Done in a Day Promotes Literacy at Everybody Wins! Annual Event

On Tuesday, March 8, Done in a Day Committee volunteers promoted the Junior League of Washington’s mission of promoting literacy by serving at the Everybody Wins! annual gala held at the Capitol Hilton.

With a silent auction featuring flights, private tours, dinner with authors, signed sports memorabilia, spa gift cards and other prizes, not to mention a great dinner, everybody truly did win. But the biggest winners of the evening were the thousands of children who will receive mentoring and literacy help through this important organization. JLW was honored to be part of the special evening.

The dinner featured performances and speeches from students who have positively benefited from Everybody Wins!, along with local principals. More than 60,000 local students have been served through the program.

JLW members assisted with registration, helped with the silent auction, served as ushers and aided with clean-up. One Everybody Wins! leader said, “The Junior League is here every year. It’s always different people, but they’re all awesome.”

Thanks Everybody Wins! We think you’re awesome, too.

National Book Fest was a Labor [Day Weekend] of Love for JLW Volunteers

The page has turned on the Library of Congress’ 2015 National Book Festival, and Junior League of Washington volunteers were an important factor in the festival’s success.

This year marked the 15th National Book Festival and the 13th year the JLW supported the event by providing volunteers. This year also represented the 200th anniversary of the Library of Congress’ acquisition of Thomas Jefferson’s library, and fittingly, the theme of the festival was “I Cannot Live without Books,” a quote from Jefferson.

Over the course of the day, JLW volunteers saw the festival theme in action as up to 150,000 attendees flooded the Washington Convention Center to meet their favorite authors, interact with librarians from across the country, get books autographed and celebrate their love of books. If that seems like a lot of attendees, it was—the festival doubled its attendance from last year.

Since moving from its original home on the National Mall, and marking the second year at the Washington Convention Center, the festival continues to grow and evolve. It has moved from two days to one action-packed day, and this year, the number of authors at the festival increased to 175, the most in festival history.

The JLW continues to grow alongside the Library of Congress, as it builds upon its relationship with the festival. For the first time, the JLW was featured as a contributor to the festival on the event poster, recognition of the League's ongoing role as the largest providers of volunteers for the festival.

This year, 400 enthusiastic volunteers contributed more than 2,000 hours of service on Sept. 5. The volunteers were in action for an extended day this year, staying until 8 p.m. to manage book signing lines and book sales.

What allows the JLW to continue its partnership with the National Book Festival is the quality of the volunteers. During the festival this year, League women aided librarians from across the country in the Pavilion of States, helped keep the crowds under control in the book sales area, and expertly handed long lines and eager fans in the book signing lines. And if you ever wondered what happens when you cross a children’s author with an astronaut who has walked on the moon, ask the volunteers who were tasked with keeping Buzz Aldrin’s fans in line.

The hard work and positive attitudes displayed by our volunteers did not go unnoticed. Marie Arana, co-director of The National Book Festival and senior advisor to the U.S. Librarian of Congress, said after the festival, “You are the rock on whom we depend! Thanks so much for yet another year of wonderful teamwork. Your members are not only gracious and efficient, you’re all so well informed about books. We love that.”

National Book Festival Co-director Guy Lamolinara said, “[We] could not be more pleased with how the festival unfolded, and this is due in very large measure to the enormous contributions of the JLW… we simply could not have the festival without you. We look forward to 2016.”

JLW even had one festivalgoer stop by the League’s table to share how amazing they thought our volunteers are, and that we don’t get enough credit for what we do. While credit and praise is great, it’s not why we do it. JLW volunteers spent their Labor Day Saturday making sure that everyone—authors, fans and parents with kids—had a great experience at National Book Festival because we know how important it is to promote literacy in our community. JLW volunteers managed crowds with grace and a smile because we understand what Jefferson meant when he wrote, “I Cannot Live without Books,” and if we can make just one other person feel that way, then that makes the festival a success in our book.

JLW Expands Volunteer Support for 2015 National Book Festival

Junior League of Washington Expands Volunteer Support for 2015 National Book Festival

400 Volunteers to Promote Literacy, Donate Time to the Library of Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 2, 2015 -- The Junior League of Washington will expand its support of the Library of Congress’ National Book Festival (NBF) this year by providing 400 volunteers, up from 300 in 2014, to assist with the event. This is the 13th year the JLW has provided volunteers to help with various day-of tasks pertaining to the free festival, which is set to attract tens of thousands of attendees on Saturday, Sept. 5.

