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September Impact Report
In September, we got back into the swing of things, providing over 1,000 hours of reading and writing support to 172 2nd -11th grade students at 8 schools. Here's a warm fuzzy from one of our 6th grade ReadThenWrite students: "[My group] is the awesomest because we've got minds, beauty, and THUNDER!" Read more about our impact and sign up to join our volunteer ranks! |
Join the Literacy Team as a Program Manager!
Calling bookworms and education aficionados: Open Books is hiring a Program Manager in our Literacy Department! This perspicacious individual will aid us in scaling and honing our literacy programs, helping us reach more students in the months and years to come. If you think you've got the skills we're looking for, we'd love to hear from you! |
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Meet our Fall Literacy Team, and Thanks!
A big thank you to everyone in our network who helped us spread the word about our internship opportunities this semester! We are thrilled to introduce Tania, Danielle, Addie, Hope, Alex, and Cassie -- our book-loving fall literacy team!
Learn more about the internship experience at Open Books, and say hello to these fine folks when you see them at programs, in the store, or at the office.
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On Board:
Nat Slavin
Open Books' Board of Directors is a wonderful group of professionals who provide strategic advice, input, and recommendations.
We're thrilled to spotlight these Board Members and recognize them for the value they bring to the organization.
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Greetings!
As a nonprofit literacy organization operating in a big city, Open Books is constantly confronted by scary statistics. We regularly see data and numbers that humble us, illuminate why our work is critical, and expose the long road in front of us.
As advocates, staff, and volunteers, we spend a lot of time with the students who populate those statistics, and we witness firsthand their challenges -- but also their successes and their unwavering hope.
Some of the recently released data, including the Annie E. Casey Foundation's mammoth Kids Count report and a new study from the Consortium on Chicago School Research, paints a bleak picture of the state of literacy among Illinois school children, especially here in Chicago. Read on to see some of the statistics we've highlighted, and what we're doing to change them.
Sincerely,
Anna Piepmeyer
Program Director
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Behind The Statistics
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the nation's report card, is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas. According to recent results, only 60% of 3rd graders in Illinois are currently meeting or exceeding state standards in reading, and just 47% of low-income 4th grade students in our state are reading at or above basic level.
Because elementary students in Chicago run the risk of falling further and further behind in their reading skills, Open Books started 2 programs to address the issue: Open Books Buddies and ReadThenWrite. Volunteer Big Buddies read with struggling elementary school students twice each week for the entire academic year, helping the children who need the most help become confident, fluent readers. ReadThenWrite addresses the literacy crisis among teenagers, combining the best parts of a book club and writer's workshop to help groups of teens read, write, and publish their own novellas. This year the Buddies program and ReadThenWrite combined reached nearly 500 students in some of Chicago's highest-need communities.
Not sure what it means to score below basic, proficient, or advanced on a reading test? Read our blog post on Decoding Proficiency Levels to learn the distinctions!
In Chicago, nearly 10% of public high school students drop out each year. That's why Open Books offers VWrite, which matches 50 low-income high school juniors with dedicated, professional mentors. VWrite mentors help prepare students for life after high school, and also motivate them to stay in school by planning outings to colleges and arranging job-shadowing days.
Would you like to support Open Books change the literacy landscape in Chicago? You can help by donating books, shopping at our store, signing up to volunteer, or attending events like the upcoming gala fundraiser Book Your Trip: Revelry 2011!
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Book Your Trip: Revelry 2011, Open Books' signature gala event, is ready to drop anchor Friday, November 4th at Catalyst Ranch. Entry includes fabulous food, astounding auctions, lively music, and a variety of eclectic entertainment including the following awesome activities: Mega-Magnetic Poetry: Don't be averse to sharing your verse! Play with the larger-than-life Mega-Magnetic Poetry wall to leave a lyric, rhyme, or ditty for your fellow travelers.
Super-Size Scrabble: Display your deftness with diction at this super-sized version of the classic word game.
Sightseeing Snapshots: Capture a Kodak moment for your scrapbook! Take a souvenir photo in front of the Eiffel Tower, on a vintage cruise ship, in a hot air balloon, or in another exotic locale, all without leaving the Revelry.
Whopping Word Search: If solving a standard word search puzzle improves vocabulary, memory, and problem-solving skills, we can't wait to see the impact that finding words on the enormous wall-sized Whopping Word Search will have!
Passport Tour: No trip is complete without a walking tour! Hit all the highlights and mark your passport with where you've been. Collect at least 3 stamps to get a free Revelry Raffle ticket!
All proceeds from Book Your Trip: Revelry 2011
support Open Books' literacy programs.
Can't make it to the Revelry, but still want to support the event? for your chance to win round-trip American Airlines airfare (to/from anywhere in the continental US!) and 2 nights at the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach! |
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Did you know that Open Books publishes 3 newsletters every month? Sign up for What's In Store, Volunteer Vanguard, and Literacy Landscape now!
Open Books is a nonprofit social venture that operates an extraordinary bookstore, provides community programs, and mobilizes passionate volunteers to promote literacy in Chicago and beyond. We enhance lives through reading, writing, and the WONDROUS power of used books. |
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