Read to Dream Newsletter no. 1

JOHN GERMANY YOUNG READERS INITIATIVE

ABOUT US “OUR STUDENTS LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH THEIR MENTORS AND THAT ONE-ONONE TIME THAT MAKES THEM FEEL SO SPECIAL.”

Read to Dream is a volunteer literacy program created to address the lowest reading levels of children in Hillsborough County Public Schools by providing engaging reading activities and free books. The program utilizes community volunteers, mostly sourced from local law associations and firms, coordinated with Hillsborough County Public Schools and Friends of

Louis Murphy Principal, West Tampa Elementary School

the Tampa-Hillsborough Library to engage readers and mentor in positive group reading sessions with at-risk and under-served elementary-age children.

IMPACTING OUR SCHOOLS Literacy is the antidote to poverty. -Dr. Doug Fisher

Hillsborough County Schools have been so blessed to partner with the Read to Dream program and the Hillsborough County Bar Association to provide direct support to the students at: BC Graham Elementary, Broward Elementary, BT Washington Elementary, Edison Elementary, Just Elementary, and West Tampa Elementary Schools. Through the dedicated efforts of the attorneys in the Read to Dream program, students have the incredible opportunity to experience, firsthand, the power of literacy to change their lives. The attorneys not only read with the children, but they also engage in conversations that build students’ vocabulary, comprehension, and overall listening and speaking skills.

These literacy skills are critical to the success of all of our children as they prepare for a productive life!

Additionally, the attorneys also serve as mentors, encouraging children to make positive choices and give their best efforts throughout the school day and at home. Of the six elementary schools that participated in the Read to Dream program starting in the 2016-2017 school year, 66% of the schools demonstrated improvement in the FLDOE State Grading system. Additionally, West Tampa Elementary maintained its C grade.

Another important component of the Read to Dream program is that children are able to select books to read and keep at home! The power of choice is an important motivator in promoting reading for children. Furthermore, the majority of children participating in the program don’t have access to books at home. The gift of books helps to plant the seed of reading for all of the children in the home.

The schools and students in the Read to Dream program have been so blessed by the active support of the volunteers in the program.

Thank you for making such INTERESTED IN a significant difference in the lives of our children.

VOLUNTEERING?

KIMBERLY KEENAN SUPERVISOR OF ELEMENTARY LANGUAGE ARTS/READING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

FAST FACTS READ TO DREAM PROGRAM REVIEW The Read to Dream program began serving 3 Hillsborough County public elementary schools in the Fall of 2016, but quickly added 3 more in Spring of 2017.

Booker T. Washington Elementary (2016) Just Elementary (2016) West Tampa Elementary (2016) B.C. Graham (2017) Broward Elementary (2017) Edison Elementary (2017) Children received 3 books each semester for a total of 6 per child in 2016-2017.

The program stepped up giveaways during the 2017-2018 school year, allowing children to take home a book each week during both 8 week sessions for a total of 16 books per student!

INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING?

If you or your organization is interested in being a volunteer reader or putting together a team of readers, please contact the Read to Dream Program Coordinator, Melissa Foss, at melissa.foss@yahoo.com.

FROM THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION THE FOLLOWING ARE EXCERPTS FROM ARTICLES BY KEVIN MCLAUGHLIN ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE HCBA’S LAWYER MAGAZINE DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PROGRAM.

"Read to Dream: The Young Readers Initiative" September 2016 One of things that makes being a lawyer so interesting is the wide variety of characters and personalities you encounter. Lawyers come from all walks of life with diverse genders, races, religious beliefs, political views and educational backgrounds.

However, if I had to identify one unifying trait common to most lawyers, it would be a love and respect for the written word. After all, the supreme law of land in the United States of America is our written Constitution and our entire body of common law is based on prior written decisions. Perhaps more than anything else, it is our love of reading that unites us and draws us to this noble profession. late John Germany was a lawyer who The knew the value of reading and the importance of instilling this value in children at a young age. Thanks to the vision and generosity of Mr. Germany, the HCBA is proudly partnering with the Hillsborough County Public Library, Hillsborough County Schools and the Germany family in an exciting new initiative to foster a love of reading in elementary school children.

The program is called “Read to Dream” and was born out of the simple gesture of someone giving Mr. Germany a book he could call his very own when he was a small child.