“The Junior League of Washington is proud of our extended history with the Library of Congress’ National Book Festival. We value the opportunity the festival provides for us to promote the importance of volunteerism while supporting an initiative that highlights the positive impact of books and literacy,” said Junior League of Washington President Cameron Gilreath.

From 2003 to 2014, almost 5,000 JLW volunteers have provided more than 31,000 volunteer hours to the NBF.

“We are committed to using our resources where we can have the largest community impact, which is why we focus on illiteracy, one of the greatest challenges facing the D.C. metro area. Our volunteers look forward to supporting this vibrant, influential event each year, and we are excited to increase our commitment to the Library of Congress and the festival,” Gilreath continued.

Gilreath also notes that the NBF occurs during National Literacy Month.

For the first time in its 13-year partnership, the NBF will highlight the JLW’s role as an important partner on the official festival poster. This is a tremendous opportunity to reflect the significant contributions provided by JLW volunteers. This year, more than 2,500 hours of volunteer service will be provided.

“We are thrilled our partnership with the Library of Congress and the National Book Festival has resulted in an even greater role for the Junior League of Washington,” said Gilreath.

The JLW, along with the Library of Congress, will welcome book enthusiasts and 175 authors to the NBF on Sept. 5. League volunteers are integral to the success of the event, helping attendees navigate the Washington Convention Center, directing patrons through the author and illustrator signing lines, managing traffic flow and answering questions.

“We appreciate the opportunity to grow and evolve alongside the festival, and look forward to once again providing the Library of Congress with an enthusiastic and committed volunteer force,” said Gilreath.

###

ABOUT THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF WASHINGTON
Our Mission: The Junior League of Washington is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

Our Focus: Our nearly 2,400 members volunteer at community agencies throughout the Washington Metro area, providing aid where their expertise is needed most. You can find us tutoring a child, mentoring parents at a daycare center for homeless children, serving on community boards, or delivering life skills seminars to community members in recovery programs. Since 1999, the JLW has focused our volunteer resources on literacy issues: adult, child, and cultural.

For more information, please visit www.jlw.org.

Thomas Jefferson Can’t Live Without Books, and Neither Can JLW Volunteers

The 15th annual Library of Congress (LOC) National Book Festival is this Saturday, Sept. 5, from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., at the Washington Convention Center. More than 150 authors and illustrators, librarians from across the country, and new activities and presentations guarantee to make this year’s festival a worthwhile event.

Not only is this year the 15th anniversary, but the LOC is also celebrating another big milestone. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the LOC’s acquisition of Thomas Jefferson’s personal library. As a tribute to the former president’s collection and love of books, the theme of the 2015 book festival is centered around a quote of Jefferson’s, “I cannot live without books.” This quote and theme is captured in the poster for this year’s festival, which was created by acclaimed illustrator and designer Peter de Sève!

Jefferson isn’t the only one who can’t live without books. By helping provide volunteers for the National Book Festival for the past 13 years, the Junior League of Washington has been able to help promote literacy in its community while assisting in the festival’s success every year. By volunteering at the festival, Junior League volunteers receive the chance to interact with amazing authors, help librarians across the country and make sure festival attendees have the best experience possible.

Some of the new offerings and activities at this year’s National Book Festival are highlighted below, but remember, while the festival continues to change and grow, one thing never changes—it is always a place for people who cannot live without books.

For the Romantics
At 7:15 p.m. National Public Radio’s Petra Mayer will emcee a program devoted to romance fiction, featuring romance authors Sarah MacLean, Beverly Jenkins and Paige Tyler.

Calling All Movie Lovers
At 8 p.m., A. Scott Berg, winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, will give an overview of Sam Goldwyn’s Hollywood and the rise of the film industry while “Washington Post” film critic Ann Hornaday will moderate a panel on the topic.

If you’re a History Buff
From 2:35 to 7:10 p.m., a variety of writers on war will discuss the human side of war and provide a tribute to the American war experience. Award-winning broadcast journalist Tom Brokaw will speak about his book “The Greatest Generation.” Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Rick Atkinson will talk about human stories from his Liberation trilogy, National Book Award finalist Rajiv Chandrasekaran and co-author Howard Schultz will discuss their book on veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and West Point Professor Elizabeth Samet will host a discussion with war novelists who have written about Iraq and Afghanistan.

