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GRAND PRIZE – 2018 Freedom Through Literacy

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Grand Prize $3,000

Matthew Weimann and Julia Dweck
“Release Your Fireflies” — Macungie, Pa

Matthew Weinmann, Ibiyinka Alao and Julia Dweck

Matthew Weinmann and Julia Dweck (shown here with Ibiyinka Alao)

“Release Your Fireflies” is best described as a storytelling-movement. Matthew Weimann and Julia Dweck, two ‘stellar’ teachers according to their principal, inspired their students in grades 3-5 to interpret Ibi’s true story. The children wrote an award winning picture book entitled, “Ibi’s Fireflies,” published by Scholastic. The goal of “Release Your Fireflies” is to equip children to navigate the world through storytelling, paving the way for an appreciation of human literature. Matt and Julia’s project promotes storytelling inside and outside the classroom — nurturing literacy skills, creative thinking, communication, empathy, increased confidence and self-esteem. The duo, described as “true pioneers in the pursuit of a global classroom of storytellers,” created a website where teachers can access a library of storytelling curriculum that encourages children to share their stories and reflect on them through prompts and questions. “Ibi’s Fireflies,” is under consideration by producer Tim Burton, as a full-length animated feature.

UN Art Ambassador Ibiyinka Alao’s true life story provided the inspiration for the project.
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Julia Dweck — “Nelson Mandela once said, ‘That we are only people, because of the people.’  This is the spirit of ubuntu embodied in the Freedom Through Literacy Award.  Our mission to share stories is a natural extension of this philosophy.  After all, a story is only a story when there is someone there to listen.”

Matthew Weimann —“We are super excited to share this project with the world and help students learn and practice great story-telling. This prize will help us achieve our dreams of connecting with teachers and students from all walks of like and roads in distant lands.”

JUDITH’S AWARD – 2018 Freedom Through Literacy

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Judith’s Award $500

Carin Mileshosky
“FleetwoodSUMMER 2018”— Fleetwood, Pa

 

Carin Mileshosky

Carin Mileshosky

Fleetwood Area Public Librarian Carin Mileshosky is the driving force behind this community’s effort to counter-attack the syndrome known as ‘summer slide’ where students can lose up to 2 months of learning, adding up to a full year behind grade level by the time they reach 5th grade. Carin constantly champions the fact that a public library has an important role to play in the community. This summer her initiatives attracted over 180 patrons by offering quality service, information and new technology while promoting an early and lifelong love of learning. It is no wonder that the Fleetwood Library earned the PA FORWARD Library Association’s “Gold Star Library” designation. Carin is committed to providing her community with resources, programs, and opportunities to grow as readers — to be inspired, curious and to become successful lifelong learners. She believes that by promoting all facets of literacy, she can provide her patrons the freedom to become whom they want to be and to help make their dreams a reality.

Carin Mileshosky — “After graduating from college in 1999, I did not immediately set out to become a Librarian. It was a gradual realization that came about after many years of searching for what I wanted to be when I grew up. Once I finally began my career in the library world, it seemed such an easy decision and I still often wonder what took me so long. The title of this award speaks directly to my mission as a Librarian.”

BOARD OPTIONS – 2018 Freedom Through Literacy

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2018 Board Option $300

Christopher Dew
“Mini-Library for Lehigh Valley H.O.P.E.”— Easton, Pa

Christopher Dew

Christopher Dew

Christopher established his library at Lehigh Valley H.O.P.E., an organization that provides clothes and household goods to the homeless. He did this as his Boy Scout’s of America Eagle Project, making him the youngest recipient of a Judith’s Reading Room Freedom Through Literacy Award. Under his leadership, Chris collaborated with other Boy Scouts to build and stain bookcases. He organized a book drive that resulted in the collection of over 600 books. Finally, he obtained furniture and a rug to turn his mini-library into a comfortable reading area. Christopher acknowledges that when you have nothing, the focus is on clothes, food — the basics. For some, books are generally not thought of as a basic need. He disagrees. Chris believes that while literacy is the foundation for education, access is the key element for literacy. Homeless families, whose needs are so great, also need to have access to books, especially children’s books so that they can expand their imagination and see what the world has to offer.

Christopher Dew — “While literacy is the foundation for education, access is the key element for literacy. Literacy is 100% dependent on having access to any kind of reading material. When I found out I was being recognized by Judith’s Reading Room, I was so shocked that I was actually speechless. I’m not even sure how I responded because I really couldn’t believe it.”

2018 Board Option $300

Ana Ramirez Luhrs
“The Leadership Center Library”— Zambrano, Honduras

Ana Ramirez Luhrs

Ana Ramirez Luhrs

Lafayette College Skillman Librarian, Ana Luhrs, recently led a group of students to The Leadership Center (TLC) to Zambrano, Honduras to work side-by-side with 25 hand-picked young women eager to develop business and leadership skills. The goal of TLC is to educate, train and develop a new generation of female leaders by providing English immersion, business seminars and leadership training. Nominated by teachers, pastors, community leaders and government officials, this elite group of women, ranging in age from 18-29, watched as Ana curated the fledgling library and learned the importance of creating a culture of reading for pleasure. During Ana’s tenure at TLC, she noticed the gaps in genres that she felt would enhance the students’ experience. Ana has been selected to lead another group of Lafayette College students to TLC in January 2019 where they will hand-carry books to establish the 97th Judith’s Reading Room library in our organization’s 20th country!

