Be Book Smart

For the next 6 days, you can save big and help RIF get 1 million books to kids.

Now through July 31st, vist your local Macy's and give $3 to help provide a book for a child.  You'll receive a $10 coupon off an in-store purchase of $50 or more.  Macy's will give 100% of every $3 to RIF.

This campaign is the biggest RIF fundraiser of the year!

How Libraries are Reinventing Themselves for the Future

Many branches of these public institutions are dying from lack of funding—and reinventing themselves in surprising new ways
Beyond the Book Mobile

by Allison Berry

Today’s libraries aren’t just trying to fulfill what a March study by the Pew Charitable Trusts calls the institutions’ “shadow mandate” of bridging the widening gaps in social services that used to be provided by non-profits and public agencies. Libraries are also trying to meet people where they are. The cash-strapped Free Library of Philadelphia, a stalwart system founded in 1891, has set up six “Hot Spots” to expand its reach in underserved areas. It’s much cheaper to open these freestanding mini-libraries, which are equipped with computers, printers, and a reference collection, inside facilities owned by community organizations than it is to open a new branch. In a similar move, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has opened what it calls a “library without walls” in the Pittsburgh Public Market in an effort to deliver library services on the weekends in a place where a lot of people do their food-shopping. Some libraries are even venturing outdoors. In response to recent branch closures in Detroit, the University of Michigan this spring partnered with students at a local elementary school to set up six outdoor libraries, whose waterproof bookcases, unlike book mobiles, don’t come with expensive gas bills.

*The above article is not the works of Peta-Gay Lewis but republished on this blog as a means to encourage children to read.

King James Loves to Read to Focus

How LeBron James focused for games: Reading books. Tell the kids.

By Valerie Strauss

Miami Heat star LeBron James had a somewhat surprising practice that he used to focus before games, including during the final series in which he led his team to the National Basketball Association championship: He read books. Tell the kids.

There was “The Hunger Games,” and the other books in the science fiction trilogy by Suzanne Collins. There were, according to ESPN, books on history, biographies, psychology and more. He read sitting in front of his locker “The Pact,” about three boys from tough backgrounds deciding to go to college and then medical school.

According to this story by ESPN’s by Michael Wilbon (who used to be a colleague of mine at The Washington Post), James decided that he could focus on his game better if he spent some time alone reading, so he called up his friend and business associate, Maverick Carter, and asked for some book suggestions.

Carter recommended titles such as “The Post-American World” by Fareed Zakaria and Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point.” According to Wilbon, James came up on his own with the “The Hunger Games” trilogy as well as a book titled “Decoded” by his friend, Jay-Z.

Wilbon wrote in this story:

“Where cynics saw a ballplayer doing something for the cameras, I saw a chance, whatever LeBron’s motivation, for a role model to use his influence to make an impact, intentional or not.... If LeBron is reading, then reading must be fairly cool. Is there a better message the world’s best basketball player could send?”

I can’t think of one offhand, except, perhaps, to be gracious and humble, which James was in his public remarks after he led the Heat to the championship on Thursday night and was named the most valuable player of the final series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Tell the kids that, too.

*The above article is not the works of Peta-Gay Lewis but republished on this blog as a means to encourage children to read.

Mi Casa Board of Directors

The Deputy Director of Mi Casa has requested I submit my resume for consideration to become a part of their Board of Directors. It is a volunteer position but to be considered to become a part of such an illustrious group I am honored, however, even more so because it is for a group that CHANGED my life and allowed me to realize my greatest achievement to date. With Jehovah's grace I will shine during my interview and will serve in an official capacity as I continue informing others about what an amazing non-profit Mi Casa is.

Day Out for Family Fun

Mother and kids day out...first the zoo, now the two youngest will get a lesson in eating their pizza with a knife and fork. Vanessa of course doesn't need a lesson since she won't eat anything with her hands (even when its the appropriate method). She was more adventuresome in her dinner choice than they were though.

Capital Hill Cluster PTA Secretary

Earlier, this month Fran Ewart nominated me for PTA secretary.  Tonight elections were held and I am the new secretary for the 2012/2013 school year. 