Mr. Germany wanted to pass along his love of reading to a new generation of kids, especially the poor and disadvantaged.

INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING?

Mr. Germany set aside money in his will for this very purpose. His vision was that lawyers would go to elementary schools and spend time simply reading to children and that each child, like the young John Germany, would receive books of their very own.

Volunteers will spend half an hour to forty-five minutes each week reading to and interacting with the children at Just Elementary, Booker T. Washington, and West Tampa Elementary during two eight week sessions. These schools were chosen because 99% of the students are living below the poverty level and they are struggling with reading aptitude as compared to students at other schools.

These children go to schools right in our backyard, but are swimming upstream due to circumstances entirely beyond their control.

The genius of this program is that we have the rare opportunity to make a lifelong, positive impact on a child’s life by giving just a little bit of our time once a week. We have had a tremendous outpouring of support from local law firms and other voluntary bar associations, but our goal is to not only sustain the program, but to expand it to other schools with children in need.

"A Dream Come True: The Young Readers Initiative" July 2017 The program began at Booker T. Washington, Just Elementary, and West Tampa Elementary. The children selected to participate in the program were specifically targeted due to the high risk of falling behind their classmates in reading ability. By the spring semester, the scope of the program was doubled when it expanded to include Broward Elementary, Graham Elementary, and Edison Elementary.

The idea for Read to Dream was simple: Start a program whereby lawyers would spend about an hour a week simply reading to elementary school children. The hope was that exposure to literature would spark a lifelong love of reading. Studies have shown that children who read regularly do better in school, go on to work in higher paying jobs, and are generally more productive citizens. The program featured an eight week session in the fall and a second eight week session in the spring. I am happy to report that the program met and exceeded expectations by every measure.

While the HCBA enthusiastically participated in and supported the program, the real credit for the success of the program goes to Mr. Germany’s daughters, Lindsay Robbins and Jan Gruetzmacher; his son-in-law, Jim Robbins of Hill Ward Henderson; and his longtime friend, Leonard Gilbert of Holland & Knight. Working in partnership with Lorie Tonti of the TampaHillsborough County Public Library and the Hillsborough County Public Schools, these individuals created the program from the ground up and worked tirelessly to make Mr. Germany’s dream a reality.

INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING?

I was truly moved by the enthusiastic support from the members of the HCBA. This program could not have worked if lawyers were not willing to put their busy lives and practices on hold for the betterment of others. Mr. Germany knew that if he could show us the way to make a change in a child’s life, there would be no shortage of volunteers from the legal community, and, as usual, he was right.

The children were encouraged not only to read their new books on their own, but also to read with their parents, siblings and friends with the hope that our young readers will themselves pay it forward by fostering and encouraging a love of reading in others.

I had the pleasure of seeing firsthand how Mr. Germany’s dream is being realized, even now, he is changing lives and we all owe him a debt of gratitude for daring to dream.

HOW TO SUPPORT US The Read to Dream program is made possible by generous donations. John F. Germany provided the funds to get the program underway and maintain the program initially. However, the continued success and impact of the Read to Dream program is dependent on the generosity of our community. If you or your organization is interested in making a donation to support the continued success of the program, please contact the Friends of the Library of TampaHillsborough County, Inc. via mail or phone and mention the Read to Dream initiative.

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT The Read to Dream Program is grateful for the support and assistance of all of our teams of volunteer readers past and present: HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION HOLLAND & KNIGHT HILL WARD HENDERSON TRENAM LAW TAMPA HISPANIC BAR ASSOCIATION

John Germany Young Readers Initiative PO Box 172608 Tampa, FL 33672 (813) 273- 3616

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION

or visit us on the web at ReadToDream.org/donate

TECO

DONOR SPOTLIGHT Yerrid Charitable Foundation: $25,000.00 Holland & Knight: Books by Frank Keating about Presidents George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

HILLSBOROUGH ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN LAWYERS

JUDGE WILSON’S LAW CLERKS WAGNER MCLAUGHLIN CARLTON FIELDS GEORGE EDGECOMB BAR ASSOCIATION BUSH ROSS BURR & FORMAN THOMPSON, SIZEMORE, GONZALEZ & HEARING, P.A.

