ABOUT US
OUR MISSION
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Making the U.S. more literate, one child and one book at a time!
OUR VISION
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Camp Read-a-Rama is a non-profit that uses books for children and young adults as the springboard for all program activities. We provide fully-engaged year-round programming that seeks to improve literacy, particularly for children most in need of literacy intervention. Read-a-Rama programs are research-based and employ data to inform literacy and social emotional best practices.
FOUNDERS
Dr. Michelle H. Martin and Dr. Rachelle D. Washington founded Read-a-Rama in 2009 at Clemson University, where it operated for four years. After Dr. Martin moved to University of SC in 2011, they ran camp from there for 3 years, then Read-a-Rama became a non-profit with the assistance of the U of SC Law Clinic. Dr. Martin moved to University of Washington in 2016, and since 2017, camp has been offered in Washington State. Virtual programming began in March 2020, and Read-a-Rama currently seeks to train adults across the country to offer Read-a-Rama programs. Staff and volunteers serving Read-a-Rama campers build cultural competence to cultivate relationships with children from all backgrounds.
OUR BELIEFS
All children can reach their highest potential;
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100% engagement is good for all types of learners;
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The creation and growth of home libraries positively contribute to literacy development;
All programming should embrace all types of diversity;
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Cultural literacy comes through engaging community resources, such as field trips to local museums, businesses, and organizations;
Serving the whole child and their family brings positive results;
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Parents and guardians are a child’s first teacher and should always be involved in their child’s learning;
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Meaningful relationships between adults and children around books and literacy-rich activities positively contribute to children’s learning;
Read-a-Rama Programs must engage community assets—human, organizational, financial, and more—to model literacy and celebrate lifelong learning.
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Word In Black
Word in Black is a collaboration of the nation's leading Black news publishers, tasked with teaching Generation TikTok how to tell what's true online.
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Black people are being targeted with misinformatiion, so ensuring the next generation can tell what's true is
"critical to freedom."
