2018 Freedom Through Literacy Award Winners
Local Champions of Literacy Dominate This Year’s Awards
Grand Prize Winner of $3000
Judith’s Reading Room proudly announces this year’s Grand Prize winner of its Freedom Through Literacy Award is the Macungie, Pa Willow Lane Elementary teaching duo Julia Dweck and Matthew Weimann. The goal of their project, “Release Your Fireflies,” is to creatively equip children to navigate a complex world through storytelling, paving the way for an appreciation of and lifetime membership in the universal library of human literature. Learn More
Judith’s Award: $500: awarded to the champion of literacy teacher, librarian or author
Carin Mileshosky, Library Director, Fleetwood Area Public Library, Fleetwood, Pa (a Pa Library Association Gold Star Library) is awarded the organization’s Judith’s Award in the amount of $500. The Judith’s Award, a new prize category this year, is designed exclusively for teachers, librarians or authors. Carin’s integrated and fun-filled program, “FleetwoodSUMMER 2018,” attracted 180 individuals to attend creative programs; 150 of whom committed to reading over the summer, thereby reducing the negative impact of so-called “summer slide.” Learn More
Board Option Awards: A pool of $1000 awarded in different amounts to deserving champions of literacy with or without an Application based on Board of Directors nominations
The Board Option Award with a total prize of $1,000 is shared amongst four visionary individuals.
Christopher Dew for his boy scout Eagle Project, “Mini-Library for Lehigh Valley H.O.P.E.” is awarded $300;
Ana Luhrs, Lafayette College’s Skillman Librarian for “The Leadership Center Library in Zambrano, Honduras” is awarded $300;
Cheryl Stoner-Gutshall, Dover Area School District, for her project, “Outdoor Education Book Creator” is awarded $200; and,
Marsha Townsend for her nonprofit, “Bringing Up a Bookworm” is awarded $200.
Learn More about our Board Option winners
Thanks to all who applied to the 2018 Judith’s Reading Room Freedom Through Literacy Award.
A celebratory award dinner was held in their honor on Wednesday, September 12 at 6 p.m. at MELT, located at The Promenade Mall, 2880 Center Valley Parkway, Center Valley, Pa.
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