Lake County Literacy Task Force

1. Lake County Literacy Task Force 8.30.12

2. History of Literacy Task Force • Established in 2011 • Represents educators, business and community leaders • Focus on supporting county-wide literacy activities and initiatives • Meets monthly • Applied and received “The Big Read” grant, June 2011

3. Litearcy Task Force Vision The Lake County Literacy Task Force has a vision that everyone in the county — young, adults and elders, not only be able to read, but desire to read. We view literacy as a fundamental foundation of freedom, democracy, personal satisfaction, and a contribution to one’s society and personal life. Everyone who has a desire to read should have, in Lake County, an avenue to become literate and celebrate literacy. Literacy

4. Initiative #1 The Big Read • Matching grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) • Focused on the works of Edgar Allan Poe • Activities Included: • Film Festival • Book Clubs

5. Initiative #2 Lake County Reads Modeled after Kelseyville Sunrise Rotary Club Reading Program, now in its sixthyear.

6. Initiative #2 • Lake County Reads • Club purchases age/grade appropriate children’s books for each selected school • Grades K-5 • Cost: $500 per year • Books are presented for signature of program speakers, then given to school after the book is read to students in a classroom.

7. Initiative #2 • Lake County Reads • Club members each sign up to read to a class at least once during the year. • School schedules a “guest reader” once a week for approximately 25 weeks. • Reading takes about 15 minutes

8. Initiative #2 • Lake County Reads • Service club student member signs up to read to a class at least once a year. Club advisor coordinates sign ups. • Student reader accompanies the club member to the school to read. • The club member and student member can read in separate classes or together.

9. Initiative #2 • Lake County Reads • Benefits of the program • The school gets books. • High school students model reading to elementary students. • Adults model reading to children. • Everybody reads! • The number of readers in several key age groups increases.

10. Initiative #2 • Key Components of Lake County Reads: • The Literacy Task Force will provide support, training and assistance in the implementation of the program. • The club pays $500 for the books, which are selected for you. • The club coordinates with both the elementary school and high school. • The is an ongoing process. It will establish patterns and habits. • The time commitment for members is limited and doable, while the results are sizable. • Our efforts to improve literacy will be measurable. • We can measure the number of elementary school students, high school students and adults that participate. • We can increase the number of organizations that participate and watch our numbers grow!

11. Initiative #2 • Lake County Reads • Short term goal: • Four or five organizations sponsors schools for the 2012/2013 school year • Long term goal: • Every elementary school in Lake County participating. • Over 8,500 participants – including elementary students, high school students and adults.

12. Lake County Literacy Task Force (LCLTF) Contact us for further information regarding the Task Force: Wally Holbrook, Lake County Office of Education wholbrook@lakecoe.org 707-262-4100 Richard Smith, Community Member chimeratsea@yahoo.com278-7268 Carla Hoff, Kelseyville Elementary hoffcj@hotmail.com279-4232 Literacy