.

"Imagine that bombs are falling on your neighborhood..." — Alan Gratz, author of Refugee​​​​​​​

Words Alive has partnered with the San Diego Public Library for a series of exclusive writing prompts from contemporary authors. Students can also sign up for live Zoom workshops with selected authors! Recently, Julia Walton talked with us about her journey to becoming an author, mental health, her book (and the new movie!), Words on Bathroom Walls, and storytelling through letters.

This month, Alan Gratz has challenged students to put themselves in the shoes of someone driven from their home by violence. This is the conflict at the heart of Gratz’s novel, Refugee, which is our Cover to Cover book of the month. To hear from the author himself, head to www.wordsalive.org/write-now!

Readers in the Heights Impact

Two children sit at a table with colorful books and craft supplies in front of them. They are reading Eric Carle's book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? together.

This summer, we joined forces with United Way of San Diego to bring the popular Readers in the Heights program to kids in their own homes. Thanks to your support, we helped provide hundreds of reading kits to families across San Diego!

Each participating family grew their home library by an average of 20 books, and parents reported an increase in their kids’ confidence and enthusiasm for reading as well as changed reading habits that brought their families together. In the words of one participant, “It has been amazing family time...I think that reading books this summer has encouraged [my son] to say to himself, 'Ok, I am good at this and I can do it.'"

For more about our efforts and our partners, check out this story from ABC 10 San Diego.

Introducing: Plot Twist

Andrea in her new dorm room.

Words Alive just launched a new blog series, Plot Twist, where we'll be sharing the stories of people in the Words Alive community! Our first blog post features Andrea Vazquez, one of our second-year Westreich Scholars. We talked to her about her educational journey and what it’s been like to start at a new school during the pandemic.

Check out the interview here, and stay tuned for more! 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.

We'd love to hear from you! Email our Storytelling Intern to tell your Words Alive story.

Volunteers Needed!

A man unloads boxes of books onto a cart.

Help us get books to children!

Today, the escape of a captivating story is more important than ever — yet only one in three hundred children in San Diego have an age-appropriate book at home to read. 

Help us change that by delivering book donations to our community partners and families! These are one-time opportunities to make a real impact in our community. If you're interested, email [email protected]! 

Calling all crafters!

​​​​​​​Help us prepare arts and crafts for Words Alive families! Your work will complete our learning kits, full of books and resources to help families learn together at home.

The process is simple: pick up a supply bundle from the Words Alive office (contact-free, by appointment), volunteer from home, then bring the kits back to us! Email [email protected] to get started.

A child colors one of the activities in a Words Alive learning kit.

Donate Here to Support Words Alive!

October Page Turner of the Month

Every month we like to highlight one of our superstar Page Turners. Our amazing October Page Turner of the Month has read a whopping twenty nine books since she first started in August.

our October Page Turner of the Month is…

Noshin Akhtar

Thank you Noshin!

You and Page Turners like you improve Words Alive programming by identifying diverse, engaging, and inspiring books that we can integrate into programming.

1) How did you get started with Words Alive?

I actually had no idea what Word Alive was until I joined the #CaliforniansforAll Summer of Service 2020 program to find a useful way to use my free time over the summer and as a means to help the world cope with COVID-19. I wanted to find a way to help people out while staying safe at home. Another concern for me was school. I didn't want to participate in something that would take away from my priorities. I knew I would read in my spare time like usual, and decided why not? If I could help people out at the same time as doing something I always do, it would definitely be a win-win situation for me.

2) What has been the best book you've read with Page Turners?

I loved a lot of books that I read, but I'd say my absolute favorite would be The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins simply because I have been anticipating the Hunger Games prequel ever since it was announced. In terms of books I was newly introduced to, my top three picks would be Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From by Jennifer De Leon, Jackpot by Nic Stone, and The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline.

3) Why did you start reading books with Page Turners and why do you continue?

As I mentioned before, it was actually not because I had previous experience with Words Alive, but because of hours I needed for the #CaliforniansforAll Summer of Service 2020 program and my high school community service requirements.  Once I found the Words Alive's Page Turners program, I knew instinctively that I needed to take part in this book-loving community. I love reading and decided that joining Page Turners would be like hitting not just two birds with one stone, but three! I would be getting hours, helping people out, and having fun while doing it! This was the perfect opportunity for an overenthusiastic bookworm like me!

