>>> AFTER DATA REVEALED AN EARLY LITERACY CRISIS IN
HOLYOKE, ONE HOLYOKE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION SOUGHT
TO HELP ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, THEY LAUNCHED A SOCIAL MEDIA AND EVENT
CAMPAIGN CALLED HOLYOKE, A CITY THAT READS.
THROUGH VARIOUS ACTIVITIES AND BY MODELING THE VALUE OF READING
BY CITY LEADERS AND RESIDENTS, THEY HAVE BEEN PROMOTING
LITERACY HOPING TO ENGAGE THE CITY'S YOUNGEST READERS.
"CONNECTING POINT'S" ZYDALIS BAUER SPOKE WITH ISABELLA
CAMARA-TORRES, COMMUNITY OUTREACH SPECIALIST AND LOUIS
SOR IX A, THE PRINCIPAL AT KELLY SCHOOL IN HOLYOKE TO LEARN MORE.
>> THIS CAMPAIGN IS A SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH THAT HIGHLIGHTS
GOOD READING HABITS ESPECIALLY FOR OUR CITY'S YOUTH.
>> LOUIS, YOU ARE PRINCIPAL AT KELLY SCHOOL.
TALK ABOUT THE LITERACY CRISIS YOU MAY SEE AT YOUR SCHOOL.
>> WE KNOW THAT STUDENTS CONTINUE TO WANT TO IMPROVE IN
THEIR READING.
THEY WANT TO BECOME LITERATE INDIVIDUALS IN ENGLISH AND
SPANISH AND NEED OPPORTUNITIES TO NOT JUST READ AND WRITE BUT
TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE READING AND WRITING IN TERMS OF
LITERACY IN SCHOOL, LITERACY AT HOME.
SO, YES, IT IS A CRISIS.
BECAUSE WE KNOW STUDENTS ARE UNDERPERFORMING IN HOLYOKE AND
THERE IS A WAY WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
ONE HOLYOKE CAMPAIGN WHEN ASKS ADULTS WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE
BOOK, GIVES STUDENTS TO SEE THERE ARE ADULTS WHO READ AND
TALK ABOUT BOOKS AND I SHOULD BE DOING THE SAME.
>> TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT, ISABELLA, ABOUT THE MODELS OF
THE LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
TALK ABOUT THAT.
>> YES.
SO CITY LEADERS FEATURES AND THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY HAVE
BEEN INVITED AND HAVE BEEN HELPING US PROMOTE GOOD LITERACY
BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU PERSONAL GROWTH AND ACADEMICAL GROWTH.
>> I UNDERSTAND THEED LEADERS ARE PICKING A FAVORITE BOOK AND
WRITING AN ESSAY ABOUT THE BOOK IMPACTED THEM.
HOW IS THAT PROJECT SHARED?
>> IT IS SHARED THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AS A PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT
IN WHICH THE PERSON TAKES A PICTURE WITH THEIR FAVORITE BOOK
AND PROVIDE US WITH A SHORT PERSONAL ESSAY ABOUT THEIR
EXPERIENCE WITH LITERATURE AND WITH THE BOOK.
>> I UNDERSTAND THERE IS OTHER SERIES OF EVENTS THAT WILL BE
HAPPENING WITH THE CAMPAIGN IN ADDITION TO THE 52 INDIVIDUALS
WITH THE BOOKS.
CAN YOU TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT?
>> YES.
OTHER LITERACY EFFORTS ARE GIFTING CHILDREN'S BOOKS TO
CHILDREN IN HOLYOKE.
WE ARRANGE NO-COST VISITS TO MUSEUMS, THE DR.
SEUSS MUSEUM AND ERIC KARL AND HAVE BEEN
PARTNERING WITH HOLYOKE HIGH SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY TO HELP
BRING GRADE LITERACY PROJECTS FROM THE STUDENTS' CLASSROOM TO
THE STAGE OF HOLYOKE HIGH SCHOOL'S AUDITORIUM.
>> LOUIS, TELL ME WHAT THAT CAN DO FOR A YOUNG STUDENT, WHAT
IMPACT DOES THAT HAVE ON THEIR LIFE?
>> POSITIVE IMPACT.
WE HAVE BENEFITED FROM THAT OPPORTUNITY AT KELLY SCHOOL.
OUR THIRD GRADERS WERE HAVING GUEST READERS COMING INTO THE
CLASSROOM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS COMING IN AND READING TO THE
CHILDREN, PROVIDING BECOMES FOR THEM, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES TO
DISCUSS LITERATURE.
IN THE CULMINATION OF THAT WAS BEING ABLE TO GO TO THE DR.
SEUSS MUSEUM.
FOR MANY OF THEM IT WAS THE FIRST TIME, SOME OF THEM FIRST
TIME BEING IN A MUSEUM.
HAVING AN INTERACTIVE QUALITY EXPERIENCE THAT INVOLVED
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO ENGAGE WITH EACH OTHER, TO COLLABORATE,
TO NEGOTIATE, TO -- AND EXPERIENCE WHAT THE MUSEUM
OFFERS.
AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY IF THIS COMMUNITY
PARTNER HAD NOT MADE AN EFFORT TO CHOOSE KELLY AND TO HAVE
STUDENTS WHO NORMALLY WOULDN'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO
SOMETHING THAT WAS SENSATIONAL.
THEY RAVED ABOUT THAT FOR DAYS.
>> I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY ENJOYED WHEN I WAS
READING ABOUT THIS CAMPAIGN IS YOU WANTED TO FOCUS ON A
POSITIVE WAY.
