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.

North County Philanthropy Council Recognizes Jim McIlhon as a Volunteer of the Year

Volunteers are critical to to brining words alive for children, teens, and families we serve. Our volunteers bring their own lived experiences to our work, supporting the culture of appreciation and inclusion we foster. We are proud to celebrate one of those volunteers, James McIlhon, as he accepts the award for Volunteer of the Year from the North County Philanthropy Council.

You may recognize “Mr. Jim” from our Story Station videos on Facebook Live, where his videos have been viewed more than a quarter-of-a-million times. Before taking to the digital airwaves, Mr. Jim supported our Read Aloud Program as a classroom reader, reading to preschoolers since 2018. When we asked teachers to describe Mr. Jim’s Read Aloud sessions in one word, they said “Engaged, awesome, fantastic, enthusiastic.”

When asked about why he volunteers for Words Alive, Mr. Jim said, “Reading allows us to broaden the imagination, take us to other worlds, and deepen our sense of shared experiences, trials, and joy. If I can be a spark that generates curiosity in books and encourages reading habits at home, then our youngest cohorts can begin the journey to successful learning and discovery of their own limitless potential.”

To support the growth of Words Alive, we have activated 1,600+ volunteers, locally and globally, to invest their time, talent, and expertise in support of San Diego’s youth. Volunteers participate in trainings to help them think, respond, and engage in ways that honor diverse voices and the lived experiences of families. Uniquely, we are seeing that connections through text are building bridges of understanding between Words Alive volunteers and the families we serve.

 Considering volunteering with Words Alive today! Learn more about volunteer opportunities at our website: Become A Volunteer — Words Alive.

Congratulations Mr. Jim – and thank you for bringing words alive for children and families in our community and around the country!

Meet Our New Program Coordinator, Murphy Hernandez!

We are so excited to announce a new addition to the Words Alive team: our new Program Coordinator, Murphy Hernandez! Read on to learn more about Murphy and what they’re bringing to Words Alive.

Murphy Hernandez, Words Alive’s new Program Coordinator, in a field of sunflowers.

Murphy Hernandez serves as Program Coordinator in support of all programs at Words Alive. Murphy has significant volunteer coordination and volunteer leadership experience in political, community-based, and humanitarian nonprofits in Riverside County (CA), Las Vegas (NV), and New Delhi (India). They also have years of experience in crafting and digital design, childcare, inventory management, and customer-facing retail sales. Murphy is expecting to complete dual Associate’s degrees in Sociology and Arts & Humanities this year from Saddleback College and move on to complete their Bachelor’s in Sociology here in San Diego. Outside of work, Murphy enjoys spending time with loved ones, cooking, gardening, crafting, playing with their dog, and learning new things.

Now, a few words from Murphy!

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

I moved to San Diego earlier this year and found Words Alive when I was looking for ways to get involved in the community. Out of all the options I came across, I was drawn to Words Alive the most. Not only does Words Alive have a powerful and important mission, but it was also clear from what I found online that they really live out that mission and are dedicated to improving the lives of children and families in a major way. I attended a volunteer orientation and couldn’t contain my excitement with all the great volunteer opportunities presented. When I saw the Program Coordinator job posting soon after, it felt like my dream position opened up and I was determined to become a part of the team!

What are you most excited about in your new position?

The most exciting elements of my position to me are the creative aspects, the organizing, and learning. I am a crafter at heart and have been loving all the opportunities to contribute to the creative projects for the kids. I also love the organizing aspect because I feel it’s a way I can contribute to an efficient and smooth process for such an important mission. There are so many amazing people on our team and any way I can help them and therefore help the overall mission, makes me happy! The opportunity to help and work with such great leaders in the non-profit field also fills me with joy as a learner. I’m excited for all I could learn from this team!

What is your relationship with literacy and learning?

Many of my earliest memories are tied to literacy, learning, and creating. Up until I was five my family lived with my grandparents, cousins, and other family, all together. The house was full of kids and fun and our favorite part of the house was the library. The hallway in the center of the house had been converted to an amazing library by my contractor grandpa and that’s where my cousins and I would spend most of our time. Before we could read much on our own, we’d play with the books, making towers and stacks and playing librarian. As we learned to read, my family started to order a subscription to a reading adventure series that would be mailed to us regularly. We did many of these throughout my early childhood and I always remember being so excited to learn new things with each kit. My mother would also do super engaging story times for us, even writing and illustrating her own short stories when we requested it. The opportunity to learn and be creative with reading, writing, and drawing was a huge part of my life from a young age that helped me through many difficult times as I got older. After I finished chemo a few years ago, I got a tattoo of a stack of books to commemorate the stories that helped me through so much. I wouldn’t be who I am today without the stories I’ve read and the things I’ve gained from reading and learning.