4) How has reading books for Page Turners affected you?

I have been introduced to books I never would have heard of before -- and some of them became my favorites! It also helped me to get started on some books I had lying around the house that I could never find the time to get to. 

5) What city are you based in?

I'm up in Santa Clara, but I have loved the Los Angeles/San Diego area from a young age. I actually used to live there with my parents a long time ago for about a year or so when I was just a toddler. Some of my favorite places are there -- including Hollywood, Disneyland, and Universal Studios. 

Want to become a Page Turner? Click the button below:

Introducing Plot Twist: Stories From the Words Alive Community

Welcome to our new 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.

Meet Andrea Vazquez! She is one of our second-year Westreich Scholars and recently transferred to George Fox University in Oregon, where she studies sociology. We wanted to talk to Andrea about her educational journey so far and learn what it’s been like to start at a new school during the pandemic!

Andrea in her new dorm at George Fox University!

Andrea is 19 and first got involved with Words Alive through the Adolescent Book Group at Monarch School in her freshman year. Before she graduated, she applied for and received the Westreich Scholarship!

For her, the most rewarding part of being a Westreich Scholar was her mentor, Sonya. “We got along very well, and even though our lives were a little different, there was one common thing that we had, and it was that our parents just expected a lot more of us than we can give. It was really nice to be able to vent to someone who could completely understand me.” Sonya’s experience working in a school was valuable as Andrea explored options for her future: “We would go out to eat, and try to figure out what my major could be, what I could do with school, if I needed help with any of my essays.”

Andrea and her mentor Sonya in 2019.

Andrea began her college journey at a local school as a biology major, but over time, found that it wasn’t the path she wanted to pursue. “I realized that it’s not that I hate biology, but I was just doing it because my family wanted me to do it.” When she took a sociology class about the problems of society, she discovered a new passion. “It was just amazing. With the way I grew up, I feel like I could give back in a way with this degree.” 

“I was working and taking care of my family and going to school full time so that really took a toll on me.”

Back in her senior year of high school, Andrea was accepted to George Fox University but ended up turning the offer down. “I said no, because I needed to help my mom out. I felt bad leaving,” she says. But focusing on her schoolwork was difficult that first year. “I was working and taking care of my family and going to school full time so that really took a toll on me and I didn’t do so well in a lot of my classes.” When she received a letter from George Fox saying that she was still welcome on campus, she decided to take the opportunity to transfer. As she planned her move to Oregon, she told herself, “I guess we’ll see if it’s just me not being good in school, or if it’s my environment.” 

“It was my environment,” she concludes firmly, five weeks into the new school year. With more time and space to dedicate to her education, she is happy to report that her grades have improved. She pointed to a recent test as an example: “I just took a math test, and I’m not the best at math, and it really showed last year. But I actually got a B+ and I was really proud of myself! It made me realize that this year will be a lot easier than before.”

Still, it’s no small feat to change schools and move to a different state in the midst of a global pandemic. Many aspects of the quintessential college experience are missing, replaced by COVID restrictions. “I can’t leave my room to go shower without a mask on!” Andrea says, laughing. “I just expected to get sent home. I was really scared at first, because I thought it was just going to be taken away again, and my freshman year got taken away already.”

But she has no regrets about moving. “Obviously it gets stressful, but I can take all day and just focus on myself instead of focusing on other people and only having half an hour to myself to do homework, which is really, really awesome.” She loves the kind professors and the small class sizes at George Fox and is excited about the opportunity to reconnect with her faith at a Christian school.

A screenshot of Andrea from our Zoom call.

Andrea appreciates being able to keep in touch with Words Alive throughout this transition. “When I first moved in, [Jess, our Teen Services Program Director] was like, ‘How is it?’ and I was like, ‘You remembered!’ It’s been really nice to hear from people, and actually know that they’re listening to what I’m doing.”

Reflecting on what she’s learned about herself through this journey, Andrea spoke about the importance of self-care and prioritizing her education. “Putting myself first matters sometimes. In situations like this, this is my education that’s going to determine the rest of my life, so it’s important. It’s okay to be selfish.”

“Putting myself first matters sometimes. In situations like this, this is my education that’s going to determine the rest of my life, so it’s important. It’s okay to be selfish.”

