It's almost October and the Reading Corner has now had three successful sessions! Unfortunately, I had to miss the August date due to a mandatory band function, but I'm told it went well and two children attended. This may not seem like much, but that's two more kids getting reading help than before! I'm so sad I wasn't there to personally help, but I got to make up for it this month.
Saturday brought the September date, along with three children. First, two brothers, Austen, age eight and Wyatt, age three. Austen browsed some super hero books, while Wyatt pulled books off the shelves, ready to be read to. He plopped down and patted the chair next to him, patiently waiting to hear about 101 Dalmatians. We read several times, each time until his attention span (which isn't very long for a three year old) ran out and he was up and onto the next thing. Not long after, a nine-year-old girl, Mary, joined us in the Reading Corner and quickly took over my job, reading to Wyatt.
It's so cool for me to see something like that, one child reading to another. Mary was not only practicing her own reading skills, but was instantly inclined to read out loud to a younger child. This is the type of thing I only imagined when I first embarked on this project, and it's surreal to see it come to life. I know I keep saying that, but I almost can't believe what was a seemingly impossible idea a year ago, is now an actual thing that's taking place in the lives of actual kids. I hope it's made a difference in their lives, because it has in mine.
To finish up this post, some great news! I was informed today that a kind stranger has donated some money to the Reading Corner. She found out about it from the Livingston Facebook page and decided to send a portion of a donation to the church directly to this program. I can hardly believe it, and am filled with awe and gratitude. What a blessing so many people have been on this journey.
God is good!
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Open For Business!
I am happy to announce my Gold Award Project Proposal was approved by the Girl Scout Council this spring! I spent the next few months planning and preparing for a July start date, and now that the first Saturday has taken place I'm excited to share my experience!
My first big step toward preparing for July 25 (the opening day for the Reading Corner) was informing Livingston's congregation. On July 5 I nervously shared my ideas, hopes for this project, and need for donations during our Sunday service. Luckily, we have a small congregation, consisting mostly of people I've known since I was born. Livingston is my home, and though I had some stage fright, I was so lucky to be sharing with people who I knew would support me and any journey I embarked on. I was soon met with book donations, snack donations, offers to volunteer, and lots of kind words and wishes. My church family once again went above and beyond, leaving me in awe of their generosity.
Most of the preparation took place in the final week leading up to the past Saturday. I spent a morning at church, shelving the many books that had now been donated my church members, band parents, and old and new friends. The space (a corner of the church basement) required some TLC, but after moving some things around and cleaning up a little, I was able to begin sorting books. I had received over 200 books that I slowly sorted by difficulty and genre. Board books, picture books, chapter books, comic books, non-fiction, etc. I soon had everything sorted and shelved and was excited to return Saturday and finish preparing the space, then hopefully have some kids to use it.
My mom began making fliers and stickers for me to use and took me shopping for the final materials needed (because she's obviously the best mom in the world). Once Saturday rolled around I was very excited and a little nervous. I first finished decorating the space, putting up letters spelling "Reading Corner," a stick-on wall chalk board, and chalk tape to label shelves (Michael's is a magical place). Though there's more I'd like to do to renovate the space a little further, I'm pretty happy with how it looks now.
I was planning on taking this first day alone in order to get a better feel of things before enlisting volunteers, but to my surprise and delight, Patricia (a church member who also happens to be a third-grade teacher and awesome person) showed up to help me out.
We patiently waited as adults came through food pantry, hoping to see a kid or two. After the first few customers, a woman came in with her 11-year-old son. We invited him back to the Reading Corner, got him a granola bar, and let him pick out a book. He sat quietly, reading a Scooby Doo chapter book while his mom shopped. He didn't need help, but seemed to enjoy reading, and I was happy we got to provide a book and quiet place for him. When his mom was done he left with the book and a sticker with a puppy reading on it. This seems pretty uneventful but it was exciting for me to see the vision I had over a year ago finally coming to life for the first time.
A little while later, a couple came in with a little girl. Alonnah was a blonde ball of energy, and she quickly ran over and began grabbing books she wanted read to her. I got her a snack and read picture book after picture book to her. While we read she giggled, roared when a monster was pictured, and gave me kisses on the cheek. When her parents were done shopping she picked some books from the food pantry supply to take home, gave her mom her Reading Corner monster sticker, and waved goodbye.
