NEXT MEETING: June 17, 2016

Fostering Love of Learning through Reading and Storytelling

The executive director of the Read-Aloud Volunteer Program, Ruth Major, will discuss this “elegantly simple but potent tool for literacy.” Read Aloud is a relationship-based program that fosters young children’s curiosity and joy in learning. Since 1995, the program has supported K-2 children in Title 1 schools in Richmond and San Pablo. Some of the volunteer readers have been with the program since its inception. Many feel it is the highlight of their week to be with the children in the schools.

Read-Aloud is about social justice and equity for children and families. Giving children the opportunity to have their own books, one-on-one adult and child time, space for children to develop at their own pace, and the pure joy of reading are what makes the program vibrant. Children go from being beginning readers to seeing themselves as learning to read with books of their own.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

•    Assistant District Governor Alan Baer announced that July 23, 2016, there is a group going to tailgate and to watch the Oakland A’s.  There will be fireworks, hot dogs, and family fun. Please contact Alan for more information.
•    Alan Baer announced that June 18, 2016, Richmond Rotary will have a team in the bocce ball tournament in Martinez.  If you wish to play, please contact Alan Baer or Pam Jones.

MEETING OF

Welcome

President Alan Blavins called the meeting to order, asked a club member from the back of the room to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and asked Alan Baer to lead us in a silent prayer for peace. Sergeant-at-Arms Sid Chauvin offered the quote of the day: “If there is a bar where everyone knows your name, you’re probably an alcoholic!”

Visiting Rotarians and Guests

Program Chair Stacey Street brought Shabnaz Yousefia

Sid Chauvin brought Joe Kelman

Visiting Rotarian Vicki Whiting is from the Sonoma Valley Rotary and was today’s speaker. She is also the former president of her club and the incoming Assistant District Governor.

Recognitions and Happy and Sad Dollars

• Josh Genser had happy dollars, as he is getting ready to go to Montana for a week of fly fishing. He was also happy for participating in a Fox News tour of the first houses rehabilitated by the Richmond Community Foundation project.
• Josh Surowitz had sad dollars because he will be missing meetings for a few weeks but happy dollars because he is traveling to Spain and Germany with his family (and probably sad dollars for those seated near them on the airplane).
• Herb Cole was happy for Bruce Harter, welcoming him to the “retired administrators club.”
• Bruce Harter was also happy because Richmond schools have above state averages for high school graduation rates, even high than Berkeley.

PROGRAM

Program Chair Stacey Street introduced Vicki Whiting, the publisher and editor of KidscoopNews. Her mission is to awaken in children the magic of reading. She runs a non-profit organization that publishes a newspaper in the Bay Area geared toward 2nd through 8th graders (including Washington Elementary and Grant Elementary) to encourage them to read and to make reading fun. Only 37% of Richmond 3rd graders are reading at grade level. Increased reading ability creates increase success. This program helps the children learn to read and to enjoy reading. The sample KidscoopNews provided at the meeting was also fun for adults to read.

Check it out here: http://www.kidscoopnews.com/

 

Finally, this week's rotating scribe, Shana Bagley Howe, who knows a thing or two about writing, offers this reminder: "Let's eat grandma. Let's eat, grandma. Punctuation saves lives!"