What the JLW is Reading: Board of Directors

Not surprising for an organization that focuses on literacy, the ladies on the JLW Board of Directors enjoy reading. They read monthly Board Reports, meeting minutes, agenda, motions, budgets and email correspondence, but they also have some surprising favorites!

Wendy Cumberland’s favorite children’s book is Peter Pan (though Good Night Gorilla is fast becoming a new favorite) while Carly Rockstroh has fond memories of Eloise. Elizabeth Keys shares two current favorites that she is sure will become classics – Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes and A Sick Day for Amos McGee. As a new mom, Nancy Margaret Ray Adler’s favorite is the classic Goodnight Moon. Kelly Wilson Pisciotta gave an older favorite with The Phantom Tollbooth.

We also asked the incoming Board of Directors about what they are reading. We discovered that you can always borrow a magazine from Shiela Corley or Amanda Walke. They counterbalance their magazine habit with Shiela’s daily bible devotions and Amanda’s chemical patents. Interestingly, Erin Cromer finds her devotions online. Jennifer Hemingway and Susan Marshall share an interest in biographies while Brooke Horiuchi and Kimberly Linson read lots of adventure fantasy books. Maria Estefania loves all historical fiction. Alicia Lee saves money by downloading free paranormal/vampire ebooks on her Kindle. Marie Hahn, Erinn Gray and Stacey Hinton Tuneski could have shared Gone Girl. Kim Toumey enjoyed the Devil in the White City while Lorrie Dreibelbis recently picked up Devil in the Junior League. Kristen Soltis’ favorite is Sophie’s World while Amber Huffman enjoyed Beautiful Disaster.

You can see the diversity of interests reflected in their choices. Anytime you see one of the Board, you should ask about what they are reading! Please share what is your favorite children’s book or what book you are currently enjoying.

JLW at Jubilee Jumpstart!

The Junior League of Washington (JLW) has been the cause of much delight at Jubilee JumpStart!

We began the year with the reward of an opportunity grant and a delivery of 165 books to freshen our classroom libraries. This was followed by a delivery of over 2,000 books in April! The books have rejuvenated our center library, and have a number of exciting uses. They will be used in each individual classroom to complement the lessons being taught; a backpack program has been implemented for each child to bring home a book to read with their parents; and since we have 52 little readers, some of the books will be given to the children so they can build their own home libraries with beautiful new books. The JLW also provided six wonderful volunteers to come read with our children during our “Pajama Day”. What better time to read a book then when you’re curled up in your pj’s? The kids were so excited when the ladies jumped right into the mix and read lots of new stories to them.

Jubilee JumpStart strives to lessen the achievement gap between poor and non-poor children before they reach kindergarten by placing a heavy focus on dual-language literacy within a low-income population.

Jubilee JumpStart provides comprehensive dual-language early education services for fifty-two children from six weeks to five years of age; Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Our mission is to ensure that children are fully prepared for success in school and beyond by providing them with early education enriched by an intense focus on social and emotional well-being and practical support to their families. Jubilee JumpStart empowers families to move up and out of poverty by helping children and parents to realize their educational and career opportunities.

Each day, and within each independent classroom, there are 3+ hours of pre-literacy activities. Emphasizing the importance of reading aloud in the classroom and at home, the teachers help children to learn and develop language, while simultaneously encouraging them to understand and value literacy. There are three to four daily read aloud sessions in each classroom, which take place in both English and Spanish. Accompanying read aloud sessions, the teachers incorporate activities that help the children to integrate and understand the books that they are reading. In the Pre-K Classroom, children are encouraged to act out the story using materials and costumes from drama. In the Toddler and Pre-K classrooms, each child may bring a book to nap time. Through these daily routines the children are able to develop a positive association with reading and learning.

We are in the right place to foster a love of reading at the very youngest ages and the Junior League of Washington has proven to be a wonderful partner in our mission!

- Jubilee Jumpstart