The Missouri Reader Vol. 40, Issue 1 | Page 42

Missouri

Read and Feed

The Missouri State Council and the St. Louis Suburban Council of the International Reading Association administer the Missouri Read and Feed program which awards children’s books to students through the literacy-based Read and Feed Program sponsored by the International Literacy Association (ILA) and the National Association of State Title I Directors (NASTID). Through this project, books are distributed children in schools/school districts that qualify for Title I Feed assistance, as documented and approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The St. Louis Suburban Council, in cooperation with Harris-Stowe State University, completed a very successful book distribution project at Johnson Wabash Elementary in Ferguson-Florissant School District on June 15, 2016. Children there received over 1500 NEW books which had been donated by vendors at the July, 2015, International Literacy Association Conference in St. Louis.

Dr. Betty Porter-Walls spearheaded the effort through Harris-Stowe State University College of Education. Harris-Stowe students selected and shared Read Aloud books with students, then led students in selecting their very own books to keep. Adrienne Bland, Director of Elementary Education for the Ferguson-Florissant School District shared this:

Because of your work today, students have four more opportunities to enjoy reading. The boys and girls were so excited about selecting books to take home. Students' comments and excitement confirmed they were grateful for the experience. "Do I really get to take these [books] home? "Can you finish reading the book to me? I want as many books about Africa because I'm going there." Yesterday was the beginning of personal home libraries for many of our students. Because of your commitment to Ferguson-Florissant, more of our students have books in their hands. There are 1,500 more books in the Ferguson-Florissant community! Your team was awesome.

Tamara Rhomberg, President of Missouri State Council and St. Louis Suburban Council Executive Board; Glenda Nugent, Missouri State Coordinator for ILA; and Dr. William Kerns, Assistant Professor, Harris-Stowe State University, were invited to present our Read and Feed project at the 2016 International Literacy Conference in Boston.

MSC/IRA President Tamara Rhomberg and Project Chair Jody Rozbicki extend thanks to all who made the project a BIG success. This includes council members who organized and leveled the books donated by ILA vendors, Harris-Stowe professors and students and council members who shared the books with students, ColorArt for allowing us to store our books in their warehouse, and Dr. Betty Porter Walls who led us on this first great book adventure.

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Lit Look

Teaching children to think deeply and apply their learning across subjects is a far more effective and engaging way of increasing rigor.

MSC/IRA and St. Louis Suburban Council President Tamara Rhomberg shares a book with students at Johnson-Wabash School.