JLW encourages you to tell your family and friends to attend the National Book Festival, or bring them with you when you go! If you want to stay up-to-date on all book festival news and activities, make sure to download the new National Book Festival app, which will include the complete schedule of author presentations, book signing lines and activities. Finally, thank you to all who have signed up to volunteer; your time and dedication is valued and appreciated by all who love books!

Library of Congress Interview with JLW President Cameron Gilreath

The following post is a Q&A with Junior League of Washington President Cameron Gilreath.

Many people are familiar with Junior Leagues in their hometowns, but for those who aren’t, can you share with us in brief the mission of the Junior League of Washington?

The Junior League of Washington (JLW) is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. At its core, the purpose of the JLW is educational and charitable, and we really strive to make a tangible difference in the lives of women and children in the D.C. area. We currently have more than 2,300 women who are a part of the JLW, and throughout our history have provided more than 5 million volunteer hours and more than $5.4 million to organizations in our community that reflect our mission.

Why is the National Book Festival and literacy a focus for JLW?

The JLW is committed to using its resources where we can have the largest impact, which is why for over fifteen years, we have focused on one of the greatest challenges facing our region, illiteracy. The ability to read, write, and communicate plays an important role in everyday life and impacts a person’s ability to provide for themselves and their family. We currently work with more than 20 leading, local nonprofits. By improving reading and comprehension skills and educational opportunities, we can help give people a dramatically improved chance for success. Our focus and dedication to literacy has also produced a long and valued history with the National Book Festival–spanning 13 years and nearly 5,000 JLW volunteers giving more than 23,000 volunteer hours. The National Book Festival provides a great opportunity for the JLW to live out its mission– it provides us with a platform to promote the importance of voluntarism while supporting an initiative that highlights the positive impact of books and literacy.

To read more of Cameron's interview please click here

This blog post was originally published on July 24, 2015 by the Library of Congress and features the Junior League of Washington. JLW thanks the LOC for our partnership and allowing us to share this information with you.

Literacy Lab Winter Fun

Gingerbread men, snowman bookmarks, and holiday cards! The Literacy Lab Committee had a great time working on these crafts with the kids at the DC General homeless shelter during our winter holiday celebration.  The event was held in mid-December and focused on reading as well as holiday fun.

For those who are unfamiliar with the Literacy Lab Committee, we partner with the non-profit organization, The Literacy Lab, to assist with an early childhood literacy program for young children in two DC area homeless shelters.  The program is called Ready to Read and focuses on helping young children develop and practice early literacy skills.  During a typical session, JLW volunteers spend time reading, writing, and playing educational games with the children. When the committee began in 2012, we worked with kids in the DC General homeless shelter on Saturday mornings.  The program has since expanded and now the committee provides volunteers for Wednesday evening sessions at DC General as well as Saturday morning sessions at the New Beginnings shelter in Columbia Heights.

Our December holiday party gave the committee members and the children an opportunity to celebrate the season and participate in activities that we don't do during our regular weekly sessions. The most active part of the evening involved three craft projects.  With the help of JLW volunteers, each child had the opportunity to make and decorate a snowman bookmark, frost a gingerbread man cookie and make a holiday card for their family.  When the crafts were done, we read a holiday story and sang a few rounds of Christmas carols. Frosty the Snowman and Jingle Bells were particular favorites.  At the end of the party, each child had an opportunity to pick out books of their very own to take home with them.
                                          
The entire evening was gratifying and fun, and it was great to watch the kids carefully pick out their books and make their crafts. We're all looking forward to the next holiday event in February!

2013 Grant Recipient - Washington Jesuit Academy

The Washington Jesuit Academy is a tuition-free, extended-day / extended-year, academically demanding private middle school for Washington, DC’s most vulnerable children – under-served, adolescent males. WJA empowers these youth to break the cycle of failure and poverty through their own education.  With their 12-hour school day, 11-month school year and aggressive academic curriculum, WJA is preparing students for the opportunities and challenges of college-prep high schools and set them on an early path toward college.

