Eight elementary schools throughout New Hampshire and Vermont are celebrating, because each has been awarded a special literacy sponsorship valued at $25,000 for the 2015/2016 school year from the Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF), an independent nonprofit based in Waterbury Center, Vt.
Each school given a special CLiF Year of the Book sponsorship will receive a wide range of inspiring literacy programs and events for the students and parents throughout the school year, and new children’s books for the school library, school classrooms, public library, and students. Kickoff events start this week and continue through September.
These schools are Central Elementary School in Bellows Falls, Lothrop Elementary School in Pittsford, Newport Town School, and South Royalton School in Vermont.
New Hampshire schools are Groveton Elementary School, Paul Smith School in Franklin, Richards School in Newport, and Wentworth Elementary School.
In these communities, the CLiF Year of the Book is introduced with a special literacy and storytelling presentation during the first weeks of school. Students and staff also learn about upcoming events that may include: writing workshops with poets, children’s authors, and cartoonists; presentations by well-known authors about how books and stories are created; theater performances; visits from naturalists with sled dogs or reptiles in projects related to writing about animals; seminars to help and encourage parents to read more with their children; and up to 10 free, brand new books that each child may select and keep.
Teachers will share in the excitement. A second grade teacher wrote in her school’s application to CLiF: “Our students need to be exposed to authors so that they can realize any dream is possible. They need to be reminded that they have a voice, that reading can bring you places, and that reading is fun.”
CLiF will begin accepting applications for 2016-2017 Year of the Book grants from New Hampshire and Vermont elementary schools in January, 2016.
For more information about the CLiF Year of the Book and to see a schedule of CLiF Year of the Book kickoff events, visit www.clifonline.org.
CLiF is a non-profit organization founded in 1998. Its mission is to nurture a love of reading and writing among low-income, at-risk, and rural children in New Hampshire and Vermont. Over 17 years CLiF has supported and inspired more than 175,000 young readers and writers through five literacy program grants and has given away more than $3.5 million in new, high-quality children’s books. CLiF does not receive any federal or state funds for its programs. It relies solely on the generosity of donors.
