Everybody Wins! Vermont

Description

The Everybody Wins! Organization Founded in New York City in 1991, Everybody Wins! is a not-for-profit children's literacy and mentoring organization dedicated to encouraging positive attitudes about reading in elementary school children. The program was launched in Washington, D.C. by the US Senate, headed by Senator James Jeffords (I-VT) and other members of congress, in 1995. Everybody Wins! Vermont (EW! VT), isthe first statewide EW! VT program in a rural location. Last year over 1160 adults and students participated in seventeen EW! VT locations each week. EW! VT consists of several main programs designed to increase literacy skills and to cultivate a life-long love of reading and learning including: Power Lunch The foundation of Everybody Wins! is Power Lunch - a program that pairs elementary school children with adult reading mentors. Reading mentors spend one hour a week at schools with their student partners reading from and sharing in conversations about good books. Power Lunch provides children with positive role models and fosters a love of reading and learning. Gift Books To ensure students have books to call their own, EW! VT distributes high quality children's books, often donated by individuals, corporations, and publishers, to participating students two or three times each school year. Power Breakfast Based on the Power Lunch model, this program began during the 2006-2007 program year at our Barton Graded School and J.J. Flynn Elementary sites. By offering this opportunity prior to the start of school, we are able to attract more volunteers who can meet with students before leaving their home communities for work.