WJA was established in 2002 by community leaders who wanted to improve the odds and outcomes of Washington, DC’s under-served children of all religions with the launch of a sixth grade class.  WJA expanded to sixth – eighth grades by 2004, and expanded again to a fifth grade in June 2012. WJA purchased and relocated to its permanent home on Varnum Street in Northeast Washington in 2004, established a revolutionary healthy meals partnership in 2008 and achieved accreditation in 2010. WJA serves 86 students, as well as 129 alumni across eight cohorts who are still engaged with its Graduate Support Program.  100 percent are enrolled in or have graduated from high school, and the first four cohorts maintain a 79 percent college enrollment rate.

WJA serves a demographic of children who may be the least likely to read – adolescent boys from low-income neighborhoods and disadvantaged backgrounds. These boys enter WJA in fifth or sixth grade having been deprived of basic reading skills from their woefully inadequate neighborhood schools, sometimes as many as five grade levels behind. Further, they grow up in a culture where reading is considered worthless or “uncool,” where few parents demonstrate reading at home and where teens are susceptible to peer pressure not to achieve or try in school.

To address these challenges, WJA uses teaching methods that have been proven to be effective among reluctant, disinterested and underperforming readers. Its curriculum focuses on getting boys to enjoy reading as they gain the comprehension and vocabulary required to read at higher levels. Youth who enjoy reading will want to read more, and will become better readers as they grow into adults.  “Reading the WJA Way” is effective, with the faculty consistently raising student reading levels by an average of 4.5 grades throughout middle school. Classroom strategies include:

• Full periods of both Reading and Language Arts; 
• “Read Alouds” – teachers read stories out loud to show that reading can be fun and to give students opportunities to enjoy stories beyond their individual reading levels; and
• “DEAR” – Drop Everything And Read – daily opportunities where students read books, magazines or newspapers of their choice to promote personal reading, and reading notebooks, in which students record vocabulary and responses to reading.

WJA serves 86 boys from low-income neighborhoods in the Washington, DC metro region, specifically from Wards 5, 6, 7 and 8 and from Prince George’s County, MD. While WJA admits students without regard to race, ethnicity or religion, all students must demonstrate significant financial need. Of WJA’s current students: 91% are African-American and 9% are Latino; 85% are non-Catholic; 71% are raised by single parent/guardian; the average household income is $32,800, and 80% qualify for Federal Free/Reduced Lunch programs.

The grant from the JLW will serve as an investment in WJA’s literacy education to their under-served youth, especially for the new fifth graders. WJA will allocate the $25,000 grant for the fifth grade literacy instructors, offset costs for classroom technology and replenish classroom and library books, all as a part of the “Reading the WJA Way” program. 

For more information about the JLW's 2013-2014 grant cycle, including the availability of and deadline for submission, please email grantsandvolunteers@jlw.org or visit our website.

2013 Grant Recipient - The SEED Public Charter School of Washington, D.C.

The SEED School of Washington, D.C. (SEED DC) is a public, college-preparatory boarding school whose primary mission is to provide an outstanding, intensive educational program that prepares children, both academically and socially, for success in college and life beyond. SEED Schools are more than simply schools — SEED is an integrated program that brings, under one roof, the critical 24-hour support necessary for underserved children to realize their potential. More than 330 students in grades six through twelve attend SEED DC. All students live on campus Sunday through Friday, enabling them to benefit from an innovative curriculum that incorporates academic, extracurricular, and life skills learning.

The SEED Foundation was established in 1997 by Eric Adler and Rajiv Vinnakota on the belief that children in an urban environment could benefit from a public, boarding educational program. In 1998, The SEED Foundation established SEED DC as the nation's first urban public boarding school. SEED DC opened its doors with 40 seventh grade students in July 1998, at The Capital Children's Museum and added students to the seventh grade each subsequent year. In 2001, the school moved to its permanent campus located in Marshall Heights, a neighborhood in Ward 7 of the District.  In 2004, SEED DC reached full capacity and graduated its first class of seniors, all of whom were accepted to college. In 2009, SEED DC introduced sixth grade to its program.

The vast majority of students entering SEED DC in the sixth grade — 75 percent — read at a third grade reading level. This significant skill deficit cannot be overcome in one year, nor can it be resolved by forcing students to read and write papers on books they cannot understand. Literacy skill deficits must be addressed as early as possible and the students must build literacy skills by working from their current skill level. Founded on the belief that the more students read, the more they will read on their own, the better readers they will become, SEED DC implemented a daily 40-minute reading requirement for every student beyond what he or she must read for class. As the campus is "home" to all of students for 120 hours per week, Sunday through Friday, students need to have access to books that meet a broad range of reading levels, in every classroom, the library and the dorms, which will ultimately, help to foster a culture of literacy. Students who lack access to reading materials in their home can borrow books from the SEED DC library all year round (including summer). Through its literacy program, SEED DC also makes sure that students are familiar with the public library system and own library cards.

