Fairbury High School is a school with a lot to offer to its students. We have a variety of extracurricular activities, a great athletics program, and dedicated teachers. However, many students don't take advantage of the great opportunities that FHS provides. After noticing the large number of students uninterested in reading, I spoke with the administration about our high school's declining reading scores on standardized tests, and decided to do something about this problem. As President of our school's FCCLA chapter I volunteered to chair a Literacy Project. But why just the high school? Isn't literacy important for all ages? Absolutely, I wasn't going to stop at the high school. The Literacy Project would also take place at our local elementary school, assisted living home for the elderly, center for mentally and/or physically challenged patients, and the community hospital.
vital stats:
people impacted:
850
people involved:
30
why it's important:
The "Read to Succeed" literacy project was an idea I had and feel extremely passionate about. I spent numerous hours planning the activities, gathering supplies, visiting with community members, and finding high school volunteers.
This service project will create greater awareness and understanding of the significance of literacy by having FCCLA high school members enthusiastically share our message of lifelong learning and the benefits reading has to offer. We will use interactive activities, guest speakers, and high school leadership to engage community members. At our elementary school we will visit classrooms once a month to read to classrooms. During a community celebration called "Trunk or Treating" we will hand out small donated books to students who come to trick-or-treat at our trunk. We will encourage parents to drop off their kids during parent teacher conferences, while we interact with the students through reading games and literacy activities. During "Read Across America Week" in the spring, we will visit the elementary school and conduct a "Today A Reader, Tomorrow A Leader" reading competition between classrooms. The winning classroom will be announced and be treated with a pizza party. Every classroom that reads at lease ten books per student, will receive a surprise $50 donation to buy new books for their classroom. We hope that by enthusiastically showing younger students how fun reading can be, they will continue to read as they grow.
At the Cedarwood Assisted Living Center we will have the public library donate a cart with checked out books the residents can read and books on tape. We will also buy them a subscription to regional newspapers. Another activity I had planned was, to involve as many high school FCCLA members, and visit the residents and discuss our favorite books, authors, and types of literature. Reading strengthens your brain and body. We want to prove to the residents of the assisted living center the reasons why lifelong learning is crucial.
Fairbury High School students will be challenged to compete in an Accelerated Reading competition. This two-week long competition will be greatly publicized, and charted in the high school media center. The winning classroom will receive a pizza party. Also in the media center, I will make a "Great Reads" bulletin board that includes books recomended by students along with a written review. It is my goal to show that reading is important in our everyday lives to my fellow peers. That is one reason I will arrange for an author to come and speak at our high school.
At the center for mentally and/or physically challenged patients, our FCCLA chapter will conduct a reading competition. Everyone who participates in this contest will be treated with a pizza party. The top reader will be treated with a book. We also will visit with the patients and discuss our favorite books, authors, and types of literature.
I will also be sure that a book will be given out to every newborn born in the community hospital.
the plan of action:
The steps to create this project involved a lot of planning. I worked with my FCCLA advisor to create new ideas and ways to utilize our chapter's talents with the needs in our community. I gathered a literacy committee to assist me in the planning and details of this complex project. We met/will continue to meet every Wednesday morning. At every monthly FCCLA meeting, I encourage members to sign up for this beneficial project.
This project has just began, and I am already seeing an impact in the high school FCCLA members involved. Thirty members have volunteered to assist with the monthly reading activity at the elementary school. Seeing students excited about reading is one of the projects main goals. The elementary students are impressed with the fact that high schoolers like to read. They have came up to me a number of times to tell me about a new book that they have read. Although this project has just begun, the impact that it has already made on the people involved is tremendous. I know that this project will be a success because of the great number of high school students who are as passionate about this project, as I am.
how you can get involved:
Others can help to promote the importance of lifelong learning by starting up a project similar to this one in their community. Everyone can take part in promoting literacy. Remember, when promoting literacy, options are endless!
project updates:
01/15/2009
The literacy project has been a success so far! In October I worked with the Family Career and Community Leaders of America chapter to give out books at the "Trunk or Treating" event. The students loved receiving the books; I could tell the parents were excited as well. We gave out over 800 donated books on Halloween to our small community (population 4,000). We also visited classrooms in October and did a kick-off with literacy activity. In November, volunteers and I, covered every elementary classroom (12) and read a book to the students and played a literacy activity.
In December, I wanted to get the students reading on their own, so we decided to do one-on-one reading with the elementary students. It was a great opportunity to show them that reading is important and you are never "to cool" to read. AFter that we wrote letters to Santa. Also in December, at the high school, I encouraged students to submit their Accelerated Reading TOPS report into a giant Christmas Box. After two weeks, there were 150 reports and I drew out the lucky winner of a $50 gift card. I thought it was neat to see how the high school was excited to take their tests and read more books.
For January, I pursuaded the media specialists at my high school to donate an ink-jet printer to Region V center for mentally/physically handicapped patients. Next week I, and a couple other volunteers, will be visiting Region V to present them with the gift and a new keyboarding game for their computers. It is our goal that with the keyboarding game they will improve their reading, writing, and typing skills.
Next week I also will be attending a planning meeting for the "Read Across America" program at the elementary school. I have some great ideas for this project and I hope the teachers will enjoy collaborating with the high school students to promote literacy!
I really love how you took it to the next level by expanding the community you worked with to include the local elementary school, senior center, and medical facilities. It's like holistic literary healing for your community.
Also, love the creative ways you're getting the community excited and involved! Trunk or Treating - brilliant.
Comments
sounds like a great opportunity and a great project! good luck!
I really love how you took it to the next level by expanding the community you worked with to include the local elementary school, senior center, and medical facilities. It's like holistic literary healing for your community.
Also, love the creative ways you're getting the community excited and involved! Trunk or Treating - brilliant.
Congrats and good luck.
This sounds great. One question: what the heck is FCCLA?