In the future, she says, “I really want to help people and be able to give back to my community. Our world is really crappy right now, so I want to be able to help be the change for that.” One of her biggest goals is to be able to give back to Monarch School because of the difference caring, understanding teachers and adults made in her life as a student there.

Andrea, we’re so proud of you for taking this step towards reaching your goals. Congratulations on your transfer, and we can’t wait to see how you change the world in the future!

The Words Alive Reader: September 23, 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 us, a cohort of 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.

- Zoe, Eli and Titiksha, Words Alive Storytelling Team

SNEAK PEEK: 2020 Annual Authors Event!

Text that reads: "Annual Authors Event: Featuring Ayad Akhtar in conversation with Dr. Seth Lerer” above a photo of Ayad and the cover of his book Homeland Elegies

We're so thrilled to announce the author for this year's (virtual) Authors Event & Fundraiser: Pulitzer Prize-winning author and playwright, Ayad Akhtar! 

Be on the lookout for an invitation—with links to a very special Authors Auction and Mission Marketplace—coming to your inbox very soon!

Books for Lindsay Community School

A woman holding up books stands next to boxes of books in front of a painting of a woman and the words Lindsay Community School.

We have been working with Lindsay Community School, a school dedicated to helping pregnant and parenting teens, for our entire 20+ year history! We recently donated books to Lindsay and were so happy to receive this wonderful response from Dawn Miller, Head Teacher!

"The girls and their children were THRILLED - what a beautiful collection of books! So exciting to see the students reading with their babies and children...Cannot thank you enough for helping us bring a little bit of joy to our families in these heavy times."

If you would like to support more collaborations like this one, you can donate to Words Alive here! 

Hello From Our New Storytelling Intern!

A picture of Zoe.

"Hi everyone! My name is Zoe and I am the Storytelling Intern at Words Alive. I have loved reading for as long as I can remember, and I'm so excited to share that love with others by telling the Words Alive story! If you're reading this newsletter, you have a unique perspective to share on what Words Alive brings to the world, and I want to hear all about it. You can reach me at [email protected]!"

Zoe got involved with Words Alive as a volunteer, like many of you! If you currently volunteer with us, we encourage you to add your volunteer position to your LinkedIn profile. Showcase your leadership skills and help us reach more people at the same time!

#WriteNow

Colorful balls of tissue paper representing emotions spread upward from a gray silhouette of a person in profile.

To help teens cope and connect with current events, we’ve started #WriteNow, a collection of writing prompts that provide inspiration in this difficult time. This week, we challenge teens to write a story in just ten sentences, ask them to think about the emotions they’re dealing with right now, and encourage them to reflect on how they handle conflicts.

Check out our latest prompts:

1. 10-Sentence Story

2. Emotions in Common

3. A Call for Equity

Now in 9 Languages!

Text that reads: “Help us support literacy in families’ home languages!” above images of literacy resources in Spanish, Arabic, and Haitian Creole.

Words Alive is now providing resources for students and families in 9 different languages: English, Spanish, Farsi, Arabic, Haitian Creole, Burmese, Karen, Amharic, and Portuguese! We want to ensure that we are supporting and providing curriculum to families in their home languages.

Are you interested in helping even more families build healthy reading habits and skill sets? Volunteer as a translator for our Translation Station! To learn more, visit our website. 

Donate Here to Support Words Alive!

The Words Alive Reader: September 9, 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 us, a cohort of 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.

- Eli and Titiksha, Words Alive Volunteers

Back to School!

A young girl smiles and holds a backpack. Text above the photo reads, “Reagan got her Words Alive backpack! She is so excited!”

As schools begin to re-open, we want to remind you that Words Alive is here to help! Even through unprecedented challenges, we were able to serve 3,280 students and families last school year, and we will continue to do so while adapting our programming into virtual or hybrid models. 

One of our core values is responsiveness. We are dedicated to listening to community needs and developing innovative solutions. Would you like to help us as we journey into new adventures this school year? Sign up for one of our Virtual Best Practices Trainings to learn all the skills you need to volunteer in remote classrooms!

New Story Station Conductors!

Pictures of Sandy, Jim, and Gina reading aloud on Story Station!

We've been hosting Words Alive Story Station on Facebook Live every week day since the pandemic hit to spread joy, and engage our little learners with fun and inspiring stories that the whole family can enjoy. Now, we're happy to welcome new Story Station Conductors to our team!