85 percent of SEED DC’s students come from Wards 5, 7 and 8.  99 percent of the student body is African American and one percent Latino. 73 percent of SEED DC’s students are eligible for free and reduced lunch. Approximately 85 percent of SEED DC graduates will be the first in their families to attend and graduate from college.

The JLW’s $25,000 grant will expand and build capacity of SEED DC’s Tools for Literacy Program – to help every student that enters SEED DC’s doors attain grade-level reading skills by the time they enter high school and ultimately ensure that every SEED DC graduate gain acceptance into college and graduate.  The Tools for Literacy Program is the center of the School's efforts to improve literacy skills among all students.  SEED DC is unique for being one of a small group of schools in the District of Columbia to integrate the Reading and Writing Workshop into middle school English and Language Arts Curriculum due to the JLW’s past support.  Specifically, this year’s grant will be used to provide professional development to instructors which is required to remain current and continuously analyze and improve programming, to purchase a large number of books to have leveled libraries in the dormitories and every classroom, and to support the literacy coordinator who will oversee the development and implementation of the program.

For more information about the JLW's 2013-2014 grant cycle, including the availability of and deadline for submission, please email grantsandvolunteers@jlw.org or visit our website at http://www.jlw.org/?nd=grants_scholars.

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

My Tossed and Found Experience

When I was a new member (in 2003-2004), I volunteered for my new member shift at Tossed & Found move in day at the previous site, Tuesday Morning in Rockville. It was cold, dirty, wet and my first assignment was to sweep the floor and clean it up as best I could. Within an hour, I was covered head to toe in dirt and dust, with water spots from the leaking ceiling. An hour later I found myself working the book section with 3 other new members- Angie Quinn (my best friend from college), Kim O’Connor Tuomey, and Elisabeth Somerville. Angie and I met Kim and Elisabeth the first time that day in books…at one point I said to the other three, “Who would ever want to be on this committee?” They of course agreed….

A few years later, I received a call from nominating to be the Chair for Tossed & Found’s 2010 sale. For some reason I said yes…even with doubts and memories of my first Tossed & Found experience at Tuesday Morning on my mind. Turns out the great site that Vornado has donated in Crystal City for the past 7 years is nothing like Tuesday Morning and it gets better with each year. This year, Tossed & Found has a new site at 251 18th Street South, 5th Floor, Arlington, VA 22202- with windows!

It turns out that thanks to that dreadful morning at the Tuesday Morning site, Kim, Angie, Elisabeth and I are extremely great friends today. I returned for a second stint as Chief of Staff. Kim is a co-chair for the 2013 sale and Angie for the 2014 sale. We all love T&F for the camaraderie, the satisfaction of seeing a warehouse full of piles of clothes, kitchen items and furniture all transform into a neatly organized store and lots of low dollar purchases can all add up to over $120,000 for JLW’s literacy initiatives.

I hope to see you at T&F this weekend or if you are unable to make the sale, please consider purchasing a Community Cash Card! Your donation provides a JLW Community Partner, a Neighbor In Need, or Community Organization of your choice the opportunity to purchase $40 worth of items at our 2013 sale.

Amber Huffman
Tossed and Found, Chief of Staff

Why I Serve- Literacy Labs

The Washington Post recently highlighted the plight of homeless families living in the DC General Family Emergency Shelter, which is located in the old DC General Hospital. You can find the articles here and here. The Post articles noted that 900 people are currently living in the shelter. This number includes 600 children who are growing up in a challenging situation. 

Homeless children living in an unstable environment face particular challenges when it comes to literacy. Statistics consistently show that young homeless children experience developmental delays, especially in speech. The instability of their living situation makes it difficult for these children to consistently attend preschool programs, which are rarely available to begin with. Because of these challenges, the Junior League of Washington (JLW) has recently partnered with Literacy Lab to assist with an early literacy program for toddlers and young children up to five years old, in the DC General Shelter. The name of the program is Ready to Read.

