JUNE 2022

the Read

quarterly newsletter

Sharing insights on all things literacy, from highlights of CLI’s work and impact in communities nationwide to the latest research in literacy instruction, helpful practices for implementation, and book titles to expand your classroom and at-home libraries.

Subscribe today!

NEWS & UPDATES

An Event to Remember: Raise a Glass for Reading

Raise a Glass for Reading 2022 was a blast and we’re grateful for those that could join us. It was such an amazing set of events and I enjoyed seeing the Children’s Literacy Initiative community gather and celebrate literacy together. In case you missed any of the events, I wanted to share the recap of the week’s events here.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters we raised close to $60,000 for children’s literacy. That support helps us reach more than 3,000 teachers and 70,000 students across 6 states. And it’s more than just numbers. Our coaches helped teachers and students affirm their identities, bring racial and cultural joy, and social justice and criticality into the classroom. Excited to see what our community does next!

-Rebecca, Raise a Glass for Reading Lead

Check out this short video recap today >>

NEWS & UPDATES

Image



Children’s Literacy Initiative & The Bookworm Box Collaborate to Transform Early Literacy Instruction and Empower Young Readers

Children’s Literacy Initiative (CLI), a Philadelphia-based education 501(c)(3), and The Bookworm Box, a Texas-based non-profit supporting charitable organizations, through the promotion and love of reading, have partnered to help transform literacy instruction and classrooms for racial equity. 

The Bookworm Box presented CLI with a $30,000 check, which will equip teachers with research-based instructional practice professional development and empower young readers with high-quality reading materials and culturally sustaining pedagogy. This donation is part of proceeds from The Bookworm Box’s global 7th Anniversary Collection campaign. This collection included 14 autographed books with covers exclusively designed by The Bookworm Box.

Read the full story here >>

NEWS & UPDATES

Image



Reina Prowler Honored as one of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s 2022 CFOs of the Year 

CLI congratulates Interim CEO and CFO Reina Prowler on her recognition by the Philadelphia Business Journal (PBJ) as one of their 2022 CFO of the Year honorees. This prestigious award honors chief financial officers for their adaptability and demonstrated success. We had the opportunity to sit down with Reina to discuss her PBJ CFO of the Year recognition, her new role as interim CEO, and what inspires her work in early education and social justice. 
Read the full story here >>

Regional Impact

Children’s Literacy Initiative wants to give Black and Latinx children the high-quality education they deserve by dismantling the white-dominant framework for early literacy instruction that continues to fail them. Our anti-racist, culturally sustaining early literacy instructional model will elevate the standard for what we provide Black and Latinx children as early literacy education, catalyzing systemic shifts in pedagogy and practice.

See our impact and how we are transforming early education.
  • Placeholder
  • Broward
Learn more about our impact >>

BOOK COLLECTIONS

Image



Summer Reading List

For many children, summer means swimming pools, sports camps, vacations and riding bikes around the neighborhood. With a two- to three-month long break from school, most kids don’t engage in as many intellectually stimulating activities and don’t read as much as they do during the school year, which can have a profound impact on their academic achievement from the previous year. It’s always important to support your child’s learning at home, and over the summer.

This summer is the perfect time of year to nurture the love of reading with books from our Summer Reading List.

See the Summer Reading List >>

LITERACY RESOURCES

Image



Preventing Summer Slide

Summer Slide is what happens when the skills students learn during the school year are lost or forgotten over the summer. A student’s exposure to educational activities isn’t usually as rigorous during the summer as it is in the classroom, and some students may need a refresher at the beginning of the new school year. When children don’t read over the summer, they can fall two years behind by 5th grade.
It’s always important to support your child’s learning at home, and over the summer this is critical. Learn more about some helpful tips to prevent summer slide.
Learn more about Summer Slide >>

LITERACY TO LIBERATION

Image


The Value of High-Quality Books

Books, media, and materials in a classroom have an immediate and lasting impact on children. Books that are accurate, affirming, and inclusive help children feel a sense of belonging, build criticality and intellect, experience joy, increase engagement, and help to build an appreciation for reading. Our commitment at CLI is to provide children with access to high quality, anti-bias, identity-affirming books in a range of topics and genres and across multiple languages.
Learn more about the value of high-quality books and how we use these resources to unlock the power of literacy within classrooms across our regions.
Why high-quality books matter >>

Gratitude gallery

We thank everyone who has chosen CLI for their charitable giving over the
past several months, including the following Leadership Donors:

