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HAMMOND READS EVENTS
Hammond Reads, Inc., will give away books at Bizarre Bazaar, set for Sat., Sept. 17 at Harrison Park in downtown Hammond.
Hammond Reads' 11th annual Essay Contest will take place from Nov. 28, 2011 to Jan. 27, 2012. The theme is, "If you could change the ending of a book, which book would it be,
and how would you change it?" Details will be available soon.
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TIME OUT FOR READING/BOOKS TO BRIDGE THE REGION
The Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition partners with Hammond Reads and other groups on "Time Out for Reading." This year, grab a red nose and bookmark, and join thousands of teachers and students who will read Friday, September 30, from 10 to 10:15 a.m.
The Coalition again partners with Books to Bridge the Region (B2BR), the "one book" program covering seven North  west Indiana counties, to deliver "Lit Kits" of materials to each school, and each public library, in Lake, Porter, Jasper, LaPorte, Newton, Starke and Pulaski counties. Kits will be delivered to library or media specialists, or to the designated school contact. Each school will receive the book appropriate for that grade level (K-6 schools will receive the children's and YA books; high schools will receive YA and Adult books, etc.)
- Children's book: Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming
- Young Adult book: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: a Fable by John Boyne
- Adult: Hart's War by John Katzenbach
Watch for special programming sponsored by B2BR and other community partners. Information is at www.nwiliteracy.org and www.books2bridge.org
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OF INTEREST A new report from the Indiana State Department of Health, "The State of the Young Hoosier Child," lists several factors that are crucial for early childhood success:
Physical health and well-beingSocial and emotional developmentSchool readinessFamily Support Kids will face obstacles to learning without strong family support. The health department reports that 25% of Hoosier children age 0-5 live in households with multiple risk factors including being led by a single parent, living in poverty and being led by a parent(s) with less than a high school education. The nation's current economic malaise places additional financial stress on these children. Nearly 10% of Hoosier kids under age 6 have no parent in the labor force. Even for families who work, half of Indiana children between age 0-5 are in families living below 200% of the federal poverty line, defined as $44,100 for a family of four. Children also lag academically if they are not physically healthy. Consider Indiana's teen birth rate, which is 6% higher than the national average. Babies of teenagers are less likely to receive prenatal care, are less likely to enjoy healthier outcomes and are more likely to struggle in school. In addition, nearly 20% of Hoosier women admit to smoking during pregnancy, almost twice the national average. For the entire report, click the link above.
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As low-income families enroll in the Free and Reduced Price Lunch program, that same financial information can be utilized to enroll in other support programs such as Hoosier Healthwise, food stamps and the21st Century Scholarship. Many schools work with community organizations to help eligible families enroll in these programs. Learn more from your local school.
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KIDS IN NEED FOUNDATION TEACHER GRANTS
Deadline: Sept. 30, 2011
An annual initiative of the Kids In Need Foundation, Kids In Need Teacher Grants program provides grants to K-12 educators working to provide innovative learning opportunities for their students. The grants are funded by retail and education credit union sponsors.
Teacher grant applications will be judged according to a rubric that emphasizes innovativeness and merit, clarity of objectives, replication feasibility, suitability of evaluation methods, and cost effectiveness. Projects may qualify for funding if they make creative use of common teaching aids, approach the curriculum from an imaginative angle, or tie non-traditional concepts together for the purpose of illustrating commonalities.
All certified K-12 teachers in the U.S. are eligible to apply. The foundation does not fund preschool projects.
Teacher grant awards range from $100 to $500. Typically, two hundred to three hundred grants are awarded each year.
The program's retail and credit union sponsors make the grant applications available at their outlets during the back-to-school season. Visit the Kids In Need Foundation Web site for complete program guidelines, project ideas, and applications.
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ONLY DURING AUGUST:
Free tutoring in reading is offered only during August, for grades K-12:
- Mondays and Tuesdays from 3 to 8 p.m. at E. B. Hayward Branch, 1212 172nd St.
- Wednesdays from 4 to 9 p.m., and Saturdays from 12 noon - 5 p.m. at Main Library, 564 State St.
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