What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading a lot of textbooks for school because I’m back in school full-time and working towards my degree in Sociology. When I have the time though, I’m also reading The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm by Christopher Paolini. The Inheritance Series (Eragon) was one of my favorites as a teen and I was so excited to hear that Paolini made a short story series in the same universe!

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

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.

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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. 

PRESS RELEASE: “Concentric Community” Exhibit Open Through October 16

Collaborative Art Project of Words Alive, ArtReach & San Diego Public Library

SAN DIEGO, California (September 28, 2021) –  Demonstrating the resiliency of San Diego’s youth, a moving new collaborative art exhibit, “Concentric Community” is on display at the Mission Valley Public Library through October 16.

Organized by San Diego nonprofits Words Alive, ArtReach, and the San Diego Public Library, this year’s Art & Lit Exhibit engaged 1,210 youth learners to connect reading, writing, and art through the creation of “Identity Circles.” The curated exhibit includes artwork submitted by 250 students across San Diego.

Words Alive Executive Director Rachael Orose says the collaborative partnership between Words Alive, Art Reach San Diego, the San Diego Public Library, and 23 community partners was critical to the success of this year’s project.

“As young people continue to struggle with uncertainty, disconnection, and trauma caused by the ongoing COVID pandemic, this project provided an opportunity for students and families to connect through reading, writing, and art. It’s a testament to the strength of San Diego that so many partners, volunteers, and families came together to amplify the voices of our community’s young people,” said Orose.

Annually, Words Alive spearheads an Art & Lit project designed to help students connect concepts from literature to their lives, through art. This year’s selected books featured characters battling loneliness on their journey to discover themselves, and included: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz, Ghost by Jason Reynolds, and The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate.

Inspired by painter Alma Thomas’ masterpieces, ArtReach developed the “Identity Circle” concept providing an opportunity for students to develop mindfulness habits and emotional awareness in the creative process. 

San Diego Public Library was a key distribution partner, enabling families throughout the county to access the project.  Libraries distributed kits including this year’s anchor texts and art materials for students to make their “Identity Circles” at home. 

 “Unable to engage with our youth as we did pre-Covid, the Art & Lit Project provided the Library with the opportunity to connect youth in our communities to this engaging and impactful project,” said Emily Derry from the San Diego Public Library. “We are honored to see the students’ authentic artwork come to fruition through pieces that reflect the journey and experiences of our talented youth.”

Thanks to the generosity of philanthropists, volunteers, and community agencies, Art & Lit 2021 provided free books and art supplies to over 1,000 families throughout San Diego. The exhibit is now on display at the Mission Valley Public Library through October 16.

To learn more about the project, visit: www.wordsalive.org/art-lit-2021-community.

 For an interview, or more details, please contact: Rachael Orose, Executive Director, [email protected].,

The Words Alive Reader: September 13, 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!

A Year of Resilience, Repair, and Joy!

Two children reading stories, smiling

Words Alive is determined to deliver hope, joy, and a sense of community to children, teens, and families, in the coming school year. Hear from Words Alive's Program Director, Amanda Bonds, more about how we are aiming to create 100,000 meaningful moments of connection to the power of reading this year.

6,548 Hours of Amazing Volunteer Support

Here at Words Alive, accomplishment of our mission would not be possible without our dedicated volunteers, who are truly the backbone of this organization. Between January and June of this year, our incredible volunteers contributed over 6,548 hours of service which equates to an estimated value of $220,086! Each and every volunteer is essential to our cause. If you’d like to join us, click here.

A Words Alive volunteer holding two books

Thank You Nordson Corporation!

Students carrying young adult novels

Words Alive sincerely thanks Nordson, our long-standing philanthropic partner for over 10 years of support. We are excited to announce that Nordson is now a service partner too! Nordson employees participated in Page Turners, reading and reviewing new books for our curriculum pipelines. Volunteers contributed over 112 hours of service by reading over 7,300 pages and completed 38 book reviews for titles like Pride: A Pride and Prejudice Remix, The Awakening of Malcolm X, and Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen. We're so grateful to Nordson and look forward to continued partnership. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Statement

Two young children reading together

Words Alive strives to build more inclusive and equitable communities through providing quality, shared reading experiences for children, teens, and families. In May 2021, our Board of Directors renewed our commitment for the same which led to the creation of our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Statement.​​​​​​​ Click here to read the full statement and learn more about this commitment.