Now that we have some fliers out at out food pantry and Charitable Pharmacy, I hope to have a few more kids in the future, but am very pleased with how the first day went. I experienced two very different readers, but was happy to provide for both. It was kind of surreal to look around at the end of the morning and realize I made it. All the Gold Award paperwork I did (and time I spent procrastinating doing paperwork, for that matter), the two times I resubmitted my proposal in hopes of being approved "this time", and the planning and preparation, was all paying off finally. At times it felt like I would never see that day, yet there I was, seeing the idea I've had since last spring actually taking place in front of me. My heart is very full.
If I've learned one thing from this experience so far it's how extremely blessed I am to have such amazing people in my life, especially a very generous and loving church family. Growing up in a small church has taught me more about love, fellowship, and family than I ever realized. I'd like to say a huge thanks to everyone at Livingston who's supported me, not only in this project, but my whole life. I can't express how much you all mean to me.
I'd also like to thank my mom who's been an enormous help and my biggest fan over the last year of putting this project into motion. She helped me brainstorm ideas, kept me sane while editing my proposal for submission to the Girl Scout Council for the third time, made fliers and stickers, took me shopping for supplies, and edited everything I wrote along the way (including this blog post, thanks Mom!). She is my rock, my friend, and my inspiration. Thanks for everything, I love you lots.
A final thanks goes to anyone else who's had any part in this. From a donation to a word of encouragement, I can't say enough how thankful I am for every little thing along the way. God has blessed me with this wonderful opportunity to help children, and wonderful people without whom I couldn't have pulled it off.
Okay I feel a bit like I just wrote an Oscar acceptance speech and now it's time to get off the stage.
Hope you all have a good week.
My first big step toward preparing for July 25 (the opening day for the Reading Corner) was informing Livingston's congregation. On July 5 I nervously shared my ideas, hopes for this project, and need for donations during our Sunday service. Luckily, we have a small congregation, consisting mostly of people I've known since I was born. Livingston is my home, and though I had some stage fright, I was so lucky to be sharing with people who I knew would support me and any journey I embarked on. I was soon met with book donations, snack donations, offers to volunteer, and lots of kind words and wishes. My church family once again went above and beyond, leaving me in awe of their generosity.
Most of the preparation took place in the final week leading up to the past Saturday. I spent a morning at church, shelving the many books that had now been donated my church members, band parents, and old and new friends. The space (a corner of the church basement) required some TLC, but after moving some things around and cleaning up a little, I was able to begin sorting books. I had received over 200 books that I slowly sorted by difficulty and genre. Board books, picture books, chapter books, comic books, non-fiction, etc. I soon had everything sorted and shelved and was excited to return Saturday and finish preparing the space, then hopefully have some kids to use it.My mom began making fliers and stickers for me to use and took me shopping for the final materials needed (because she's obviously the best mom in the world). Once Saturday rolled around I was very excited and a little nervous. I first finished decorating the space, putting up letters spelling "Reading Corner," a stick-on wall chalk board, and chalk tape to label shelves (Michael's is a magical place). Though there's more I'd like to do to renovate the space a little further, I'm pretty happy with how it looks now.
I was planning on taking this first day alone in order to get a better feel of things before enlisting volunteers, but to my surprise and delight, Patricia (a church member who also happens to be a third-grade teacher and awesome person) showed up to help me out.
We patiently waited as adults came through food pantry, hoping to see a kid or two. After the first few customers, a woman came in with her 11-year-old son. We invited him back to the Reading Corner, got him a granola bar, and let him pick out a book. He sat quietly, reading a Scooby Doo chapter book while his mom shopped. He didn't need help, but seemed to enjoy reading, and I was happy we got to provide a book and quiet place for him. When his mom was done he left with the book and a sticker with a puppy reading on it. This seems pretty uneventful but it was exciting for me to see the vision I had over a year ago finally coming to life for the first time.