My Goals as Ms. District of Columbia Essence 2012

Being a titleholder means being a role model and goodwill ambassador for one's community. As Ms. District of Columbia Essence I would like to achieve the folowing:

*Raise $500.00 for Reading Is Essential.
*Complete 15 appearances before the national competition.
*Visit each of the Eight wards for community/neighborhood advisory meetings.
*Share my message of "Reading is the Key to Your Future" with the Mayor and all elected city officials.
*Get September 22, 2012 (fourth Saturday in the month) proclaimed as Reading Is Essential day for Washington, DC.
*Hold the first annual Reading Is Essential walk/run on September 22, 2012.

D.C. Cuts Funding for Librarians

Good and Bad News

May 10, 2012
by Melissa Taylor

I’ve got good news and bad news.

Let's start with the good news, shall we? Hip-hip-hooray, it’s Children’s Book Week, May 7 - 13!

You'll want to celebrate so here are my suggestions

First, peruse the 2012 winners of the Children’s Book Council Choice Awards. Then read some of the award-winning books to your children.

Then, pretend every week is Children’s Book Week! You can . . .

- start a parent-child book club
- get your children their own library cards
- read instead of watching television
- host a book swap with friends
- pick an author and read all of his or her books (suggestions on Scholastic site, Book Wizard)
- write a letter to your favorite author
- find new books on a book blog (good blogs: Jen’s Book Page, There’s a Book, On Our Minds @Scholastic, Imagination Soup, Great Kid Books, Reader Totz, Lit Lad, Book Dads, and The Children's Book Review.)

Now for the bad news.

The Washington D.C. School District is cutting almost 50 librarians from their public schools. This will save money, yes-- but can this be good for children?

I asked Carol Rasco, Reading Is Fundamental President and CEO. She explained to me that just having access to books, aka. no librarian, doesn't help student achievement. To improve children's reading skills, a librarian needs to be available to students, especially those in lower-income schools. (Peck, 2000; Celano and Neuman, 2008) In fact, Rasco shared with me Keith Curry Lance’s research which concludes that the presence of librarians contributes to reading achievement.

At this point, however, there is a clear consensus in the results now available for

eight states: School libraries are a powerful force in the lives of America’s children. The
school library is one of the few factors whose contribution to academic achievement has
been documented empirically, and it is a contribution that cannot be explained away by
other powerful influences on student performance. - Keith Curry Lance

Back to D.C. and Carol Rasco. "Five years ago as Reading Is Fundamental approached our 40th anniversary," recounts Rasco, "we learned of the difficulty DCPS administrators were having in conducting the RIF program in this district where RIF was founded. As an anniversary gift to the children of this district, RIF assumed the leadership of the program, working closely with individual school sites through a site-based designated teacher or administrator. It has been an “on the job” lesson for all affiliated with RIF on the critical need for a literacy emphasis for students in this district. DC fourth graders’ most recent NAEP results (2011) show 56% to be below BASIC (http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/dst2011/2012455.pdf)."

So you can imagine how devastated Rasco felt when she saw the news about the DC librarian cuts. "To read now of librarians being the target of budget cutting measures is incomprehensible," she wrote me in an email, "particularly since the schools targeted to lose a librarian are those schools where the services of a media specialist/librarian would logically be needed most. Books in a room that will simply be opened for children to enter does not constitute a library, it might be a warehouse only."

DC Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson defended her decision in a recent interview saying she didn't think librarians were helpful to student achievement. "We have pulled away from programs where we haven't received a return on our investment.”  Interestingly enough, Chancellor Henderson's actions mimic those of the Department of Education's who cut all federal funding for school libraries in 2011.

Clearly, there's a serious disconnect between the research and the policy makers' actions.

Even if you don't live in Washington D.C. you need to be aware and be very concerned. Here's what I, you, we need to do:

*Fight to save the school libraries, librarians, and the public libraries.
*Find innovative ways to fund school libraries.
*Speak up. Make your voice heard.

Last year in Troy, MI the public library almost closed until a unique ad campaign sparked community outrage -- a Burning Book Party. The campaign worked, the library remained open. Some Troy residents didn't get the satire but I loved the creativity that sparked the outrage against closing the library and burning books.

If it worked in Troy, Michigan, maybe it will work in your neighborhoods, maybe even in Washington D.C.

We need to get creative. If the research isn't compelling policy makers then what will? Do we go with the satire ploy of burning books?

Let's start with that -- what will work?

Ms. District of Columbia Essence 2012 is Crowned

I had an amazing time at the 2012 Essence Quad state pageant!  Below are photos from the weekend.