  • Anonymous (2)
  • Holly and Jason Anderson
  • David Arizmendi
  • Michael Banach and Laura M. Duda
  • Sara and Ken Bigger
  • Naimah Bilal
  • Christine and Stephen Johnson
  • Claire and Jeff Black
  • Isabelle and George Bourrie
  • Elinor and James Buck
  • Sarah Chace
  • Carson Coatney
  • Jeff Coffin and August Haas
  • Sylvia and William Cohen
  • Henri Crockett
  • Jamie and John Croll
  • Joni and Mark Croll
  • Rebecca Davis and Mark Hoffman
  • Daniel Doran
  • Kate Duffy
  • Adam Ernst
  • Donna Felice
  • Lori and Mark Fife
  • Richard Gluck
  • Sondra and Evan Goldman
  • Amy and Clark Hale
  • Renee Safier Harris and Marc J. Harris
  • Shelley and Steven Harris
  • Jeanne and Dov Haselkorn
  • Kathy Haselmaier
  • James Hasenmayer
  • Katherine Ho
  • Michael and Dawn House, and Matthew House
  • Mary and Justin Klein
  • Mary Kogut
  • Joel and Sharon Koppelman
  • Sandra Louk LaFleur
  • Thomas Lampron
  • Shanda McManus
  • Cori and Brad Meltzer
  • Belinda Morgan
  • Gerald Mosely
  • Senator Rosalind Osgood
  • Michael Parker and Daphne Hawkins Parker
  • Carol Ann Raviola
  • Holly Snow and Christopher Allen
  • Adam and Sylvia Spector
  • Sandra and James St. George
  • Claire and John Steinberg
  • Harriet and Lawrence Stone
  • Jennifer Thiel
  • Robin Toblin
  • Michael Warres and Kathy Le
  • Wright-Hayre Fund
  • Ianthe and Matt Zabel
  • Alera Group, Inc.
  • Allen H. and Selma W. Berkman Charitable Trust
  • Barra Foundation
  • Benevity Community Impact Fund
  • Beyond Words Foundation
  • Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
  • Brook J. Lenfest Foundation
  • Eugene Ireland Foundation
  • Charms Organic Pops
  • Children's Services Council of Broward County
  • Community Foundation of New Jersey
  • Cornerstone Foundation – Brad and Kate Vogt
  • eClinicalWorks
  • Edmund and Megan Pantuliano Charitable Fund
  • Florida Panthers Foundation
  • Fulton Bank
  • Gerald B Shreiber Foundation
  • Hamilton Family Charitable Trust
  • Harry Kramer Memorial Fund
  • Helios Education Foundation
  • Holman Automotive Group, Inc.
  • Illinois Tool Works Foundation
  • James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation
  • JF Maddox Foundation
  • JY, an Imprint of YEN PRESS, LLC
  • KnowFully Learning Group
  • Lawrence J. and Anne Rubenstein Charitable Foundation
  • Libby Helms, Inc. The Good Beginning
  • McMaster-Carr Supply Company
  • Merck Company Foundation
  • Paul Hastings LLP
  • Philadelphia Insurance Companies
  • PNC Financial Services Group
  • PTS Foundation
  • Publix Super Markets, Inc.
  • Reliance Standard Insurance Company
  • Selander Foundation
  • Steans Family Foundation
  • Stranahan Foundation
  • Summit Park East Associates
  • The Bookworm Box
  • The Hobbs Foundation
  • The Jim Moran Foundation
  • The Woolley Family
  • The Philadelphia Foundation
  • TisBest Philanthropy
  • United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey
  • Vanguard Group Foundation
  • Vert Charitable
  • Wells Fargo Bank
  • William Penn Foundation

SUPPORTING OUR MISSION

Image





Showcase Your Support for Literacy

There are other ways you can support CLI and share our mission with others. Support CLI today and purchase Literacy to Liberation apparel. Choose from a variety of options and colors. There are sizes for adults and children. Join our national community of change makers and early literacy supporters today.
Your investment will enable CLI and its partners to normalize anti-racist, culturally sustaining early literacy instruction and catalyze generational impact at the onset of every Black and Latinx child's literacy journey.
Showcase your support today! >>

Subscribe to our newsletter today!

Sharing insights on all things literacy, from highlights of CLI’s work and impact in communities nationwide to the latest research in literacy instruction, helpful practices for implementation, and book titles to expand your classroom and at-home libraries.

Subscribe today!

Share The Read today!

Share The Read with your friends, colleagues, and fellow supporters of equity in education.

Share these resources