On Saturday mornings, the women of one of the JLW’s newest committees, the Literacy Lab committee, join with Literacy Lab instructors to help young children develop early literacy skills. The Ready to Ready program also provides parents with strategies and skills to support their children’s learning. Volunteers spend time reading and playing educational games with the children and assist with the parent skills workshop. Volunteers also observe the children, looking for developmental milestones to assess the children’s progress, as well as any skill deficiencies. The children and their parents are a joy to work with, and it is incredibly rewarding to be involved with such an impactful project.

As the Washington Post articles highlight, homeless families in the DC General shelter are faced with difficult challenges on a daily basis, including transportation to programs outside the shelter.  Establishing an early literacy program within the shelter allows parents and their children to attend the program on a regular basis and provides them with tools to help achieve future academic success.

If you are interested, please stop by Literacy Lab’s table at an upcoming Placement Information Event on either Saturday, April 13 or Thursday, April 25.

Cary Gibson, JLW Member on Literacy Lab Committee

Jubilee JumpStart, Grant Recipient

The Junior League of Washington (JLW) is pleased to announce Jubilee JumpStart as the first of three organizations the JLW has awarded an opportunity grant to this fall. Opportunity grants are grants for less than $1,000 and are awarded to community organizations that are addressing one of the following complex areas of the JLW’s narrowed children’s reading literacy focus (1) lack of books in the home; (2) lack of books and resources in the school; and/or (3) reading out loud to children ages 0 – 5.

Jubilee JumpStart is an early childhood education center located in Jubilee Housing, a subsidized housing community in the Adams Morgan neighborhood, and provides comprehensive dual-language early education services for fifty-two children from six weeks to five years of age; Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Their 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.

Jubilee JumpStart serves a diverse community of primarily low-income families, 75% of whom are eligible for government childcare subsidies. The families Jubilee JumpStart serves are among the most economically-disadvantaged in the District. More than 65% of Jubilee Housing families bring home less than 30% of Area Median Income, and half earn less than 20% of Area Median Income. Jubilee JumpStart’s student population reflects the diversity of our community. Currently, 25% the children served are Jubilee Housing residents, 75% are from low-income families, and 80% are either African-Americans or Latinos.

Jubilee JumpStart has begun the process of obtaining accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), with a candidacy date of January 31, 2013, and successful completion anticipated by July 31, 2013. By achieving NAEYC accreditation in July of 2013, the subsidy reimbursement rate will increase by 16% which will help in the organization’s daily operations. In order for to achieve NAEYC accreditation, specific criteria must be met, some of which specifically addresses cognitive development in early literacy, including varied opportunities for the different age levels to have access to books that enable independent exploration, writing materials, ways to retell and reenact stories in books, and exposure to print books, songs and rhymes. Jubilee JumpStart’s dual language program requires that books and other literacy materials are provided in both English and Spanish.

The $1,000 from the JLW will allow Jubilee JumpStart to enhance the early literacy materials they currently have for each age group, such as writing materials, CDs, dramatic play supplies, and language literacy training for the teachers. The JLW also awarded 164 books through Resolution Read - the age appropriate books, for children ages six weeks through five years old, will include durable board books, picture books, books with rhymes, and books with print so children can familiarize themselves with words in both English and Spanish.

Stay tuned to the blog to hear about the other two organizations the JLW has given grants to, Hope House DC and Little Lights Urban Ministries.

In the spring, the JLW will be awarding additional opportunity grants to community organizations, with a deadline of February 1 for submission of materials. Additional information can be found online. If you have questions about the opportunity grants or want additional information, please contact Alicia Lee, chair of the Targeted Grants and Volunteer Resources Committee at grantsandvolunteers@jlw.org.

Alicia Lee
Chair, Targeted Grants and Volunteer Resources Committee

JLW Fact of the Day: October 11, 2012

What a great reason to make sure moms are able to read!

Cameron Gilreath: Why I serve…

There are many reasons I serve! My volunteer work through the JLW has been one of the most fulfilling things I’ve done in the decade-plus that I’ve lived in DC. I have had a lifelong love affair with books and I love our League’s focus on literacy. My grandmother volunteered at her local library in Jefferson, GA for many years, and my parents started reading to, and then with, me very early. I was an avid reader from day one and if they wanted my attention, my parents usually had to tear me away from whatever book I was reading.