In my crown and sash as your Ms. District of Columbia Essence 2012

Myself, Ms. Classic VA Essence, Mrs. MD Essence, Ms. Classic MD Essence and Ms. Exquisite after crowning 05.05.2012

Newly crowned state queens with former titleholders 05.05.2012

Backstage before evening gown with Ms. LA Essence 2012 05.05.2012

Local delegates before "Find Your Color" workshop 05.05.2012

Candace Sample and myself after interviews and before the contestant dinner 05.04.2012

Miss VA Essence 2011, Kevin Wade - Director, myself and Ms. NC Essence 2011 after interviews 05.04.2012

Ivy City Clean Up Day

Today, the Ivy City Civic Association in conjunction with Friends and Family of Incarcerated Persons and Empower DC held our first annual Ivy City Clean Up day.  Aproximately 62 volunteers came out to pick up trash and beautify Ivy City. 

The event was scheduled for April 21st to commemorate and celebrate Earth Day. 

Vegetable and flower seeds were distributed to all participants so that they could continue to beautify their community not just today and enjoy the vegetables of their labor.

Ms. District of Columbia Essence 2012

It's official, I was selected to represent the District of Columbia at the 2012 Essence pageant. On May 5th myself and delegates from North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland will participate in the squad state pageant which will culminate in my crowning as Ms. District of Columbia Essence 2012. To learn more about the quad state pageant please visit the following site DMV Essence Pageant.

I am very excited about being your Ms. District of Columbia Essence. Join me in my journey as I share the Reading is Essential message, bring greater awareness to the Essence Pageant system and serve as your goodwill ambassador.

Anticipation 2our

William surprised me with a ticket to see Trey Songz for his Anticipation 2our. I had a blast...I did not realize how much fun I would have especially since I decided to attend alone.

Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner

Its official I am running to become an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner. This is the first step on my journey to help shape the Nation's Capital and to provide the best living environment for District of Columbia residents especially those within Ivy City. I am extremely excited to embark on this new phase of my life and all that it holds.

Learning to Create a Timeless Fashion Sense

Wow, I am really feeling my pretty girl swag in my Lloyd Boston inspired Purple and Mustard dress ensemble. All of the pieces for the outfit were already owned but combined uniquely to create a new and refreshing look that is both trendy and comfortable.

Reading Goes High Tech

As the world around us becomes more technological so does the learning tools for our children. Below is an interesting article I came across.

Seizing the Opportunity

A mix of “traditional” players and start-ups have been producing, selling and marketing children’s book apps.

While children’s publishing powerhouses like Scholastic Inc. and Sesame Workshop have robust digitization and app-development efforts, upstarts have come to market with children’s book apps, too. Encinitas, Calif.-based Oceanhouse Media produces, markets and sells Dr. Seuss and Berenstain Bears children’s book apps, for instance.

“Three years ago there was not much of anything,” said Michel Kripalani, president of Oceanhouse. “The app market was just getting rolling.”

Today, there are dozens of small companies like Kripalani’s as well as hundreds of “mom and pop” shops, single developers that produce a one-off app product. And it’s all because of Apple.

“You can build a product and submit it to Apple and ten days later – after approval [Apple will not sell an app in its store if it does not meet certain technical requirements] – you’re available for sale,” said Kripalani. “All of a sudden, they’ve created this environment that anyone who is able to gather the technical and marketing skills is able to build a publishing house.”

National Geographic, the Washington, D.C.-based nature magazine company, publishes magazines and books targeted at children. National Geographic has published two children’s apps, including the iTunes store hit, Weird But True, an app based on the print book series of the same name.

Scholastic has published 14 apps, including Magic Schoolbus Oceans, an extension of the Magic Schoolbus franchise.

“It’s been a very good business for us – and profitable,” said Deborah Forte, executive vice president of Scholastic and president of Scholastic Media, the division within the company that produces apps.

Sesame Workshop currently has 160 e-books and 25 apps and “is in the business [of electronic publishing] to stay,” said Jennifer Perry, vice president of worldwide publishing for Sesame Workshop.

Ms. Capitol Hill Essence 2011/2012

It's official, I will be competing for the opportunity to represent the District of Columbia at the national Ms. Essence pageant by participating in the DMV/NC Essence Quad state pageant on May 5, 2012.  As a local contestant for this state pageant I was awarded the Ms. Capitol Hill title.  Please share in my journey as my years unfolds as I attempt to become Ms. Essence 2012.