On Wednesday May 4th we gathered together to celebrate Judith’s Reading Room 2016 Freedom Through Literacy Awards Winners. We would like to the share this wonderfully produced video shown at the 2016 Freedom Through Literacy Award dinner in honor of Kelly Stoop’s GRAND PRIZE Award initiative “Book Blast”.
More information on Kelly Stoops, “Book Blast” and the winners will be coming soon!
Children at Judith’s Reading Room Muhanga choose from many books—all relevant to Rwanda
Judith’s Reading Room, a nonprofit literacy organization established in 2010, announced the opening of its 94th library around the world in its 17th country — Rwanda. The library was made possible by a collaboration with the organization’s 2015 Freedom Through Literacy Award Runner-Up, Janet Brown, a resident of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and founder of TEACH Rwanda.
Volunteers from TEACH Rwanda hand-picked 137 books valued at $1,181 from the Judith’s Reading Room collection to serve the 136 children at Bright School in Muhanga, where public and school libraries are rare. “Bright School is a hub for teachers from around the world to see modern teaching practices in a rapidly developing country where many families are subsistence farmers who have no electricity or water — and certainly nothing to read,” said Brown.
Children are captivated by books about familiar items—such as A Circle Unbroken, about traditional basket weaving.
Judith’s Reading Room is focused on honoring champions of literacy — those on the frontline battling illiteracy — through its annual $10,000 Freedom Through Literacy Award. Whenever possible, award winners and Judith’s Reading Room will collaborate on establishing libraries together. “By supporting the good work of others, we aspire to share and celebrate people who are doing genuinely astonishing work, instilling in others a love of reading,” said Cathy Leiber,
president and co-founder of Judith’s Reading Room.
To date, the organization has dedicated 94 libraries in 17 countries with 127,079 books donated worth $1,376,872.
Children often match book themes to what they build, write, and draw. This girl made a train with colorful blocks, almost like the one in Freight Train. Integrated learning is prized in TEACH Rwanda schools.
At Judith’s Reading Room Muhanga, children spread their books on the table. “Teacher, look what I found!” “Look! Look!” They are SO excited!
Early literacy skills begin with books about children with which readers can identify.
Thirty-four community volunteers ranging in age from 3 to 70 gathered at the organization’s southside Bethlehem headquarters. Packing 965 mostly new novels worth $10,608, the volunteers smashed previous shipment totals. The organization serves VA hospitals and shelters in Pennsylvania at the PA Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home and Butler Healthcare, the VA Hospital in E. Orange New Jersey, and Steadfast House in NC, a shelter for women veterans and their children.
Over the past five years, Judith’s Reading Room, a nonprofit literacy organization, has shipped a total of 126,442 books worth $1,371,791. Nearly 50% of all shipments have been to military bases, hospitals, shelters and aircraft carriers here and around the world. The organization has established 93 libraries in 16 countries serving tens of thousands of children and adults who crave the opportunity to read for fun.
Judith’s Reading Room has shifted its focus to searching the world for individual champions of literacy from all disciplines — teachers, librarians, authors, researchers, educators — anyone who has done exemplary work to instill in others a love of reading. The $10,000 Award carries a top prize of $5,000 and up to five $1,000 runner-up prizes.
$10,000 To Be Awarded to Individual Champions of Literacy
Judith’s Reading Room announced today that applications for its 2nd Annual Freedom Through Literacy Awards are available. To apply, applicants should visit: WWW.JUDITHSREADINGROOM.ORG/FREEDOM-THROUGH-LITERACY-AWARD. Deadline for submissions is January 26, 2016. Winners will be publicly announced at the Colonial Association of Reading Educators (C.A.R.E’s) Celebrate Literacy Award Dinner on Wednesday, May 4, 2016 at Cedar Crest College, Allentown, PA.
Judith’s Reading Room will award $10,000 in prize money to individual champions of literacy from around the world — educators, librarians, authors, researchers and non-profit literacy organizations — anyone who has done exemplary work to instill in others a love of reading. The Award carries a top prize of $5,000 and up to five $1,000 runner-up awards.
The Freedom Through Literacy Award recognizes literacy projects and/or programs that are innovative, are measurably impactful, can be replicated, go beyond the individual’s “call of duty,” and clearly express the individual’s philosophy about literacy. The inaugural Award attracted 34 Applications from around the world.
The diverse judging panel of 23 local and international individuals has been established. The panel includes teachers, administrators, executives from multiple disciplines, attorneys, and last year’s grand prize winner, Ms. Basarat Kazim, founder of “Alif Laila Book Bus Society’s Mobile Library,” Lahore, Pakistan.
Judith’s Reading Room, a nonprofit literacy organization, was founded in 2010. Its mission is “Freedom Through Literacy.” The organization has dedicated 91 libraries around the world including 123,417 books worth $1,339,570.