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Ana Luhrs — “Judith Krug fervently believed in the power of books and their ability to transform lives. With this award, I am honored to carry this message back to the young women leaders of The Leadership Center who are transforming their lives and their communities through education.”

2018 Board Option $200

Cheryl Stoner-Gutshall
“Outdoor Education Book” — York, Pa

Cheryl, an 18-year veteran fifth grade science and social studies teacher, is also responsible for the Dover School District’s common core standards for non-fiction. Brilliantly dovetailing these two responsibilities into the “Outdoor Education Book,”she teaches every 5th grader in the district how to write and publish non-fiction e-books using I-Pads. The outdoor education program covers such diverse topics as stream and pollinator studies, vermi-composting and waste water treatment. Using the Book Creator app, students use their notes, photos and videos to compose a book (see above) about their 2 1/2 day outdoor education adventure. Books are then posted on a digital portfolio, shared district-wide. The book is the culmination of all that the students have learned about non-fiction writing.

Cheryl Stoner-Gutshall — “It is very exciting to have the Outdoor Education of Dover School District recognized by this global non-profit organization. I have always known that the Outdoor Education program was special, but now I know others do too.”

2018 Board Option $200

Marsha Townsend
“Bringing Up a Bookworm”— Leesport, Pa

Marsha Townsend (left)

Marsha Townsend (left)

“Bringing Up a Bookworm,” a nonprofit initiative by 4th grade teacher Marsha Townsend, educates expectant parents about the value of reading aloud to their child even before he/she is born! Marsha and friends fill literacy-rich gift bags and deliver them to obstetricians’ offices. The doctors and nurses — wholeheartedly trusted by parents-to-be — hand the bags to their patients along with supportive ideas about the importance of reading to their babies and children. The gift bag contains a copy of Reading Magic: How Reading Aloud to Our Children will Change their Lives; a children’s board book and information about the Berks County Library system. Marsha champions the need to read aloud to newborns, infants and toddlers. She acknowledges that read-aloud time provides the basics of how a book works, the language of books, an abundance of vocabulary and bonding time with parents.

Marsha Townsend — “Both the skills for reading and the love of reading can start to develop at birth.”

Alif Laila Society has new photos to share!

Gallery

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Basarat and Alif Laila Society, Freedom Through Literacy 2015 grand prize winner,  continues her project in Pakistan.  She just sent us some fantastic new photos!
Basarat believes that by providing access to quality literature, in a country that spends less than 2% on education, will inspire life-long learners and, most importantly, develop positive attitudes so critical for a tolerant society. Convinced that books are change agents and that libraries for children are places of independent research, critical thinking and imagination power houses, Basarat sets a determined and noteworthy commitment to literacy in Pakistan.

Winners of the 2018 Freedom Through Literacy Award Announced

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NEWS RELEASE  
CONTACT:  Cathy Leiber
2018 Freedom Through Literacy Award Winners Announced

Local Champions of Literacy Dominate This Year’s Awards

July 30, 2018 — Lehigh Valley, Pa. — Judith’s Reading Room proudly announces this year’s Top 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.  Top Prize award is $3,000.

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.”

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.

A celebratory award dinner will be 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.  The public is encouraged to attend the dinner.  To reserve your space, a check made payable to Judith’s Reading Room in the amount of $45 per person must be mailed to P.O. Box 164, Blandon, PA  19510 and received no later than Wednesday, August 29.

Judith’s Reading Room, a literacy 501 (c) 3 based in eastern Pa was founded in 2010 in memory of Judith Krug, first cousin to the founders.  The mission of Judith’s Reading Room is to enrich lives and societies by proactively encouraging freedom through literacy.  To date, the organization has fulfilled that mission by dedicating 96 libraries in 19 countries (and counting), with over 127,000 books donated and valued at nearly $1.4 million dollars.  

Since 2015, The Freedom Through Literacy Award has disbursed (including 2018 winners) $29,000 and has honored 25 individual champions of literacy in the United States, the Philippines, Bhutan, Pakistan, Rwanda, Cambodia and Mexico. 

 

Visit our Freedom Through Literacy Award Page

 

Congratulations to Christopher Dew

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Christopher Dew with Cathy and Scott Leiber

Christopher Dew with Cathy and Scott Leiber

Christopher Dew and Lisa Boscola, PA State Senator

Christopher Dew and Lisa Boscola, PA State Senator

Judith’s Reading Room VOLUNTEER, Christopher Dew, received his Eagle Scout award today. His project, establishing a library at Lehigh Valley H. O. P. E., was inspired by his volunteer work at Judith’s Reading Room. Lisa Boscola, PA STATE SENATOR, honored his achievement.

