“Freedom Through Literacy”
Est. 2010 in memory of Judith F. Krug
Grand Prize Award – $2,500 Christopher McGilvery, “Teachers and Student Ambassadors Project”Canyon, Texas Supporting one another with the power of literacy. For Chris McGilvery, this is the story he wants to tell in his community. Through his work with The Leaders Readers Network, Chris engages teachers across the United States and Dominica to grow leadership…
Judith’s Award – $1,500 Ty Allan Jackson, “Big Head Books”Bronx, New York Too often, children’s books represent non-white protagonists within a narrow range of topics. Award-winning author Ty Allan Jackson writes highly engaging books that buck this tradition, offering children who don’t always see themselves in the stories they read the opportunity for a different…
Board Option Prize – $500 Charmaine Tsosie, “Chinle Planting Hope”Navajo Nation, Chinle, Arizona “Winning the award is such an honor to my community and me. It feels like the Navajo Nation is seen and heard.” -Charmaine Tsosie Basarat Kazim, “Camel Library for Kech Balochistan”Lahore, Pakistan “Your support provides opportunities to thousands of girls to…
Children in the village of Potamia on Thassos Island in North Greece have little access to books; without a library, it had been difficult for the community to foster solid reading skills. That’s why Vicky, an elementary school teacher, jumped into action. She created “Let’s Play Book,” which encourages children to interpret the world around them through reading and playing with books that she and other local authors have created.
2019 Board Option Award – $300 Karen Brown “Cat Tales – Kids Reading to Cats”— St. Paul, Minnesota Two Sundays a month, Karen Brown opens up her no-kill cat shelter, Caring for Cats, to young children volunteers to practice reading aloud to a very willing audience — dozens of cats! Testimonies from families reveal…
Judith’s Award $500 Vicky Xanthopoulou- “Let’s Play Book” Potamia, North Greece Children in the village of Potamia on Thassos Island in North Greece have little access to books; without a library, it had been difficult for the community to foster solid reading skills. That’s why Vicky, an elementary school teacher, jumped into action. She…
Grand Prize Award – $3,000 Alvin Irby, “Barbershop Books”New York, New York
2019 FREEDOM THROUGH LITERACY AWARD LUNCHEON The 2019 Freedom Through Literacy Award was held at Ammos Estiatorio, New York City on Saturday, September 28th. Each award ceremony has been special it is own, 2019s was an intimate gathering but very powerful with a special presentation by Robert Lucas spoke on what it was like opening…
The core of Judith’s Reading Room is the belief that books change lives. At Casa Guadalupe in Allentown, Pennsylvania, children under five are bringing home their first books thanks to a creative partnership. The first thing you see when you visit the Women, Infant and Children (WIC) Program at Casa Guadalupe in Allentown is a…
Grand Prize $3,000 Matthew Weimann and Julia Dweck “Release Your Fireflies” — Macungie, Pa “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,…