Welcome New Board Members

Please join us in welcoming two new Board members to our organization, Nick Giordano and Rosemary McDonell-Horita! Nick brings experience in public accounting and finance and this makes him a tremendous addition to help guide our organization's fiscal health. Rosemary's background in advocacy, empowerment, and education adds wonderful perspective to guide our organization's programming. We are thrilled to welcome Nick and Rosemary to our Board of Directors!

A graphic that says “Welcome New Board Members” and has pictures of Nick Giordano and Rosemary McDonnell-Horita

New Words Alive Store

We have a new online store! Find youth and adult shirts, including a newly released 2021-2022 t-shirt with the motto "Plant the read and watch it grow!" designed by one of our volunteers, Evan Cartwright. All proceeds benefit Words Alive!

Join Us

​​​​​​​Words Alive is growing! We are thrilled to welcome new team members, including offering meaningful internships providing hands-on experience working with an outstanding team. Click here to learn more.

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.

- Words Alive Storytelling Team

Happy International Literacy Day 2021!

It's International Literacy Day! Here at Words Alive, we champion the beauty and importance of literacy each and every day. But each year, on September 8th, International Literacy Day is celebrated worldwide as a way to highlight the importance of literacy for children and adults of all backgrounds, nationalities, communities, and societies. Though we started out as a San Diego-focused organization, the Words Alive community now spans the globe, with our volunteers supporting us from 18 different countries and creating content for our readers in eight different languages!

Here's what one of our volunteers in India, Meher Gandhi, had to say about the importance of today: "Is literacy only about reading and writing or is it about thinking at such levels that form the base for confident and independent living? It must be the latter and if so, then the goal must be shared by all nations. This International Literacy Day, let's think about no boundaries except the one between literacy and lack of it." We're celebrating International Literacy Day because we believe that no matter where you are in the world, literacy matters!

Declared a UNESCO world holiday in 1966, International Literacy Day is celebrated under a different theme every year. This year’s theme is, “Literacy for a human-centered recovery: Narrowing the digital divide.” Although literacy has improved greatly in the past fifty plus years, illiteracy still remains a global issue. And with Covid-19 disrupting the lives of countless individuals across the globe, inequalities in access to educational and literary opportunities have been dramatically magnified. The shift to online learning upended the education of millions of children and sadly, kids from families with limited access to books, technology, and the internet were and are continuing to be the most affected.

This year’s theme will both celebrate and explore how literacy is impacted and changing with distance learning in a Covid-19 affected planet. Literacy is an essential piece of human and familial interactions as well as an integral facet of education and lifelong learning, and it is essential to our resilience and repair in the post-pandemic world. International Literacy Day challenges us to take ownership of the literacy crisis, taking the responsibility back home to local communities where literacy begins.

So what can YOU do to help, today on International Literacy Day and every day?

• Volunteer. Getting involved with Words Alive is a great place to start! You can find volunteer opportunities here.

• Take Action. Donate books to classrooms, start lending libraries in and outside your community, tutor, start a book club, and read with your family.

• Make a Donation. When we can count on your recurring support each month, we are able to reach more children, teens, and families. Your gift of just $5 each month supports a student's journey to connect to the power reading and can change the story of their life. Click here to make a donation.

Happy Reading!

This post was written by Keira Nordan, a Words Alive volunteer! 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.

Why Should We Write?

You probably know that here at Words Alive, we believe deeply in the power of reading. But did you know that the act of writing has tremendous value, too? As well as being a powerful tool for communication, writing can also be an art form—one that is capable of helping us understand our thoughts, emotions and situations. 

Read on to learn about a few of the many ways that writing can benefit us!

Writing can help us process emotions

““I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” ”

— Anne Frank

The ability to use words to shape an imagined reality, or to reflect our authentic realities, is not only a cathartic process, but one that can make our emotions clear to ourselves and help us make sense of them.

