Thank You Eloy!

Eloy Shephard of Amherst College’s IT department stands in front of a wall of Dell computers he is refurbishing for Reader To Reader. The computers are being donated to Navajo Pine High School in Navajo, New Mexico, in order to build their new computer lab. We thank Eloy for all his hard work in getting the computers ready for donation.

Doris Hiatt Mentoring Program Welcomes New School

The Doris Hiatt Mentoring Program is pleased to welcome St. Michael Indian High School to the online mentoring program. The school is located on the Navajo Reservation in Window, Rock, Arizona. The schools’ juniors and sophomores are reading Richard Wright’s Black Boy, Julia Alvarez’s In the Time of Butterflies, Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Leslie Marmon Silko's Ceremony as part of an online book discussion with Amherst College student reading mentors.

The Doris Hiatt Mentoring Program brings together elementary, middle school and high school students from low-income backgrounds and college student reading mentors to read books and discuss them online in a specially designed forum. The students not only receive positive feedback and academic support, but also much-needed role models.

Thank You From Bass Elementary

Dear Reader To Reader,

My class and I really appreciate the books you sent us. The students are really enjoying the books. We think the books are very entertaining and we are very excited to read. We appreciate your kindness. Thank you so much!

A special thank you from all of us!

Sincerely,

Ms. Jackson Room 101, & Class
Bass Elementary
Chicago,IL

Bingo!

Dear Reader To Reader,

We received the books this afternoon. Thank you so much. These books will for the grades 1-5 students. We will use these books in support of the Bingo for Books night event that Memorial School will host in February. This event is sponsored by our PTO in support of promoting literacy and the importance and joy of reading. I will also use a portion of these books as incentive rewards for students in Excell with our MCAS challenge weekly program.

Again, thank you for your support with the donation the books.

Best wishes,

Jeff Udall, Principal
Memorial Elementary School
West Springfield, MA

Like a Kid at a Candy Store

Dear Reader To Reader,

Thank you so much for the most recent shipment of books to DeBerry School. Our school librarian is so gratified. He went through the boxes like a kid at a candy store. Most of the books went to the school library, but he did graciously allow us to keep some for classroom libraries, which have been given to the teachers.

Thank you so much. It makes such a difference to our students' reading habits and attitudes.

From Mary Luff, ELA CPDT
William N. Deberry Elementary
Springfield, MA

Doris Hiatt Mentoring Program Grows in Second Year

We are extremely grateful to the Hiatt family for funding the second year of the Doris Hiatt Mentoring Program.

Named in memory of devoted literacy advocate Doris Hiatt, this innovative mentoring program brings together children from low-income backgrounds and college student reading mentors to read books and discuss them online in a specially designed forum. The students not only receive positive feedback and academic support, but also much-needed role models.

In its first year the program focused on schools in Boston and Chicopee, MA. Our second year has added additional schools in Springfield, MA, and Arizona and Alabama.

Each school picks the titles they want their students to read, matching the books to their curriculum and students' interests. Popular books among the students include: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Bud, Not Buddy, The Sisters Grimm, and The Outsiders.

The Children Were Ecstatic!

Dear Reader To Reader,

The students and faculty at Robert M. Hughes Academy Charter Public School would like to thank you and your staff for your kind and generous donation. The children were ecstatic to have new books in their library. As the librarian, I have never seen such a surge of excitement in getting new books to read. Everyone at the school is so thankful for the wonderful program of Reader to Reader. Many of these students do not have access to many books, as our library is small. These books have already touched and brightened the lives of the students and we have Reader to Reader to thank.

From everyone here at the school, thank you!

Sincerely,

Amber O'Strander
RMH Reading Coach
Robert M. Hughes Academy Charter Public School
Springfield, MA

Seeking Shelter and a Good Book

Tonight over 1,200 families will be staying in publicly funded family shelters in Massachusetts. Within these families, there are 1,200 children under the age of five. That’s why Reader To Reader is expanding the number of children it reaches that are staying in shelters.

We are pleased to be working with Horizons for Homeless Children
to begin monthly book deliveries to 20 Massachusetts shelters serving: Springfield, Holyoke, Adams, Greenfield, Northampton and Pittsfield.

"We are grateful to Reader to Reader’s commitment to helping improve the lives of our community’s most vulnerable children," says Sue Heilman, Horizon's Executive Director, "and we appreciate your generosity in helping us provide effective programs and services for homeless children and their families. Together we can break the cycle of family homelessness in Massachusetts."

Pictured above: Jennefer Swetland of Horizons for Homeless Children and son fill boxes with brand new children’s board books.