THANK YOU

TO ALL OUR GENEROUS DONORS Alton C. Ward Amy & Nelson Guagliardo Anne & Tom Henderson Anne Chandler Cuevas Ben & Marte Hill, III Ben Hill IV Betsy & Larry Stagg Bettye C. Manee Brad & Kristie Salzer Bruce & Adajean Samson C. Joyce Ferlita C. Parkhill Mays, Jr. Candace Wason Carlos and Dorothy Alfonso Catherine & Troy Fuhrman Cathy A. Ordiway Charles R. Hensley Mr. & Mrs. Chris Butler Chris A. & Susan H. Peifer Christina Anton & Gary Garcia II Clifford & Rita Spencer, Jr. Clint H. Cole & Katherine E. Cole Culver & Linda Schmid Cynthia & Anthony Coney Ms. Cynthia Ramm David L. Redmond David N. Campbell Deborah F. Desmond Deborah Kent Skyrms Don & Mary Gould, Sr. Donna & Vernon Watts Dorothy & George Williams Dr. & Mrs. William C. Woodall, III Dr. Dennis and Mrs. Caroline Jones Dr. Wayne Finley Dwight Darby & Company E. K. Tabb E.D. & Tara Armstrong Mr. & Mrs. Edward H. Hobbs IV Edward & Linda Pierami Edward F. & Louise P. Koren Elizabeth Poe Ellen & Don Stichter Ellen McLean

Ms. Erica Moeser Eve & Gary London Flake & Judith Chambliss Frances Bingham Kerr Gail H. Kiefer Gregory C. Yadley Harry E. Teasley, Jr. Foundation Harry S. and Jane M. Cline Heddy & Andy Brown Hill, Ward & Henderson, P.A. Hillsborough County Literacy Association Mr. Howard Harris James A. Compton James H. & Amy G. Shimberg Foundation Janda Owen Janet & Cary Beck Ms. Janey Stuart Mr. & Mrs. Jerome G. Robbins Jim & Lindsey Robbins Joan & James Jennewein Joe Guidry & Leonora Lake-Guidry John & Jennie Hampton John and Valerie Kennedy-Grisham John C. Mills, Jr. John David Mullen Josephine R. Terry Judy P. Lawson Julia & Charles S. Wilcox, Jr. Kate H. Cotton Kevin P. & Michele M. Platt Kimberly & Stephen French Kynes, Markman & Felman, P.A. Laura & Preston Farrior Laurel & Bob Grammig LaVonda and Perry Keel Lee & Tommy Touchton Leigh Ann Ennis Leonard & Jean Gilbert Louise Pritchard Griffin & Camie Griffin Lucy A. Harris, Alexandra Chagures Ms. Maida B. Pou Mann, Kara Downs Romano Manuel & Linda S. Menendez, Jr.

INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING?

Mark & Lisa Matthews Martin & Kennedy Garcia Mary & Victor Hanson, III Mary Catherine & Patrick Franke Mr. & Mrs. Michael J. Harris Morris Weinberg Jr. & Rosemary Armstrong Ovation Travel Group Pamela & Thomas Bell Pamela S. Menendez Patricia B. Sellas R. James Robbins Randall W. Finley Raymond H. Carswell Reaves & Helen Crabtree Regions Bank Robert & Lalie Given Robert D. & Jeanne Z. McLean Robert J. Griggs & Frances Germany-Griggs Robert L. & Chris C. Hilton Robert M. Thomas Roger and Elizabeth Kurz Rosemary Henderson Ruth & John Giordano Ruthanne P. McLean Sandra & Kenneth Hensley Sherrie C. Mueller Steven & Cynthia Kurth Steven A. & Karen L. McClure Susan & John Sykes Susan Katherin Frazier & John N. Harrison, IV Sylvia H. Walbolt T. Terrell Sessums The Estate of Jane C. Hall-Witt Theodore F. Chive Tim Ruff Tweed & Rick Eckhard Tyler Hill Wayne & Sandra Killion, Jr. William & Patricia Gillen William & Polly Lucas William F. Poe Foundation Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla

John Germany Young Readers Initiative c/o Friends of the Library PO Box 172608 Tampa, FL 33672

Our Awards Hillsborough County Public

The Hillsborough County Literacy Association

Schools Shining Star Award

Barbara Hancock Literacy Award

This award honors outstanding volunteers and programs that go beyond the call of duty through their philanthropic efforts.

This award recognizes Mr. Leonard Gilbert of Holland and Knight and the John Germany Young Readers Initiative co-chair for his accomplishments as a literacy leader.