Creative writing can function as a medium for release of difficult emotions in a considerate, controlled way. It can provide anyone, young or old, with an environment free of judgement and expectations — a safe space where they can feel free to write their way through confusion, anger, frustration or sadness. And this has measurable impacts — the psychologist James Pennebaker has shown that when people write about emotional experiences, significant physical and mental health improvements often follow. 

Writing can increase our resilience

Another benefit of creative writing is its ability to develop resilience in a writer (one of our themes for this upcoming program year!). Writer and educator Laura Bean wrote an article for the University of California, Berkeley, about the various methods of creative writing that she uses to help her students build resilience.

In the face of challenges such as financial hardship, cramped living and learning environments, and domestic violence (and now isolation, health concerns, and mental health challenges brought on the pandemic), Bean describes how writing can help her students persevere.

By sharing their stories of bravery and resilience, they encourage a growth mindset in one another. Through studying and writing poetry, they focus on hope. As they reflect on their dreams, they build community and kindness towards themselves and others — all factors that contribute to resilience. 

Writing can help us become better readers

Mary K. Tedrow, an award-winning teacher and author of the book Write, Think, Learn asserts that writing and reading are fundamentally dependent on each other. As students develop their own work, they learn how to understand other authors better. Writing can help students become better readers by increasing their reading fluency, encouraging a deeper understanding of the written word, and helping them grasp the construction of an author's argument. According to Tedrow, “Students who write are better, more observant, more appreciative readers...and students who read are better, more competent writers.” 

Writing can generate change

Writing can be a powerful form of activism. Whether we are sharing our personal true stories, highlighting social issues through fiction, or writing protest poetry, we can use our words to call people to action and generate change. Last year, we saw students do just that through our exhibit, The Future is Us, as they used art and words to call community leaders to action on issues such as equitable housing, racism, and environmental justice. As college students Jessenia N. Class and Robert Miranda wrote for The Harvard Crimson, "Ideas of change are powerful. And the words and the stories we use to tell these ideas have the potential to spark great movements."

Ready to start your writing journey?

If you still need some inspiration, visit our Covid Diaries exhibit to see some incredible examples of student writing. And when you're ready to write, check out the Words Alive Write Now page to find writing prompts, advice from published authors, and hands-on activities to get started. Happy writing!

This post was written by Nia Lewis and Zoe Wong, Words Alive volunteers! 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.

A Year of Resilience, Repair & Joy

A message from Words Alive’s Program Director, Amanda Bonds 

Words Alive is determined to deliver hope, joy, and a sense of community to children, teens, and families in the coming school year. With the help of extraordinary volunteers and remarkable philanthropists, we aim to create 100,000 meaningful moments of connection to the power of reading this year.

Why is this important right now? Experts predict the COVID-related learning loss we’ll see in schools this year is substantial. An escalating literacy crisis threatens more than 400,000 children across San Diego. 

Students need our support and resources, quickly, to build on the resilience they have demonstrated during the recent reimagined school year, and to work toward repair of our communities. They also need uplifting, joyous moments to add warmth and connection to what’s been a long, often lonely path since March 2020. 

When we see ourselves in the stories of struggle and success of others, we realize what we’re made of and what’s possible. When we are resilient, we are braver, more curious, more adaptable, and more able to extend our reach into the world—we can reflect on our resilience and its role in repairing our communities. This is our hope for each person who participates in our programs. 

Words Alive will bring people together to focus on connecting youth to stories of resilience and repair in the 2021-22 scholastic year. 

Informed by our courage to collaborate creatively and our commitment to what works, the titles we read this year will tell these stories, reigniting the joy children, teens, and families hold in their heart for learning along the way.  You’ll find us reading books such as:

• The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba

• Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton

• Inky’s Amazing Escape: How a Very Smart Octopus Found his Way Home by Sy Montgomery

Throughout the year, we will track every touchpoint – each one of those meaningful mission moments – where we create a connection for a child, a teen, or a family to the power of reading. This might look like a book that goes home with a student, a view of our online Story Station videos, a text message from Words Alive received by a family, and more. These touchpoints will be delivered through our volunteer-facilitated core programs and inspired through our online resources and the books and learning kits we bring to our community. 

At Words Alive, we believe that everyone has something to give and to gain in the movement to make reading matter, and so we welcome your involvement on the journey to 100,000 touchpoints, whether you want to donate, volunteer, or just cheer us on. 

We are proud to come together as a community to strengthen our resilience, embolden our efforts at repair, and joyously celebrate the power of reading.