YOU DIDN'T WANT TO LECTURE OR MAKE THEM FEEL BAD ABOUT THIS
CRISIS.
WHY?
>> STUDENTS WANT TO DO WELL.
AND THERE ARE MANY STUDENTS IN HOLYOKE THAT ARE DOING AMAZING
OPPORTUNITIES, PERFORMANCE, HIGH STAKE SMEMTDS, THEY ARE DOING
REALLY WELL.
WHEN YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY MEMBER, A TEACHER, A PRINCIPAL,
TALKING ABOUT THEIR OERN EXPERIENCE WITH LITERACY, IT
MATTERS TO CHILDREN.
THEY WANT TO SEE THERE IS SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS MY
PLIGHT.
FOR EXAMPLE, I TOLD MY STORY.
I FELT LIKE I WAS A NON-READER, I DIDN'T ENJOY READING.
I DIDN'T ENJOY READING IN SCHOOL.
IT FELT LIKE A CHORE.
AS AN ADULT I WAS INTRODUCED TO A BOOK I LOVE.
I STILL REFERENCE THAT BOOK.
OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS TALKED ABOUT CHILDRENS BOOKS, BOOKS
THEY READ TO THEIR OWN CHILDREN.
THESE EXPERIENCES ENABLE STUDENTS TO SAY, OH, WOW, I
COULD HAVE THAT TO.
>> HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT TO PROMOTE LITERACY?
IT CAME BECAUSE SOCIAL MEDIA RIGHT NOW IS WHAT PEOPLE USE.
WE DECIDED LET'S DO THIS USING SOCIAL MEDIA BECAUSE IT IS MORE
FUN AND PEOPLE, IT GETS MORE OUTREACH THAT WAY.
>> AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS JUST ONE WAY TO ADDRESS THE LITERACY
ISSUE.
LUIS, YOU WERE TELLING ME A NICE STORY.
WHAT IS ANOTHER WAY THAT KELLY -- WHAT IS KELLY DOING TO
PROMOTE LITERACY?
>> YEAH.
THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
WE HAVE A BOOK OF THE MONTH THAT IS READ TO EVERY STUDENT IN THE
BUILDING.
OUR MASCOT IS THE EAGLE.
WHEN YOU RETELL THE STORY, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR BOOK OF THE MONTH
THIS MONTH, WE WANT TO STRUCTURE THE WAY THEY TELL THE STORY,
THEY TELL US THE BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END OF THE STORY AND
LESSON LEARNED.
WHAT DID THE MAIN CHARACTER, THE PROTAGONIST LEARN IN THIS STORY.
WHEN THE CHILDREN MEET WITH ME AND RETELL THE STORY THEY
RECEIVE A GOLDEN FEATHER.
I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GOING BE A BIG DEAL.
I GOT A GOLDEN FEATHER.
ON FRIDAYS WE DO SOMETHING ADDITIONAL.
RECEIVING THE FEATHERS, EXTRINSIC FEATHER, BUT INTRINSIC
MOTIVATION TO ENGAGE IN LITERACY AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR
PRINCIPAL.
WE PROVIDE A RAFFLE.
WE PUT ALL THE FEATHERS IN A BASKET, THE KIDS ARE NERVOUS,
WILL THEY CALL MY NAME.
THEY FEEL CONNECTED TO ADULTS, LITERATURE AND TO EACH OTHER AS
WELL.
>> THEY HAVE A BOND TO YOU AS A PRINCIPAL, RIGHT?
>> YES.
>> THAT IS NICE THEY COME TO YOU AND SAY, I HAVE TO TELL YOU A
STORY.
>> JUST TODAY AT LUNCH I WENT IN THERE TO SUPPORT AND I HAD A LOT
OF KIDS RUN UP TO ME, I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE BOOK OF THE
MONTH.
IT CREATES A COMMON EXPERIENCE, A UNIVERSAL EXPERIENCE.
THE STUDENTS FEEL I AM CONNECTING TO AN ADULT AND USING
LITERACY, LITERATURE IN A WAY TO DO IT.
>> IT HAS ALMOST BEEN A FULL YEAR SINCE THE INITIATIVE
STARTED.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE?
>> THE HOPES FOR THE FUTURE IS TO CONTINUE TO DO THIS CAMPAIGN
AND DON'T HAVE LIKE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WE WANT TO
FEATURE.
JUST CONTINUE TO DO IT AND CONTINUE TO DO THIS, GIVING OUT
CHILDRENS BOOKS, JUST CONTINUE AND NEVER STOP.
>> LUIS, HOW DO YOU HOPE THAT THIS PROJECT AND OTHER LITERACY
PROJECTS IMPACT YOUR STUDENTS?
>> YEAH.
I WANT THEM TO SEE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THESE MODELS.
I KNOW I MYSELF WHEN IT CAME OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, I KNOW THAT
CITY LEADER, I WOULD CLICK ON IT TO SEE WHAT BOOK THEY READ.
TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE ADULTS THAT ARE CARING ADULTS, RIGHT,
WHO ARE WILLING TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH LITERACY, WHO
ARE WILLING TO BE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WHO WANT TO TELL THE
STORY WITH THE WAY THEY INTERACTED WITH THAT BOOK, IT
PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO SEE OTHER PEOPLE,
CITY LEADERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, TO READ.
THE ONLY WAY YOU ARE GOING TO GET BETTER AT READING IS IF YOU
READ.
YOU NEED PEOPLE TO SHOW, I'M READING, TOO.
SO THAT MOTIVATES THEM.