Tag: TEACH Rwanda

Judith’s Reading Room Gifts TEACH Rwanda with a STEM Library

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NEWS RELEASE

CONTACT: Cathy Leiber
www.JudithsReadingRoom.org

Judith’s Reading Room Gifts TEACH Rwanda with a STEM Library
Bright School/TEACH Rwanda’s Students Needed Books to Conquer Robotics Challenge

 

January 7, 2025 —  Judith’s Reading Room named Bright School/TEACH Rwanda as its first of 15 global organizations to receive a curated collection of books in celebration of the organization’s 15th anniversary.   The bold initiative, “15 Libraries to Celebrate Its 15th Anniversary in 2025” will include organizations stretching across 4 oceans and 4 continents. The inaugural ceremony was captured on ZOOM as eager students, their librarian and several teachers dove into the books.

Working with our partner TEACH Rwanda, Judith’s Reading Room established its 94th eponymous library in 2016 with 137 children’s books to which subsistence farming families could relate.  In testament to the dedication of TEACH Rwanda founders Jan Brown and William Whipple of Easton, Pennsylvania, today Brown and Whipple requested books on elevated science topics like robotics.

The hand-picked collection of 52 books on aeronautical engineering, architecture,  oceans and robotics with a cover price of $800 will add significant depth to Judith’s Reading Room’s library and will benefit 340 students ages pre-K to 6th grade plus 20 teachers in this sub-Saharan, land-locked African nation. 

“In particular,  the books on robotics and oceans will greatly assist Bright School’s Robotics Team as they compete in LEGO’s 2025 championship, the theme of which is “Submerged,” noted Cathy Leiber, President, Judith’s Reading Room.  “To give Bright School’s students a “leg up,” Judith’s Reading Room selected a dozen books on the Ocean — a place on the planet most of them will never, ever see,” she added.

Bright School/TEACH Rwanda’s Robotics Team boasts 50/50 girls/boys.  UN Women,  sponsor of AGCCI — African Girls Can Code Initiative  — has been instrumental in making sure that girls can see technology-heavy careers for themselves.  “Robotics has been a big step forward in our lives.  First of all, we didn’t expect that robotics would bring us so many opportunities like meeting our (Rwandan) President face to face or getting our own computers,” Ninette, student, grade P6.

“What makes Bright School/TEACH Rwanda stand out is our concentration on literacy, developing teachers’ skills, providing necessary materials, and stressing gender equality,” said Whipple.  He added, “TEACH Rwanda has brought modern librarianship concepts to life including teaching respect for books,  how you turn pages of a book, how you put them on shelves so that you can find them again — etiquette that seems obvious to us in America is not well understood by children in Rwanda.”

French teacher and librarian, Bonfils Iradakunda, refugee from Burundi, encourages literacy, empowerment and joy at Bright School’s library.

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 “The 15 Libraries to Celebrate Our 15th Anniversary in 2025”

  1. Bright School/TEACH Rwanda, Muhanga, Rwanda — January 7
  2. Escuela ‘Agustin Flores Contreras,’ Puerto Vallarta, Mexico — January 15
  3. Read for Literacy, “Real Men READ-y”, Toledo, Ohio — February 1
  4. Avery Chapel AME Church, Southaven, Mississippi — February 15
  5. Watch Me Grow Learning Academy, Grenada, Mississippi  — February 15
  6. Mosaic Preparatory Academy, East Harlem, New York — March 14
  7. Louisiana Methodist Family & Children’s Services, Ruston, Louisiana — April 1
  8. Washington County Juvenile’s ‘Harkins House,’ Portland, Oregon — April 4
  9. Heavy Sound, Edinburgh, Scotland — May 30
  10. James Prendergast Free Library, Jamestown, New York — July 31
  11. Chinle Planting Hope, Navajo Nation, Chinle, Arizona — November 1
  12. Kirioruwa School, Marabedda, Bandarawela, Sri Lanka — TBD
  13. Vhulakanjhani Primary School, South Africa — TBD
  14. Shree Jantra Adharbhut Vidhyalaya School, Kathmandu, Nepal — TBD
  15. Shree Prasad St. School, Kathmandu, Nepal — TBD

 

Judith’s Reading Room, a 501 (c) 3 global literacy organization was founded in 2010 in the memory of Judith F. Krug, a distinguished librarian and cousin to the founders.  Its mission is:  “To enrich lives and societies by proactively encouraging freedom through literacy.”  It has achieved that mission by dedicating 108 libraries in 25 countries with nearly 134,000 books donated valued at more than $1.4 million dollars.   ##  END  ##

15 Libraries To Celebrate Milestone 15th Anniversary in 2025

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Judith’s Reading Room Gifts TEACH Rwanda With a STEM Library

15 Global Organizations to Benefit during JRRs 15th Anniversary in 2025   

October 16, 2024 — Judith’s Reading Room named Bright School/TEACH Rwanda its first of 15 global organizations to receive a curated collection of books in celebration of the organization’s 15th anniversary in 2025.

