Rotary clubs from North America and India are partnering with community newspapers and schools to provide economically disadvantaged children with access to quality reading resources. Learn how the projects are helping communities and raising awareness about Rotary in the process.

1. Awaken the Magic
of Reading
Vicki Whiting
June 2017

2. Read more.
Read better!
A student who
reads 20
minutes a day
for fun reads
1.8 million
words in a
school year
and tests in the
90th percentile

3. Read more.
Read better!
A student who
reads 5 minutes
a day reads
282,000 words
in a school year
and tests in the
50th percentile

4. That's a difference of
1.5 million words per
year!

5. And that's only
the difference
after one year.

6. After 5 years, students who
read 20 minutes a day will
have read 7.5 million more
words than kids who read
only 5 minutes a day.

7. Literacy
Literacy is an indicator of so many things –
• Quality of health care
• Civic participation
• Employment
• Size and cost of criminal justice system
• Success in life –The more you read the more you succeed!

8. Literacy Stats United States
43% of adults with the lowest literacy levels live in poverty.
70% of adult welfare recipients have low literacy levels.
$232 billion a year in health care costs is linked to low literacy.
75% of state prison inmates did not complete high school.
Kids who aren't successfully reading at grade level by the
third grade are four times less likely to finish high school.

9. Number of Fourth grade students in
the United States reading at a
Proficient Level.
34%

10. 66%
Are NOT reading
at grade level by
Fourth grade

11. Whew!!! That’s
depressing! Time for
a story break.

12. Community Partnerships –
Power in Numbers!
You have in your community an ideal community partnership that –
• Provides a cost-effective way to address RI Focus of
Education
• Involves your club with prominent community leaders
• Creates extensive club visibility to your community
• Connects your club with kids, families, schools and more
• And boosts literacy rates!

13. Who is that partner?
Your local newspaper!
• Low-cost, proven literacy program
• Rotary branding and visibility
• Opportunity to serve and grow
membership
• Future Interact members

14. How it works in 300+ U.S.
Communities
Local Newspaper Provides
Sponsor a weekly Kid Scoop page

15. How it works in 300+ U.S.
Communities
The Community Newspaper
• Publishes weekly Kid Scoop page
• Recognizes Rotary sponsorship on
page and in house ads
• Provides newspapers to students
each week
Research show that children who read a
newspaper once a week or more score
an average of 10% higher!

16. And – Rotary gets Featured
Kid Scoop was created by a
Rotarian and regularly
features Rotary projects

17. Case Study:
It started with a
Polio Page

18. Community Partnerships
Support RI Education Focus and Branding Goals
RI Areas of Focus
Supporting education
By supporting education we advance the five other Areas of Focus.
Education can:
• Promote Peace
• Fight Disease
• Provide clean water
• Save mothers and children
• Grow local economies
Education starts with the ability to read.

19. Help Kids &
Rotary!

20. Thank you!!
Questions?
Vicki Whiting, vicki@kidscoop.com

21. This presentation and others
from throughout the convention
are available through the
convention mobile app and on
SlideShare at
www.SlideShare.net/Rotary_International.

22. Rate this session in the
Rotary Events app,
available in your Apple or
Android app store.

23. Proposal: A Community-Based Rotary Literacy Project
The Problem:
Over 60% of children across the United States are not reading at grade level by the time they
complete third grade. These children are more likely to drop out of high school.
Literacy is a key indicator for many things—quality of healthcare, interest in reading about
civics, employment, and the future size and cost of our criminal justice system.
The Solution:
Rotary Clubs can help by forming an
Educational Partnership with their local
newspaper!
Partnerships between Rotary clubs and newspapers
provide a low-cost, proven literacy solution (and
provide Rotary with a branding opportunity to
grow memberships in both Rotary and Interact).
The Kid Scoop Newspaper In Education Program:
How it Works
Rotary Clubs:
Sponsor the weekly publication of Kid Scoop, an
educational page for children.
The Community Newspaper:
• Publishes Kid Scoop each week.
• Recognizes Rotary’s sponsorship with a banner on
the bottom of Kid Scoop and house ads.
• Provides newspapers once a week to local
elementary school classrooms.
Kid Scoop:
Provides direct to the newspaper:
• the weekly, award-winning Kid Scoop page
• a monthly teacher newsletter
• Teacher Guide
• online resources
• advertising and marketing support
Research shows that students who read newspapers once a week or more in school
score an average 10% higher on reading achievement tests. At risk students show
gains of more than 30%.
|
Information contact: Vicki Whiting, vicki@kidscoop.com, 707-996-6077