Boundless Readers 5153 North Clark Street, Suite 206 Chicago, IL 60640 p. 773.989.8582 e. info@boundlessreaders.org
© 2009 Boundless Readers
NEWSLETTER
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New Name, Same Mission: The Rochelle Lee Fund is now Boundless Readers!
NEWSLETTER
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News
Boundless Readers Challenge Grant
We have received a $60,000 challenge grant from an anonymous foundation that will match $1 for $1 any first-time gifts or any increase over your prior gift. That means that an increased donation amount or first time gift has double the impact....$25 becomes $50, $50 becomes $100 and so on. Gifts of any size help, and are appreciated!
Please help us secure this challenge grant and continue inspiring teachers and their students to become passionate, lifelong readers, learners, and thinkers.
Five Boundless Readers Teachers Win CPS DRIVE Awards
Congratulations to Lauren Nichols (Dodge), Mary Beth Werner (Telpochcalli), Jennifer Veltman (Hurley), Monica Sims (Pershing West) and Kathleen Zofkie (Kipling) for being named 2009 DRIVE award winners. These awards recognize teachers who have demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities, as recognized by their peers. The DRIVE awards provide an opportunity to acknowledge and thank exceptional teachers for their outstanding work in the classroom. Awardees win $2,500 for themselves and $1,000 for his/her school. Of the 23 teachers recognized this year by CPS, five are Boundless Readers teachers!
Rochelle Lee, 1922 - 2009
Educator Helped Children Find Their Humanity Through Books
Rochelle Lee, our inspirational founder, passed away on October 10, 2009 at the age of eighty six. Rochelle will certainly be missed by her family and all the people whose lives she touched. However, her legacy will continue to benefit Chicago educators and students through Boundless Readers programs. Make a tribute gift in Rochelle's honor or visit the tributes page to record your memories of Rochelle and the impact she has made. Read her obituary in The Chicago Tribune here.
National Endowment for the Arts Awards Grant to Boundless Readers
Boundless Readers was awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in support of The Big Read. This initiative is designed to revitalize the role of literature in American culture and bring the transformative power of literature to more people. From mid-October to mid-November 2009, Boundless Readers, in partnership with National-Louis University, is planning a series of events including a kick-off celebration, a panel discussion, stage readings and 100 book discussion groups. Events will be held throughout the City of Chicago. For more information on The Big Read 2009 Chicago Style, click here.
Boundless Readers Elects Eight New Board Members
We’re proud to announce that eight new volunteers have joined our board of directors. Our new directors bring considerable experience and expertise to the organization and we are thrilled to have them involved in our organization. New directors include: Linda Balkin, ARC Leadership Associates; Brian Chmiel, Crowe Horwath LLP; Colin M. Connor, Seyfarth Shaw LLC; Sacha M. Coupet, Loyola University Chicago School of Law; Heidi Foreman, Foreman Consulting; Bryon Gaddy, Chicagoland Commissary LLC; John Martin, JFM Ops Consulting and Michelle Russell, Boston Consulting Group.
Impressive Year One SYAL Evaluation Results Released
Independent, quantitative, and comparative evaluation of Boundless Readers work continues to demonstrate our critical impact on students, teachers, and schools. A few highlights from the evaluation of our Supporting Young Adolescent Literacy (SYAL) program:
- Student motivation -- the ultimate variable in developing a real, lifelong reader -- showed significantly more growth at Boundless Readers schools than comparison schools.
- Students at Boundless Readers schools made greater gains on the ISAT Reading standardized test than students at comparison schools or students in their own school who had teachers that did NOT participate with Boundless Readers.
- Teachers put what they learn from Boundless Readers into practice immediately and regularly -- a clear demonstration that our work is highly relevant and practical.
- Principals report that Boundless Readers builds literacy leadership in low capacity schools -- which is critical to broader and longer-term whole school change.
The results are all the more impressive when you consider it was only the first year of a multi-year program and results were expected to cumulatively build over time. Contact Executive Director Mary Hicks for more information on the evaluation.
Annual Awards Program Renamed In Honor of Founder Rochelle Lee
Our flagship program has been renamed from the Annual Awards Program (AAP) to the Rochelle Lee Teacher Awards (RLTA) in honor of our founder, Rochelle Lee. Operating for 20 years as AAP, the program was renamed this 2009-10 program year.
Inaugural Rochelle Lee Tribute Award Honors Linda K. Miner
The Rochelle Lee Tribute Award honors individuals who demonstrate the same visionary leadership, creativity, and boundless commitment to developing children into readers as Rochelle Lee, esteemed educator and founder of Boundless Readers.
We were thrilled to present the inaugural Rochelle Lee Tribute award to an individual who has been with the organization from the very beginning, Linda K. Miner. As a parent of three children at Oscar Mayer Elementary
School where Rochelle was a librarian, Linda saw first-hand how Rochelle's infectious love of reading and talking about books inspired her family. Linda has held numerous roles at Boundless Readers--serving as Board Member from 1994-2007, Board Chair from 2005-2007, Vice Chair and Chair of the Program Committee. Linda also worked side-by-side with Rochelle to establish our Teachers and Children as Readers (TACAR) program.
We offer our heartfelt congratulations and profound thanks to Linda Miner for her twenty years of unparalleled dedication to Boundless Readers and the children of Chicago.
For more information on the award and Linda Miner, including her remarks when accepting the award, click here..
via Network for Good
