Reading Power's 15th Anniversary Was A Smashing Success!
Highland Park Country Club was abuzz with positive energy on October 18, 2018 as more than 360 Reading Power fans and their friends gathered for an elegant evening to celebrate our 15th anniversary. The evening included a lively reception, a delicious dinner, and a moving program of speakers. (Please click through the slideshow below.)
Board of Directors Member Todd Litzsinger with
Director of Programs Lisa Bulzoni
We had much to celebrate! Since our founding in 2003, Reading Power has tutored nearly 3,000 children in the neighboring communities of North Chicago and Zion, Illinois. In that time, more than 600 volunteer tutors have provided one-to-one literacy tutoring to children in prekindergarten through second grade in schools in North Chicago and Zion. We were thrilled that so many of our tutors, past and present, joined us for the celebration!
Director of Programs Lisa Bulzoni (shown at left) stressed the importance of Reading Power, and shared some eye-opening statistics about children who do not receive the reading intervention they need at an early age.
"Statistics about our society show us how devastating the results of this can be," Bulzoni said. "Two-thirds of children who cannot read proficiently by the end of third grade will end up in jail or on welfare. In fact, more than 80 percent of the incarcerated population is made up of high school dropouts."
Watch a video of Lisa's poignant remarks by clicking here.
"The average high school dropout costs society $290,000 over the course of his or her lifetime.
But Reading Power can tutor a child for only $2,000 per year, instilling a love of reading and learning that lasts a lifetime, and resulting in more positive educational outcomes."
But Reading Power can tutor a child for only $2,000 per year, instilling a love of reading and learning that lasts a lifetime, and resulting in more positive educational outcomes."
Former Student Justin Hartley and Co-founder Mary Jane Hender
A highlight of the evening was hearing firsthand from a Reading Power student, Justin Hartley, now 17, who will graduate in May 2019 from North Shore Country Day School in Winnetka.
"Reading Power helped me develop a love for reading and writing that continues today," Hartley said. "This passion for reading allowed me to excel in middle school at the LEARN 6 Charter School in North Chicago. And it has helped me become a lifelong learner, a broad thinker, and an active leader. As I continue to grow as a person and as a learner, I know I'll face new challenges. But the things I learned when I was six years old at Reading Power will always remain with me."
Click here to view Justin's inspiring remarks.
Reading Power co-founder Mary Jane Hender thanked the many donors and tutors who have made Reading Power possible.
"I always knew that Reading Power would be successful," Hender commented. "You have an abundance of little children who need extra help and are hungry for learning. You have smart, educated adults living nearby with time to give. Add a compassionate community with resources and big dreams for these children and put them together, and there you have the Reading Power family!" Click here to view Mary Jane's comments.
"Reading Power helped me develop a love for reading and writing that continues today," Hartley said. "This passion for reading allowed me to excel in middle school at the LEARN 6 Charter School in North Chicago. And it has helped me become a lifelong learner, a broad thinker, and an active leader. As I continue to grow as a person and as a learner, I know I'll face new challenges. But the things I learned when I was six years old at Reading Power will always remain with me."
Click here to view Justin's inspiring remarks.
Reading Power co-founder Mary Jane Hender thanked the many donors and tutors who have made Reading Power possible.
"I always knew that Reading Power would be successful," Hender commented. "You have an abundance of little children who need extra help and are hungry for learning. You have smart, educated adults living nearby with time to give. Add a compassionate community with resources and big dreams for these children and put them together, and there you have the Reading Power family!" Click here to view Mary Jane's comments.
Guest Speaker Beth Ann Fennelly Surprised and Delighted!
The conclusion of the evening was a thought-provoking talk about the neuroscience of reading and its effects on a child's developing brain with author Beth Ann Fennelly, a native of Lake Forest, the poet laureate of Mississippi, and a prominent member of the MFA teaching staff at University of Mississippi.
"Reading helps expand kids' attention spans because stories have a beginning, a middle and an end, and encourage brains to link cause, effect, and significance," she said. "It's essential to learn this skill as a small child while the brain has more plasticity."
Fennelly went on to say that reading helps us become more experienced feelers. "The emotional intelligence nurtured by reading can be leaned on in times of hardship and stress - not uncommon situations for the low income areas that Reading Power tutors. Six minutes of reading can slash stress by two thirds."
Fennelly discussed the effects of constant screen stimuli common to today's digital natives that develops what is known as "continuous partial attention."
"This is a different quality of attention than that which allows a reader to weigh relative details of a story and allocate time to consolidate them," she explained. "Non-book-reading children develop less complex brain circuitry, which leads them as adults to retreat to the simplest, least dense, most familiar sources of information."
Beth Ann's full remarks may be viewed here.
The conclusion of the evening was a thought-provoking talk about the neuroscience of reading and its effects on a child's developing brain with author Beth Ann Fennelly, a native of Lake Forest, the poet laureate of Mississippi, and a prominent member of the MFA teaching staff at University of Mississippi.
"Reading helps expand kids' attention spans because stories have a beginning, a middle and an end, and encourage brains to link cause, effect, and significance," she said. "It's essential to learn this skill as a small child while the brain has more plasticity."
Fennelly went on to say that reading helps us become more experienced feelers. "The emotional intelligence nurtured by reading can be leaned on in times of hardship and stress - not uncommon situations for the low income areas that Reading Power tutors. Six minutes of reading can slash stress by two thirds."
Fennelly discussed the effects of constant screen stimuli common to today's digital natives that develops what is known as "continuous partial attention."
"This is a different quality of attention than that which allows a reader to weigh relative details of a story and allocate time to consolidate them," she explained. "Non-book-reading children develop less complex brain circuitry, which leads them as adults to retreat to the simplest, least dense, most familiar sources of information."
Beth Ann's full remarks may be viewed here.
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In all, Reading Power's 15th Anniversary raised more than $250,000, which will be used to fund the program and to grow to include children in new schools and communities.
"While we have accomplished so much, our work is not done," concluded CEO and Chairman Kathy McFarland. "With an influx of new tutors and funds raised, we can expand Reading Power to reach more children who need our help." Our sincere thanks to all who attended, sponsored, and contributed to make Reading Power successful in Fostering the Promise of Literacy. |