2015Literacy Champion Grant:
WINNERS!
Again this year, on Read Across America Day, the Literacy Coalition of Onondaga County announced $50,000 (Round Five) that awarded grants to ten programs that provide family literacy programming in Syracuse. With the continued support of the Central New York Community Foundation, these grants helped to leverage the impact of the city-wide expansion of Imagination Library.
1)Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo: Tadpole Academy: Awarded $10,000
Entering its fourth year, Tadpole Academy is a series of Pre-Kprograms focused on early literacy skills, with an emphasis on creating real-life connections to the world of reading. Developed using state learning standards, this program engages students and builds on their innate curiosity about the natural world. Students interact with a variety of texts, use their senses to explore animal artifacts, meet a live animal up close and participate in a culminating learning activity to summarize the day’s content. In 2015, Friends of the Zoo will continue this successful program withfive classroomsbetween the Cathedral Academy at Pompei(operated by Catholic Charities) and Seymour Dual-Language Academy.
2)MANOS Intergenerational Learning Circles (MILC+): Awarded $10,000
Entering its second year, Intergenerational Learning Circles is designed to strengthen the home/school community connection by increasing access to positive intergenerational learning experiences at neighborhood sites, and to support the continuation of MILC at the MANOS Dual Language Early Childhood Education program. MILC+ will offer parent and child learning together time (PACT) and adult literacy cross-cultural share sessions at MANOS, the west–side Stone Soup Garden and La Casita Cultural Center.
3)The Newland Center for Adult Learning and PEACE, Inc.: Awarded $8,750
The Newland Center will partner with PEACE, Inc.(Head Start) to promote the Imagination Library program by offering programming and encouraging families to sign up for the book distribution. In addition, families will receive backpacks containing materials including the 5 star rated VTech alphabet learning toy for ages two to five years to learn their letters and encourage reading. This will promote reading and speaking English with various immigrant & refugee families.
4)Northside Learning Center: Parents Reading with Children: Awarded $8,250
A 20 week “Parents Reading Effectively with Children” program will equip parents to effectively read with their children ages 0-5. Sessions will include instruction and practice using Imagination library materials. Programs will be offered twice weekly at the NSLC and will recruit foreign born parents and children. This intensive, research-based process will ensure that children will enter Kindergarten with reading skills and ready to learn.
5)LCM/STEP Center: Learning to Read; Families Together!: Awarded $6,750
The Learning to Read; Families Together program is a dual generation program that targets refugee parents with preschool children for a beginning level literacy program using books from Imagination Library and Reading Eggs; ESL on Line program. The program will be held at the newly established Refugee Resource Center at 501 James Street, through collaboration with LCM/STEP Center at Syracuse University, Syracuse MetroNet, Inc., and the First English Lutheran Church.
6)Redhouse Arts Center: Dramatized Readings of IL Books: Awarded $6,250
The Red House Arts Center will implement a literacy-based program for children and their families that utilize Imagination Library books as the central focus of programming. Dramatized readings of Imagination Library books will occur as part of their theatrical season. The dramatized readings will take place in The Redhouse’s LAB theater and would be free of charge for the families.
7)WCNY: Imagination Library Media Marketing Campaign: Awarded $5,000
WCNY will combine its experience with literacy programming with its expertise in media marketing communications, to work with the Literacy Coalition to create messaging about Imagination Library, the Literacy Champions, video demonstrations of parent-child reading techniques and adult literacy opportunities as well.
8)Lit’ for Life: Imagination Library Outreach: Awarded $2,750
Lit’ for Life will introduce the Imagination Library program to the newly expanded areas within the city of Syracuse. At all Lit’ for Life reading events, they will introduce Imagination Library and the benefits of early reading to caregivers, particularly on Syracuse’s Southside.
9)PEACE, Inc.: Imagination Library books for 41 classrooms: Awarded $2,665
PEACE, Inc. will purchase an Imagination Library book collection for each of the 41 Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms in the city of Syracuse, including collaborations at Salvation Army and Atonement day care centers. Classroom teachers will incorporate the books into classroom activities.
10) Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo:Family Engagement Working Group: Awarded $2,000
The Family Engagement Working Group is a collaborative planning process designed to bring together key players of the community to facilitate discussion of best practices, and address a common issue faced by program providers: the need to engage families. Through a series of roundtable workshops, the Family EngagementWorking Group will strive to strengthen family programming and build partnerships.