I think most of us can’t imagine a world without books, or the lost opportunities that result from not being able to read. The JLW’s work to improve literacy in Washington, DC is absolutely vital to our community.

So first and foremost, I serve this year as Nominating Chair because I feel one of the most important parts of ensuring our organization remains stable, healthy and focused on fulfilling our mission is to cultivate strong leaders who will continue to guide the group forward. People often wonder what Nominating really does because all of our deliberations are confidential. It’s actually quite simple – our committee works very hard year-round to make sure the JLW has in place the strongest possible leadership team for the following year so that we can continue to serve our community for another 100 years. As you can imagine, it can be a challenge to match the right leaders with the right positions – but with the diverse and extremely talented group of women that make up our League, it is really quite exciting to put together next year’s leadership team. I have really enjoyed getting a birds-eye view of all of the pieces and people that form our League and I love it when we discover new leaders!!

And more broadly than the position I hold this year - aside from the great work we do for our community, I have personally gotten so much out of serving in various JLW leadership positions over the years. I’ve made some of my closest friends through the Junior League. And I think most of our leaders will say they have developed leadership skills that they have put to use at work and in volunteering with other organizations. If I can put in a plug for anyone thinking about nominating themselves or a friend for a leadership spot – just do it!!


Cameron Gilreath
Nominating Council Director, 2012-2013

What is the JLW reading?

As we celebrate our 100th anniversary, the Junior League of Washington has been heavily focused on literacy efforts for the children in the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. However, that doesn’t mean that our members should be left out! Reading not only provides much needed mental stimulation, but is also a path to personal development.

Although earlier this year Joel Stein, of the New York Times magazine, kicked up a bit of dust for criticizing adults who read young adult fiction, reading something is better than nothing at all. Reading provides the storytelling and space to think that other mediums do not have the capacity to delve into. Why wouldn’t you do something that increases your vocabulary and makes you a more interesting conversationalist?

So what is the JLW reading? Here is just a snippet of what is currently on our shelves, thanks to some avid reading members and leaders of JLW Book Clubs:

A Fire Upon the Deep, Vernor Vinge
1993 recipient of the Hugo Award the World Science Fiction Society’s award for best science fiction or fantasy.

Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell
“The novel as series of nested dolls or Chinese boxes, a puzzle-book, and yet—not just dazzling, amusing, or clever but heartbreaking and passionate, too. I’ve never read anything quite like it, and I’m grateful to have lived, for a while, in all its many worlds.”—Michael Chabon

Please click here for more books being read by JLW members. What books are you reading? Please post in the comments and we'll add them to the list!

The Literacy Challenge

By: Bill Halamandaris, Chairman and Co-Founder, The Heart of America Foundation

Reading is the keystone skill, the foundation of a successful life.

The statistics reinforcing this point and the consequences of illiteracy are staggering:

• Fifty percent of the nation’s chronically unemployed are not functionally literate. Forty three percent of adults at the lowest level of literacy proficiency live in poverty compared with four percent of adults with strong literacy skills.
• More than one million children drop out of school each year, costing the nation over $240 billion in lost earnings, forgone tax revenues, and expenditures for social services.
• Seventy-five percent of school dropouts have reading problems.
• Children in the poorest families are six times as likely as children in more affluent families to drop out of school, creating a vicious cycle of poverty and illiteracy.
• Eighty-five percent of all juveniles who encounter the juvenile court system are functionally illiterate, as are 70 percent of all prison inmates.
• So strong is the link between literacy and being a useful member of society that many states consider fourth grade-level reading statistics in projecting future prison construction.

So, if the literacy challenge is that compelling, what do we do about it? A problem of this depth and dimension does not yield to simple solutions.

Read the rest of the article here.

About the above article: The Community Affairs Council is launching a new article series which will feature a monthly article on a literacy topic authored by one of our community partners and/or literacy-focused organizations in the DC area.

JLW Distributed Over 6,200 Books to D.C. Students for Summer Reading

For children across the country, the summer was time to celebrate – the school year had officially come to an end. But behind the celebrations of millions of K-12 students, there were some pretty startling statistics surrounding kids without an opportunity to participate in summer learning. And what that lack of opportunity means is much more significant than you might expect:

• All young people experience learning losses when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer. Research spanning 100 years shows that students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do on the same tests at the beginning of the summer (White, 1906; Heyns, 1978; Entwisle & Alexander 1992; Cooper, 1996; Downey et al, 2004).
  