Media and other inquiries contact: Cathy Leiber at 484-661-6151 or awards@judithreadingroom.org.
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The documentary, “Cracking Open the Universe,” you are about to view, is emblematic of the mission of Judith’s Reading Room, the Producer of this film. This film, as the embodiment of that mission, “Freedom Through Literacy,” demonstrates the sociological impact of literacy to promote peaceful human interaction. The vehicle employed to facilitate that peaceful human interaction is the Book Club, and the empowering fuel is Literacy.
Copyright 2015 by Judith’s Reading Room
Directed and Edited by Joel Vargas
To learn more about Judith’s Reading Room and its work to recognize and support those whose mission it is to promote and spread literacy, please visit www.judithsreadingroom.org. Thank you.
TEACH Rwanda’s Founder and President, Jan Brown, has been honored as an “individual champion of literacy” for her “exemplary work to instill in others a love of reading.”
Judith’s Reading Room presented its Freedom Through Literacy awards on May 6 at Cedar Crest College in Allentown, PA. Jan was in Rwanda, so her husband, Bill Whipple, accepted the runner-up award on her behalf.
“Under Janet’s leadership, TEACH Rwanda has been educating Rwandan teachers and equipping school libraries with culturally relevant and engaging literature since 2012. Thanks to Janet’s dedication, hundreds of children in TEACH Rwanda schools have the change to become prolific readers, writers, and artists.”
TEACH Rwanda is grateful for this $1000 gift,
which enables us to continue
to promote a culture of reading in Rwanda
Vision Empower Rwandan teachers to implement international best practices in early childhood education.
Mission Develop Model Schools in Rwanda—centers of excellence—that meet the organization’s high standards. Partner with leaders of NGOs, educators, families, and communities to offer professional development to pre-service and in-service teachers in Model Schools. Operate as a transparent, efficient, cost-effective, sustainable organization that wisely allocates all donations.
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.
The Alif Laila Book Bus Society, the non-profit organization led by Basarat, strives to “color Pakistan with quality books and happy reading spaces in communities, schools and rural areas” in order to inspire children to become effective communicators and citizens — this in a country where the majority of children cannot read at grade level.
The metamorphosis of a dilapidated double decker bus into a wonderland of books that travels around Lahore happened more than three decades go. Under Basarat’s direction, guest speakers, story tellers, puppet shows, and big buddy/little buddy shared reading programs nurture an early love of reading and on a higher level, offer teacher training, resource and material development and literacy programs management all in a warm, welcoming environment.
Basarat is responsible for growing Alif Laila Book Bus Society from a mobile library to an entire nationwide educational complex. To date, she has established 100 primary school libraries, five community libraries, hobby clubs, and, of course, its colorfully bright book mobile bus.
We warmly recognize Basarat Kazim as the 2015 Top Prize winner of the Freedom Through Literacy Award for her role in developing sustainable initiatives to combat illiteracy in Pakistan. For more information visit
Alif Laila Society.
Under Janet’s leadership, TEACH Rwanda has been educating Rwandan teachers — who had never seen a child’s book — and equipping school libraries with culturally relevant and engaging literature since 2012. Jan’s focus is on using the power of books to reveal the wonders of the surrounding and far away world to the 3-6 year olds TEACH Rwanda supports. Thanks to the dedicated TEACH Rwanda volunteers, who carry books and puzzles in their suitcases, hundreds of children in TEACH Rwanda schools have the chance to become prolific readers, writers, and artists.
Janet spent her life working in the field of pre-school education emphasizing reading readiness and exposing children, teachers and parents to the best in children’s literature. Several years ago, she flew to Africa to set up pre-schools and teacher training programs in Rwanda, a country ravished in the 1994 genocide that killed hundreds of thousands.
We recognize Janet Brown as Runner-Up in the 2015 Freedom Through Literacy Award for equipping teachers and librarians with the skills to upgrade the quality of education in Rwanda to become self-sufficient and for bringing the best quality of culturally sensitive children’s literature to the people of Rwanda. For more information visit TEACH Rwanda.
Thinley Choden believes that literacy is the foundation for gainful engagement with the world, a stepping stone to pursue our dreams. Bhutan is traditionally an oral society with a 54% literacy rate. Thinley leads READ Bhutan, the only organization building a network of self-sustaining community public libraries — where there was previously no public library system — and using them as a platform for education, community and enterprise development.
Thanks to Thinley’s pioneering work, today over 35,000 people have access to books where there were none. She is considered to have done more than any other person in Bhutan to promote a love of reading and to create a culture of literacy.
We recognize Thinley Choden as Runner Up in the 2015 Freedom Through Literacy Award for her relentless pursuit in helping rural communities along the treacherous roads of Bhutan achieve literacy, inspire the next generation of great thinkers and leaders within Bhutan and for helping empower women.
