Newsroom
Why We Write – STS! Kid Authors Express Themselves
Guest blog by Sharon O’Brien – Stories that Soar! Artistic Director The last Stories that Soar! show of 2016 took place in December at Blenman Elementary, and it was a show to remember. The Stories that Soar! (STS!) cast and crew delivered a beautiful and well-rounded show that brought so
The Magic of Humor: A Review of The Mercy Watson Series
The Mercy Watson Series Author-Kate DeCamillo Illustrator- Chris Van Dusen Fountas and Pinnell level-K The Magic of Humor – Book Review by Marsha Schlanger The Mercy Watson Series by Kate DiCamillo is a delight for many young readers. These stories are witty, funny, and are bound to engage even the most shy, reluctant readers. Mercy
What I Learned from a Reading Seed Coach: The Bigger Picture
A guest blog by Reading Seed Program Coordinator, Katie Cooper. Consider the picture above. What do you see? Most of us will focus on the tiny black dot in the middle of the box. Did you notice all the blank white space around it, though? In reality, the dot
Literacy Connects is a Safe Place
Special Blog from Betty Stauffer, Executive Director of Literacy Connects. Literacy Connects, as our name implies, is a connector. We connect to, with, and for people of all ages—regardless of age, race, gender, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation. This is a scary time for the hundreds of immigrant and
STS! Celebrates 15 Years at Sam Hughes Elementary
On a sunny, 90+ degree day in October of this year, the Stories that Soar! team brought their A-game to the stage at Sam Hughes Elementary. The performance marked the 15 year anniversary of our relationship with Sam Hughes Elementary. That’s fifteen years of incredible student stories coming to life
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett – Book Review by Violet
Extra Yarn Author-Mac Barnett Illustrator-Jon Klassen Fountas and Pinnell level-L Extra Yarn, a Caldecott honor book and a New York Times bestseller, is a story about a little girl named Annabelle who finds a box full of colorful yarn. Annabelle does the only sensible thing to do
Exploring Literacy in Mexico
This week we have a guest blog from Jessica Dennes, our Reading Seed Coach Manager and Trainer. Over the summer she studied literacy abroad in Mexico and reflects on her experiences below. As the Volunteer Manager and Trainer for the Reading Seed program of Literacy Connects, I am naturally curious about literacy
Reading Seed, Reach Out and Read, and Infusion Hire New Staff Members!
Meet our three newest staff members. We’re excited to have them on our team, and can’t wait to see all the great work they’re going to do for literacy in Southern Arizona. Jessica Lenchitsky – Reading Seed Program Coordinator Jessica is new to Tucson and is enjoying exploring the desert surroundings- a
AmeriCorps Positions Available
AmeriCorps was founded in 1994 and has since put over 80,000 Americans to work in jobs that directly impact our communities. AmeriCorps positions are an excellent way to get involved, and Literacy Connects is looking for two AmeriCorps members to begin work as soon as possible. These positions provide ample
220% Improvement in Kindergarteners’ Reading From Literacy Connects Pilot Program
Kindergartners at Keeling Elementary have made astonishing strides in their reading skills, their attitudes about reading, and their classroom engagement after participation in Literacy Connects’ Reading Seed Kinder Project pilot. Literacy Connects Takes Pride In Our Flexible Programming In response to a significant population of struggling readers at Keeling Elementary,
Literacy Connects Event Raises over $130K for Local Literacy Programming
With the generous support of our community sponsors, donors, volunteers, and student ambassadors we were able to raise over $132,000 for Literacy Connects programming at our annual Get Connected event. Volunteer table hosts filled the Tucson Convention Center ballroom with local citizens, dignitaries, and elected officials for a total attendance of 658. Getting
Passing on the Invaluable Gift of Literacy
Defining Literacy What is literacy? In my mind, it is being able to both give and receive thoughts and ideas in the process of interconnecting with the world around us. Other people are a very big part of that world, and I believe that reading, writing, listening, speaking, signing, and