Today’s donation includes 52 books with a cover price value of $800.  The books were purchased and prepared for shipment via container ship leaving the USA in a couple of months.  The library will be dedicated in Muhanga, Rwanda on January 7, 2025 and will serve 340 students and 20 teachers.

The relationship with TEACH Rwanda dates back to 2016 when Judith’s Reading Room donated 137 hand-picked books to Bright School/TEACH Rwanda, a nonprofit founded by Easton, PA residents Jan Brown and her husband William (Bill) Whipple.  That library, Judith’s Reading Room’s 94th in its 17th country, focused on books to serve subsistence farming families and their children.  Bill told us today, “It is a lively, engaging spot on the campus, loved by all the students and teachers!”

To celebrate the organization’s 15th anniversary, Judith’s Reading Room proactively reached out to literacy organizations worldwide to determine who needed books to advance literacy in their city or country.  TEACH Rwanda responded within minutes.  When asked what books the students needed, Ms. Brown told us that “the kids need books with plenty of illustrations to make ideas real because few have access to TV, internet or other windows to the world.  They desire applied science/math books such as architecture, robotics, environment and agriculture and books to help teenagers learn about the possibilities for careers that they would not know about were it not for books.”

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A group of volunteers went to town today at Barnes & Noble to purchase the perfect books.   Titles include:  365 Build-it-Yourself Engineering Projects, Think Like a Robotics Engineer, Where the Animals Go — Tracking Wildlife with Technology, Wonder Women of Science, and The Ultimate Biography of Earth.  Bright School students also participate in LEGO Robotics competitions.  Whipple informed us that the subject for 2025 is “Submerged,” an ocean-inspired theme to explore life beneath the surface of the ocean.  With no direct access to the sea, imagine children from a land-locked central African nation competing on such a topic!  To help level the playing field, we also purchased these books:  OCEAN!  Our Watery World as You’ve Never Seen it Before, Ocean — A Visual Encyclopedia, and OCEAN.

“Overall, providing access to STEM books can empower kids, helping them build a bright future to achieve long-term prosperity in an increasingly technology-driven world,” stated Cathy Leiber, President and Co-Founder Judith’s Reading Room.

Rae Durnin

Retired Wilson High School (Easton, PA) Biology teacher, Rae Durnin lent her expertise in selecting the books for Bright School. Durnin will be honored with the organization’s Outstanding Service Award, connecting her forever to the children in Rwanda.

Since 2010, Judith’s Reading Room has established 107 (and counting) libraries in 24 countries (and counting) with more than 133,000 donated books worth $1.4 million.  On the continent of Africa, Judith’s Reading Room has dedicated 9 libraries in 6 nations:  Nigeria -3 libraries;  Zimbabwe – 2 libraries and one each in Namibia, Rwanda, Zambia, and the Ivory Coast.

Judith’s Reading Room, a global literacy nonprofit organization founded in the memory of Judith F. Krug, a distinguished librarian, will mark its 15th anniversary in 2025 by establishing or enhancing 15 Judith’s Reading Room libraries in 2025.  Thirteen (13) organizations are confirmed to receive enhancements to their existing JRR libraries or NEW libraries in 2025, leaving two coveted spots available as of this date.

TEACH Rwanda will receive 52 books with a cover price of $800 to serve 340 students and 20 teachers. These books will enhance the existing Judith’s Reading Room library established there in 2016.

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10th Anniversary ‘Stand Out’ Library – TEACH Rwanda

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Judith’s Reading Room chose to celebrate their 10th Anniversary milestone by honoring 10 of its ‘stand out’ libraries  A special fund of $5,000 has been set aside to purchase new books for each library. 

TEACH Rwanda, whose founder, Janet Brown, hails from Easton, Pa was the first to be notified that her organization was selected as one of the ten.  In 2016,  Judith’s Reading Room established its library in Rwanda at the Bright School in Muhanga, where public schools and libraries are rare, with a donation of 137 books valued at $1,181. 

“With Judith’s Reading Room’s help to provide the best books from around the world, Bright School is well-known in the community for children’s love of reading, “said Brown, President and Founder of TEACH Rwanda.   

Veron readerVeron reader
Red readerRed reader
Outdoor storyOutdoor story
Lunch and LearnLunch and Learn
KinyarwandaKinyarwanda
Books not LEGOsBooks not LEGOs
Book outdoorsBook outdoors

 The 10 Judith’s Reading Room ‘Stand Out’ libraries are:

“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 Scott Leiber, Co-Founder of Judith’s Reading Room.

In addition to libraries, Judith’s Reading Room holds an annual competition for the “Freedom Through Literacy Award.”  Initiated in 2015, Judith’s Reading Room has disbursed $33,500 in prize money, honoring 31 individual champions of literacy in the United States, the Philippines, Bhutan, Pakistan, Rwanda, Cambodia, Mexico, Australia, Zimbabwe and Greece.

Applications for the 2020 Freedom Through Literacy Award may be found at www.,judithsreadingroom.org.  Deadline is July 1st.  Winners announced end of July. 

TEACH Rwanda sends thanks!

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JRR-Rwanda-PhotoTEACH 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.

JRR Teach Rwanda Logo

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