A U.S. Peace Corps volunteer, Melissa made it her mission to provide books to the 1,400 primary school students in Magarao, where over 98% had no children’s books in the home and only 2 out of 40 teachers had non-text reading materials in their classrooms. Now, all 1,400 children and their teachers have access to over 4,000 thanks to Melissa.
Though many Peace Corps volunteers create libraries for their schools, Melissa Clouser made her project one-of-a-kind by including exemplary extracurricular and summer remedial reading programs, incorporating a variety of media to improve her students’ reading capabilities, creating a school-wide campaign to promote a culture of reading and designing a computer based inventory system.
Melissa partnered with the local university librarians to help sustain the library. She also trained 40 teachers in best practices to utilize the reading materials in their everyday lessons and inspire literacy in their students once she left her position. Her work was recognized by the local Department of Education who declared her library and literacy program would serve as the model for all schools in the region.
Melissa Clouser, “global citizen,” is recognized as a Runner-Up in the 2015 Freedom Through Literacy Award for her vision and innovation in literacy which inspired a community.
Janice Komisor has devoted her professional life to helping “disempowered” learners move from the margins of society to the mainstream. At ProJeCt of Easton, which serves 5,000 individuals a year, Janice established the Lehigh Valley’s first program to address the language and literacy development of at-risk children and their parents.
Many literacy programs focus either on young children or adults; Janice and the “Family Literacy Program” at ProJeCt of Easton works with whole families to break the intergenerational cycle of low literacy. By advancing parents’ literacy skills through evidence-based methods, “Family Literacy Program” allows parents to be the first and most important agent and teacher for their children.
We recognize Janice Komisor as a Runner-Up in the 2015 Freedom Through Literacy Award for her leadership in literacy education and her devotion to helping “disempowered” learners move from the margins of society to the mainstream.
Quintin’s view of literacy, framed while a student at Georgetown, Cambridge and Oxford, is that it is a fundamental tool for citizen empowerment, which in turn, is the cornerstone for democracy and sustainable development.
The goal of “Library Renewal Partnership,” founded in 2010, is to empower over 2 million citizens in the Philippines by helping build at least 200 community education centers by 2020. So far, Quintin has established 75 libraries in underserved communities across the Philippines, where he believes that public libraries are positioned to serve as strategic hubs for citizen empowerment at the community level.
What makes his initiative unique is his model, derived from research, that enables any citizen to initiate, develop and sustain pubic libraries in his or her community. In one of the villages impacted by their libraries, the program reports that literacy rates have improved from 10% to 53% and dropout rates have reduced from 70% to 20%. His libraries can be found in farms, hospitals, and prisons to read more marginalized sectors of society.
Quintin Jose Pastrana is recognized as a Runner Up in the 2015 Freedom Through Literacy Award for developing a coalition of literacy partners to drive the leading and fastest growing literacy program in the Philippines.
In her capacity as Coordinator of the Women, Infants and Children’s (WIC) program at Casa Guadalupe in Allentown, Dawn is a change-agent in the community, explaining to parents why it is important to read aloud to children under the age of five. Dawn distributes more than 500 baby books each month to new families because she is passionate about helping WIC’s clients — 100% of whom have income levels below the federal poverty line — break the cycle of poverty through early literacy.
Arif is credited with helping promote literacy and education by developing 55 libraries with more than 42,000 books and programs that plant the seeds of leadership, environmental consciousness and community connection in East Java, Indonesia through the organization The World is Just a Book Away. These libraries impact 28,000 Indonesian schoolchildren. He is guided by the concept that you must empower children to change their own lives and communities through books and that education breaks the cycle of poverty, gives hope for a better future and promotes peace around the world.
A brain trauma patient herself, Janet had to relearn how to walk, dress herself and read again. She was told that she may never read more than one word at a time, but she wasn’t ready to give up. Teaching herself to read became her main focus and books became her best friend. In 2013, Janet started the Lehigh Valley Head Trauma Book Group. Members say that attending the monthly meetings has changed their outlook on life — there is more interaction, more eye contact, more talking and most importantly, people are smiling. She says the family members are seeing a spark of the “old” husband/wife/friend and that this is more exciting than her years of teaching public school or college. Through these books, she is watching lives change.
Tiffany is credited with revitalizing Harkins House school program, taking it from a standard credit recovery program to a fully integrated classroom by establishing a library and book club for adjudicated at-risk youth at Harkins House, a juvenile residential shelter in Oregon. She made reading fun for these youth, who commonly see school in a negative light and a place filled with people who have given up on them. Tiffany created the book club to give these young people an opportunity to discuss books of their choosing and issues reflecting aspects of their lives. These discussions allowed them to consider other ways they might have handled a difficult situation. Tiffany firmly believes that books change lives.
