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| Morton Freshman Center Recipient of Literacy Grant Sponsored by Jesse White, Illinois Literacy Foundation and Borders Books |
The Morton Freshman Center was selected as a recipient of a generous literacy grant sponsored by the Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White, the Illinois Literacy Foundation and Borders Books. From November 24 through December 31, 2008, the Oak Brook Borders store gave customers the opportunity to add one dollar or more to their purchase to benefit literacy at the Freshman Center. More than $7700 was donated for the Freshman Center. Those funds, in the form of Borders Books gift cards, were presented to Principal Joe Gunty at a special awards ceremony in February. With a generous Borders education discount, those funds translated into more than $10,000 worth of books and media for the Freshman Center.
The school collaborated closely with Borders Books manager, Linda Russell, to support and enhance the fundraising. An in-store display featuring Freshman Center student photos and book reviews was prominently displayed at the check-out line to personalize the fundraising effort and connect the customers with the grant recipients. The theme, A Community of Readers, reinforced the Freshman Center’s school-wide commitment to reading and literacy. A second theme, Small Steps Lead to Big Success! was developed to highlight the success of the daily sustained silent reading program at the Freshman Center.
In addition, faculty and staff volunteered their time to host an information table at the store and provide customers with information about a variety of literacy initiatives at the Freshman Center. Students from the FC Book Club and BLAST program visited the store on field trips to help create “wish lists” of books they would like to see purchased with the funds. A choral group from Morton East provided holiday entertainment for a Borders Books employee family event.
A wide variety of materials have been purchased with the grant funds:
House sets of fiction books to enhance the history and science curriculum
Multiple copies of a variety of titles to create literature circle selections
Selections for the FC Book Club
Class sets of foreign-language dictionaries (Italian, Spanish and French)
Foreign-language music CDs
Spanish-language materials
Books, CDs, and DVDs for PBIS incentives and rewards
“You Choose” summer reading program titles
Professional development materials
Bestselling series of healthy-living books by Drs. Oz and Roisen to supplement health curriculum
Award-winning young adult titles in a wide range of reading levels for the FC Library
Over the past six years, Borders customers’ donations have resulted in thousands of books and related materials being placed in libraries, schools, youth groups, senior adult day centers, shelters, pre-schools, resource centers and local literacy programs. The Illinois Literacy Foundation is a non-profit organization that promotes literacy through partnerships with the private sector and corporate community.
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Freshman Center Book Club members happily display a selection of books acquired from the Illinois Literacy Foundation/Borders Books grant. |
Illinois State Librarian Jesse White presented the Morton Freshman Center with $7700 in literacy grant funds in the form of Borders Books gift cards. The funds were used to purchase a variety of books and media to support and enhance literacy at the Freshman Center. |
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