Volunteers Sandy, Jim, and Gina are positive reading role models to the 10,000+ kids, families, and classrooms that viewed their Story Station videos in just their first week as Conductors. Join us for Story Station at 2 p.m. PT every weekday on Facebook Live: @WordsAliveSD.

Creative Collaborations!

A screenshot from of one of our Zoom trainings!

By the end of September, we will have trained seven community organizations to deliver the three Words Alive core programs! By providing training, curriculum, books, and supplies, we're making sure that organizations like United Way of San Diego, City Heights CDC, Project Concern International, Groundwork San Diego, Oceanside Public Library, and more are able to connect 300 students in their communities to the power of reading.

Another one of our values is collaboration and in these extraordinary times, we need to support one another more than ever. Help support our efforts to train even more organizations by donating today! 

The Life Cycle of a Page Turners Book

An infographic that displays the life cycle of a Page Turners book: from UNKNOWN to UPLIFTING. (1) a stack of books with a question mark; (2) a girl reading (3) a girl typing at her laptop (4) a girl hugging a stack of books.

Since January, our volunteer-led, ever-growing Page Turners community has helped us identify a whopping 28 books that reflect our students' lived experiences to include in Words Alive programming. How does it work?

1. A new and promising book is brought to our attention.

2. Page Turners read and let us know if it's a good fit for our students.

3. Books that receive multiple glowing reviews are passed on to our Curriculum Crew, volunteers who produce high-quality curriculum guides for the book.

4. Curriculum is taught in partner schools and sites, introducing students to empowering, entertaining, and engaging books that they can relate to, igniting their love of reading and setting them up for success!

Want to join the Page Turners community? Sign up here! 

Donate Here to Support Words Alive!

The Words Alive Reader: August 26, 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 us, a cohort of volunteers! Do you love writing and have an interest in helping Words Alive create this type of content? We'd love your help! Email us to learn more.

- Eli and Titiksha, Words Alive Volunteers

Help Us Give Learning Kits to Children & Families!

A woman holds up a backpack in front of a young child.

“Miss Ana is giving me books to learn.”  An 8-year-old participating in Words Alive programs through our partnership with  City Heights CDC and United Way of San Diego scribbled that short, powerful message in their journal. 

Distance learning is providing challenges for teachers, parents, and students in different ways. Before the pandemic, 94% of public school teachers spent their own money on classroom supplies and now, some children are at home attempting to learn with few to no books or supplies around them.

Words Alive is here to help students, parents, and teachers all at the same time! Our Learning Kits are stocked with the tools students need to succeed: pens and pencils, stationary, scissors, and, of course, brand-new books. It takes just $125 to fund one Learning Kit for a child. If you’d like to help level the playing field for a child, donate here!

More Than 200 Page Turners?!

275 book reviews, 1141 hours volunteered, 28 new books added to curriculum, 229 Page Turners, and 177 reviews in progress!

We launched Page Turners last fall so that our Words Alive community could help us find new, diverse books to read with our students. Since then, over 200 volunteers have joined Page Turners, allowing us to add 28 new books to our programming!

Are you interested in joining a community of passionate readers who are helping us read and review titles? Click here to sign up to read a book!

We Could Use Your Help!

Dozens of cardboard boxes with the Words Alive logo.

To meet the changing needs of children, teens, and families because of the pandemic, we are looking for some specific (donated) expertise and thought you might be able to help:

1. Individuals interested in mentoring first-generation college students for the upcoming school year. In addition to general interests, to help meet needs of specific Scholars we're also seeking professionals with work experience in graphic design, the criminal justice system, or based in Portland, OR. 

2. Pro-bono services from legal and public relations firms

3. App developers or website designers

4. Large, vacant storage unit (or garage) on the ground floor where we can accept, sort, and redistribute book donations safely on an ongoing basis 

If you, or someone you know, is able to volunteer or donate in any of these ways let us know!

Join our Mission Marketplace!

A hand holding a heart filled with books above the words “Support small businesses!”

We know that, now more than ever, it's essential to support the small business owners in our community. If you own a business, restaurant, or even an Etsy store you can team up with Words Alive for our Mission Marketplace! We will promote your business throughout the month of October (or another timeframe that works for you!) in exchange for a portion of proceeds being donated to Words Alive in support of our mission. Win-win!

If you'd like to learn more about the Mission Marketplace, email us here!

Donate Here to Support Words Alive!