A little while later, a couple came in with a little girl. Alonnah was a blonde ball of energy, and she quickly ran over and began grabbing books she wanted read to her. I got her a snack and read picture book after picture book to her. While we read she giggled, roared when a monster was pictured, and gave me kisses on the cheek. When her parents were done shopping she picked some books from the food pantry supply to take home, gave her mom her Reading Corner monster sticker, and waved goodbye.  |
If I've learned one thing from this experience so far it's how extremely blessed I am to have such amazing people in my life, especially a very generous and loving church family. Growing up in a small church has taught me more about love, fellowship, and family than I ever realized. I'd like to say a huge thanks to everyone at Livingston who's supported me, not only in this project, but my whole life. I can't express how much you all mean to me.
I'd also like to thank my mom who's been an enormous help and my biggest fan over the last year of putting this project into motion. She helped me brainstorm ideas, kept me sane while editing my proposal for submission to the Girl Scout Council for the third time, made fliers and stickers, took me shopping for supplies, and edited everything I wrote along the way (including this blog post, thanks Mom!). She is my rock, my friend, and my inspiration. Thanks for everything, I love you lots.
A final thanks goes to anyone else who's had any part in this. From a donation to a word of encouragement, I can't say enough how thankful I am for every little thing along the way. God has blessed me with this wonderful opportunity to help children, and wonderful people without whom I couldn't have pulled it off.
Okay I feel a bit like I just wrote an Oscar acceptance speech and now it's time to get off the stage.
Hope you all have a good week.
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Welcome to My Blog!
About Me
I’m Noelle Russell, I’m 17 and soon to be a senior Hilliard Darby High School. I’m a member of the
marching band and enjoy reading and playing music. I've attended Livingston United Methodist Church my whole life and have been a member for the last four years. I’m in the bell choir, have played solos as special music, and have volunteered at the food pantry for years. I've been a member of Girl Scouts since Daisies, as a 5-year-old. With Girl Scout Troop 2269, I've participated in several community service projects, including cooking meals at the Ronald McDonald House, and planting flowers and organizing ice cream socials at Trillium Place Senior Living. As a troop, we've earned our Bronze and Silver awards for our community service work. I’m now an Ambassador Girl Scout and am enthusiastically pursuing my Gold Award as an individual.
About the Gold Award
Starting in 1916, the best and brightest undertook projects that improved their communities – and the world. The Golden Eaglet insignia, the highest award in Girl Scouting from 1916 to1939, marked the beginning of a long tradition of recognizing the extraordinary efforts of extraordinary girls. From 1940 to 1963, the Curved Bar Award was the highest honor in Girl Scouting. From 1963 to 1980, the highest award was called First Class. And since 1980, the Gold Award has inspired girls to find the greatness inside themselves and share their ideas and passions with their communities. The Girl Scout Gold Award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouting. Open only to girls in high school, this prestigious award challenges you to change the world – or at least your corner of it. The goal is to solve a community problem – not only in the short term, but for years into the future. The seven steps of the Gold Award are to identify an issue, investigate it thoroughly, get help and build your team, create a plan, present your plan and gather feedback, take action, and educate and inspire.
My Gold Award
When approaching the first step of identifying an issue, I was forced to consider where I saw a need in my community, and what’s important to me. I considered what I’m passionate about, things like music and animals, but what I really felt was important to me, and can be shared with my community is my passion for reading. Books have made a huge difference in my life, from the first book I ever read on my own, “Green Eggs and Ham,” to books I read on a daily basis today. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without the ability to read what I want, when I want. That ability and the joy that reading gives me are things I want to be able to share. The need for reading help is something I can provide for in my community.
Through volunteering at Livingston’s food pantry I’ve witnessed that need. I’ve especially seen this through parents who have little education, and therefore little to no reading ability. What saddens me about this is their children, who are learning to read without help at home. Even the parents who can help are likely to have more important things on their minds, and reading is often overlooked. My goal is to provide that help to children who need it.
I would like to start a reading help program at Livingston once a month during Saturday’s food pantry. While parents are waiting, shopping, or loading their car, their elementary school-aged children can receive help with reading. Volunteers can help children as much or as little as they need with their own books or provided books. This will provide that little extra help once a month that can hopefully make a difference in the lives of less fortunate children.
This program will begin this summer, start date depending on when my proposal is approved by the Gold Award Committee. This blog will be my way of keeping you, the community, updated on the monthly progress of the program as it hopefully thrives!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)