Literacy Advocate Name: Carolyn Jons
Literacy Advocate Email: ccjons@aol.com
Literacy Advocate Phone: 515.292.9685 (H); 515.708.0008 (cell)
  

Literacy Project #1

Name: Baby Talk Collaboration

Description: Ames Morning Rotary Club members served on the Ames Stories 2000 Committee and then in 2001 helped to create Baby Talk, a non-profit, 501(C)3 organization whose purpose is to increase language and literacy in children from birth to 8 years and nurture parent-child relationships. Club members continue to serve on the Baby Talk Board of Directors and to serve as Baby Talk volunteers. Four club members are certified by Baby TALK, the national program in Decatur, Illinois.
  

Literacy Project #2:

Name: Kids Who Read Succeed

Description: When club members began chairing the District 6000 Literacy Committee in 2000, they created a Rotary campaign, Kids Who Read Succeed, to help all clubs promote early literacy. It included a brochure, tip sheets, a web site, club presentations, and Baby TALK training and materials for community professionals who work with young parents. Funding for literacy initiatives in Ames and District 6000 has come from a Rotary International Children’s Opportunity Grant, a Matching Grant, a Community Assistance grant, District 6000, and Ames Morning Club.

  

Literacy Project #3:

Name: Reach Out and Read

Description: In 2002 Ames Morning Rotary Club launched another pilot program, Rotarians + Physicians = Early Literacy. It was based on Reach Out and Read, a research-based program developed by pediatricians in Boston.

  • The club created a reading corner in the McFarland Clinic pediatric waiting room with a rocking chair, bookcase, carpet and wall sign.
  • The club began purchasing children’s books for the pediatricians to give to children at the 6-month check-up. A Scholastic Literacy Partner Account was opened to allow District 6000 Rotary clubs a discount of 43% or more, free shipping and bonus books when buying books to be donated to children.
  • The club also created and produced two parent handouts and notebooks with early literacy information for parents, physicians, and volunteer

In the spring of 2006, the Baby Talk/McFarland Clinic partnership was approved as an official site of national Reach Out and Read. Ames Morning Rotary will continue to help fund the books that will now be given at each check-up from 6-months to 5 years. In 2005 the club donated $1,000.

  

Literacy Project #4:

Name: Two Literacy Web Sites

Description: Ames Morning Rotarian Arthur (Arch) Oldehoeft is webmaster for two literacy websites that are hosted on our club web site www.amesamrotary.org.

  • One site, Kids Who Read Succeed, is for Rotarians and Rotary Clubs who want to promote literacy. It is being redesigned in October and November 2006. It can be accessed on the Ames Morning Rotary home page, the District 6000 web page, or at www.rotaryliteracy.org.
  • The other web site, Baby Talk, is for parents, providers, and community members who care about increasing early language and literacy and nurturing parent-child relationships. It can be accessed on the club home page or at  www.baby-talk.org.
  

Literacy Project #5:

Name: Speaker Honorarium

Description: The club donates a board book to the Reach Out and Read program at McFarland Clinic in honor of each speaker. Speakers sign the Rotary label on the back of each book.
  

Literacy Project #6:

Name: Gift for New Parents and Grandparents

Description: When a Rotarian announces they are a parent or grandparent of a new baby, the club gives them a gift bag with a new board book for the baby and information for parents about child development and the joys of reading aloud together and bonding.
  

Literacy Project #7:

Name: Xicotepec, Mexico, Library

Description: Ames Morning Rotarians contributed books for the library and helped design the library check-out system. They helped set up a display at District Conference so other Rotarians could donate books. When the spouse of a club Rotarian visited Xicotepec, the club contributed $500 for additional books.
  

Literacy Project #8:

Name: District 6000 Literacy Promotion Committee

Description: Many members of Ames Morning Rotary are helping with District-wide literacy in 2006-2007. We are launching a fund-raising campaign to raise $30,000 to expand the Reach Out and Read model in order to benefit children and families in other communities in Iowa.
  

Literacy Project #9:

Name: Public Relations Plan

Description: Ames Morning Rotary has developed a local public relations plan to raise awareness of the importance of early literacy and to highlight the many ways Rotarians are Leading the Way.