• Most students lose about two months of grade level equivalency in mathematical computation skills over the summer months. Low-income students also lose more than two months in reading achievement, despite the fact that their middle-class peers make slight gains (Cooper, 1996).
  
• More than half of the achievement gap between lower- and higher-income youth can be explained by unequal access to summer learning opportunities. As a result, low-income youth are less likely to graduate from high school or enter college (Alexander et al, 2007).
  
• Parents consistently cite summer as the most difficult time to ensure that their children have productive things to do (Duffett et al, 2004).

These are just a few of the disconcerting statistics surrounding students who lack a structured summer reading program. And that’s why the Junior League of Washington and a handful of Community Partners came together to provide summer reading materials to children throughout D.C.

On June 11, the Junior League of Washington launched its 100,000 books distribution component of Resolution Read with a summer reading book distribution at Smothers and Maury Elementary Schools in Washington, D.C. JLW volunteers joined forces with a new community partner, the Literacy Lab, to distribute books to the 3rd and 4th grade classes at the school. There, the children tore into their bags and were excited to see all of the new books – especially the one where they recognized the titles, like Judy Moody! The teachers were also thrilled for the kids and their summer reading adventures. One teacher commented on the positive impact that she's seen in her student that participated in the Literacy Lab's tutoring program during the regular school year, noting that one student had improved by nearly two grade level!

Then, on Wednesday, June 13, the JLW co-hosted a third summer reading book distribution with the Literacy Lab – this time at Orr Elementary School in Southeast Washington, DC. As with the other two Literacy Lab distributions, students in three classes were given seven books and one dictionary to keep them busy readers over the summer. There, JLW President Wendy Cumberland, Vice Treasurer Marie Hahn and Community Affairs Council Director Carly Rockstroh were on hand to help distribute the books and had the chance to start reading the books with the students. Among the most popular books – Judy Moody and Sideways Stories from Wayside School – which were immediately cracked open. This Resolution Read event was extra special as it was the first time the Literacy Lab worked at Orr Elementary School.

Later, in mid-June, the JLW joined the girls at Excel Academy for their last Friday of the school year to hand out two books to each girl to take home with them and enjoy over the summer, in hopes their home library would continue to grow. These books were in addition to the two books the JLW gave them over spring break. There are more stories to share, and we’ll continue to post them. So far the JLW donated a whopping 6,266 books to D.C. students aged pre-K through 4th grade in partnership with groups such as the Literacy Lab, Excel Academy, Washington Middle School, Washington Jesuit Academy, and Horton’s Kids.

And that was just the beginning of our newly expanded Resolution Read program in which the League will put 100,000 books into the hands of students in the greater D.C. community in the next one to three years.

Getting involved is as simple as reading to a child in your life, signing your children up for summer reading programs such as those sponsored by the DC Public Library and Library of Congress, and of course, supporting JLW's fundraisers by making donations to Resolution Read and attending special Centennial events.

Books that Shaped America

In preparation of the 2012 National Book Festival, the Library of Congress asked several book enthusiasts which books they believe to have shaped America and published the resulting list on its website.

"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain, "Alcoholics Anonymous" by Anonymous and "American Cookery" by Amelia Simmons are the first three books on that list and show the diversity of books that shaped America.

With the National Book Festival happening this weekend, the Junior League of Washington asks you which books you believe have shaped your life and who you have become. If every member of the League gave an answer – even with some repeats – we would have a list of incredibly unique and fascinating books. Because the one thing that we all have in common, is our long-standing love affair with books!

Is there anything better to have in common? You could be as different as… say… a Republican and Democrat running for President, but if you discovered that you both absolutely love to read, amazing bonds can be formed from that one discovery. And even if you have extremely different opinions about the books, you’ll have a great time discussing them.

Finding another lover of books can be like finding a kindred spirit. And EVERYONE at the National Book Festival is a lover of books! On Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., thousands of people will be gathering to celebrate books, celebrate authors and celebrate reading! And who will be there to help it all run smoothly? Over 500 members of the Junior League of Washington in pink shirts, black or white hats, and huge smiles – book lovers, each and every one! We look forward to seeing fellow book lovers at the Festival this weekend.

JLW volunteers proudly displaying their pink shirts at NBF training

JLW Fact of the Day: September 20, 2012

Wow ladies! We're impressed!