Christopher Dew, one of just 4% of all scouts who achieve the hard-earned Eagle Scout designation.

Christopher Dew

Christopher Dew

Christopher Dew Troup 312 South Mountain District Eagle Application Cover

Christopher Dew Eagle Application Cover

International Day of the Book – Resita City, Romania

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Dominique Zara, municipal librarian in Resita City, Romania celebrated the International Day of the book and the Day of English that took place on April 23 this year. Some children at daycare centers in the city who implemented hours of English came to the Judith’s Reading Room liInternational Day of The Bookbrary to read together andInternational Day of The Book enjoy the beautiful books.

“I attached some pictures from our activities. I was happy to had some teenage volunteers participate in this acționează. They were from Italy, Belgia and Spain. They come in our town for 1 year and they wanted to come to our library to assist in Celebrating The International Day of the book.”

On September 8, 2014, UNESCO’s International Literacy Day, five libraries were dedicated in Resita City, Romania. The five libraries, one of which is named the Judith’s Reading Room Library, serves 70,000 residents. The request from municipal librarian, Dominique Zara, is for a total of 6,000-7,000 books, including books to teach English to city politicians. Her goal with respect to that audience is to demonstrate that a library is an indispensable asset in a city and that librarians can do great things for all citizens.

Dominique is a librarian who Walks the Talk, Read more librarian-walks-the-talk

International Day of The BookResita-Group 2

Celebrating English Language in Resita City, Romania

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Cathy Leiber and Kimberly Bush made a short video sending a message to Dominique Zara, municipal librarian in Resita City, Romania in honor of International Day of the Book.

Dominique celebrated the International day of the book and the Day of English that takes place on April 23 this year. Some children at daycare centers in the city who implemented hours of English came to the Judith’s Reading Room library to read together and enjoy the beautiful books.

On September 8, 2014, UNESCO’s International Literacy Day, five libraries were dedicated in Resita City, Romania. The five libraries, one of which is named the Judith’s Reading Room Library, serves 70,000 residents. The request from municipal librarian, Dominique Zara, is for a total of 6,000-7,000 books, including books to teach English to city politicians. Her goal with respect to that audience is to demonstrate that a library is an indispensable asset in a city and that librarians can do great things for all citizens.

Dominique is a librarian who Walks the Talk, Read more http://www.judithsreadingroom.org/librarian-walks-the-talk/

96th Library-Mexico joins 18 other countries

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Judith’s Reading Room Expands Globally with       Announcement of its 96th Library

Mexico joins 18 other countries to open a Judith’s Reading Room Library

April 16, 2018 — Lehigh Valley, Pa.  Judith’s Reading Room, a non-profit organization founded in 2010 to enrich lives and societies by proactively encouraging freedom through literacy announced today the opening of its 96th library in its 19th country with The Palapa Society of Todos Santos, Mexico. 
The Palapa Society of Todos Santos is a non-profit whose mission is to create prepared 21st Century learners.  The organization was a 2017 Judith’s Reading Room Freedom Through Literacy Award winner and received a check in the amount of $500.  With that, they purchased approximately 50 children’s books in English and Spanish including BFG by Roald Dahl and Frida by Jonah Winter.   
The effort to teach English at the Biblioteca Infantil (Children’s Library) is to counter the low level of household literacy and reading habits in the Todos Santos community.  Compounding the problem is that local public schools do not have libraries nor do the classrooms contain books outside of textbooks.  The Palapa Society aims to change all that through the collaboration with Judith’s Reading Room.  Joy O’Brien, Program Director of The Palapa Children’s Library said “ the 162 ‘library enthusiasts’ were waiting to get their hands on the new books donated by Judith’s Reading Room. “ 
The 2018 Judith’s Reading Room Freedom Through Literacy Award application process is underway.  The 2018 Award will grant $4,500 in prizes.  The deadline to apply at www.JudithsReadingRoom.org/APPLY is July 6, 2018.  Since its inception, Judith’s Reading Room has dedicated 96 libraries in 19 countries with 127,679 books worth nearly $1.4 million dollars.  The Freedom Through Literacy Award has disbursed $24,500 and has honored 19 individual champions of literacy in the United States, the Philippines, Bhutan, Pakistan, Rwanda, Cambodia and Mexico. 

From The Palapa Society of Todos Santos

Por fin or finally as we say in English! Here is a foto of a few of our 162 “card-carrying” library enthusiasts waiting eagerly to get their hands on the new books donated by Judith’s Reading Room. Just as there are only a very few of the kids in the foto, it is also only a portion of the books that were purchased with your generous donation. The others flew off the shelves before the foto could be made. Not a day goes by that one of the books that Judith’s Reading Room purchased is not being checked out for the enjoyment of our kids. We can’t thank you enough….
Joy O’Brien, Program Director of the Palapa Children’s Library (Biblioteca Infantil), Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico