There are times in a parent’s life, when all she can do is sit back and watch her kids become who they’re destined to be.This has happened to me since moving to our new neighborhood. D’s truly found her stride. During the month before we moved (the painteverywallinthehouse phase) and while I was still coming to the realization of all the important stuff we didn’t have yet (internet, mailbox, bed), D consistently focused on the preparation for her neighborhood project — “Bookworm Wednesday.”
She sounds like the child of a blogger, doesn’t she?
Her vision was to make use of her shelves-full of books, to check out to neighborhood children weekly, and then read a book aloud while they were here. This would encourage kids to read and discover great stories, while participating in a weekly “club” of sorts.
While I loved the idea and was Popeye-heart-pumping proud of her for coming up with it, I’ve had a very hard time being of any assistance, since we’ve barely moved, began attending a new school, and started a new job.
One foot in front of the other. That’s about the extent of my focus these days.
But my lack of involvement didn’t deter her. She asked for startup money to purchase incentive items for the kids who were reading books, and I told her to write a grant proposal and that Empowering Youth would consider sponsoring her project. Here was her proposal:
August 6, 2007
Dear Kelly Curtis,
I would like to request a grant in the amount of $23.00 from Empowering Youth for “Book Worm Wednesday.” This will be used to purchase rewards such as (whatever Kara and I get). Check out and return will be weekly for ages 7-12, and monthly for ages 4-6. We have books in stock ready for use. We now need something for youth as a reward after reading a book to encourage young people to read more. I appreciate your consideration of this grant proposal.Sincerely,
D
Well, she got the grant, and has now completed three Bookworm Wednesdays, with approximately ten children in attendance each week. She’s recruited two assistants, and they all work together to manage the program, recruit attendees, check out books, and walk younger children home.
I can’t describe my satisfaction as I sit at my computer, with the activities of Bookworm Wednesday buzzing behind me in the “library”. Nor can I possibly explain the rush I feel as I witness the small mob of children running down our street as I pull into the drive.
Must be Bookworm Wednesday.
BookWorm Wednesday Series:
A Teacher in the Making
A BookWorm Wednesday Halloween
BookWorm Wednesday Potion Recipe
Buy with Amazon and Donate to BookWorm Wednesday
BookWorm Wednesday Gets Some Press
My Daughter Won the Kohl’s Scholarship
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12:28 pm
That is absolutely wonderful. You must be so proud. I know I would be.
2:02 pm
A teacher in the making
My social entrepreneur of a ten-year-old daughter started up a book club in our basement. She calls it Bookworm Wednesday, and has invited the neighborhood children to come and check out her books every week. Fifth graders are sometimes very inspirat…
11:36 pm
How old is she? OMG! I can’t believe how mature she is! You must be so proud of her!
6:36 am
I am so proud! She’s 10.
1:14 pm
WOW, what a sweet heart! That is so wonderful. Yup, she is definitely the daughter of a blogger, LOL!
3:05 pm
Wow.
Mike
http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com/
http://www.mikeleonen.com/
6:54 pm
Hey Kelly,
This must’ve made your heart SOAR! Mine did for you, lol.
The apples don’t fall far from the trees, especially the really good ones :).
This sounds like the start of something wonderful…..
3:31 pm
I’m not a bit surprised.
Her home school updates were always so well written - obviously she is a voracious reader and wants to share the joy.
just think how much different each neighborhood would be if someone did that.
1:10 pm
Wow - I’m impressed - good for her!!
5:40 pm
Wonderful - make sure she keeps this giving attitude well into her formative years/teens! She is going to grow up to be a joy of a young woman. I bow to your skills as a mother.
10:35 am
[…] My daughter is an avid reader, and has been since she discovered Junie B. Jones in first grade. At ten years old, she’s now sharing her love for books with the neighbor kids. For the past month, she’s hosted a project she calls Bookworm Wednesday. She invites neighborhood children to come to our home, check out her collection of books and listen to a story. […]
6:43 pm
[…] Last weekend, our family attended a community carnival, and we ran into a Kindergartener who lives in our neighborhood, and is a regular Bookworm Wednesday participant. His mom told me he’d been getting picked on by a first grader on the bus, and when she asked him what he was going to do about it, he said this: […]
8:07 am
[…] also be donating to a worthy cause — my ten-year-old daughter’s neighborhood project, BookWorm Wednesday. I’ll donate all proceeds from my Amazon account to Darla’s project […]
10:25 am
[…] Comments Pass The Torch » PTT - A Teacher in the Making on A BookWorm Wednesday HalloweenPass The Torch » My book has an ISBN number on The Tale of […]
10:27 am
[…] Comments Pass The Torch » BookWorm Wednesday Potion Recipe on PTT - A Teacher in the MakingPass The Torch » PTT - A Teacher in the Making on A BookWorm Wednesday HalloweenPass The Torch […]
1:40 pm
[…] cosmically timed to turn my little girl into the responsible, self-assured, creative, and empowered young leader I see […]
3:28 pm
[…] year, you’ll also be donating to a worthy cause — Darla’s neighborhood project, BookWorm Wednesday. I’ll donate all proceeds from my Amazon account to the project from now until […]
10:16 am
What an awesome young woman she is becoming. I got excited reading this.
She is living life - and sharing it.
6:54 pm
[…] any future purchases you make from Amazon, so please click through! All proceeds go to Darla’s BookWorm Wednesday […]