Earlier this week, a manilla envelope packed with hand-written thank-you notes arrived at the CLiF office. They were all written by English Language Learner students at McLaughlin Middle School and Beech Street School, where CLiF presenters Duncan McDougall and Marty Kelley had given storytelling presentations and lead book giveaways for nearly 400 students in November. … Continued
Too Cold to Play Outside Official Scavenger Hunt Official rules: To win this game, you must collect everything listed, without help from an adult. Some of these will be difficult, so use your smarts and imagination. You have lots of time, but don’t get distracted. You should check things off of this list as you … Continued
General / Book Recommendations
Do you know how some literature channels your perspective outward, forcing you to examine the world that you live in? It might challenge your assumptions about something outside of yourself and contribute to the way you view the world and your role in it. Other books force you to look inward and examine your own … Continued
CLiF is now accepting applications for our Year of the Book grant for the 2013-2014 school year. Our one-year partnership with elementary schools encourages students to read and write more often for enjoyment in school and at home. CLiF provides select elementary schools in New Hampshire and Vermont with more than $25,000 worth of children’s … Continued
A few months ago, we decided we would ask our Facebook friends to become new CLiF donors. Our goal was to add 25 new donors at the $25 level or above. We also added an incentive: Our friends at Green Mountain Coffee had donated a new Keurig Single Cup Brewing System to CLiF, so we … Continued
When I was a little girl sick days were a mixed bag of good and bad. First, you woke up feeling sick. That’s bad. Then you realized you might get a delicious day off from everyday life. And better yet, a day off alone! Your siblings would still have to go to school. Mmm, peace … Continued
I don’t like it when my house gets too quiet. As the mother of two little boys, silence makes red flags go up in a hurry. I have become quite talented in tuning out the everyday sounds of fights over whose truck is whose and whose turn it is to play with the fireman. I … Continued
2012 was a pretty good year. The year our girls learned to swim and to ski. The year our older daughter started kindergarten and became an “emergent reader.” Another year our old dog survived. We had some ups and downs, but mostly ups. Not too shabby. Of course, we can always improve. Onward and upward, … Continued
Jodi Wheeler is no doubt a local hero around Lyndonville, Vermont. In 2005, Jodi founded the H.O.P.E. Foundation to help address the most basic needs of her neighbors: clothing and food. H.O.P.E. operates a thrift store to provide low cost clothing, provides emergency food and operates a weekly backpack program for children in need. Jodi … Continued
General / Book Recommendations
A few months ago I tasked our readers with an important assignment: help me find books that I can read repeatedly without losing my sanity. For those of you who missed my first blog post, feel free to read it here. The gist of my request was that I now have a (just-about-in-only-one-week-where-did-the-time-go) two-year-old who has … Continued
CLiF knows that parents have a tremendous influence on the likelihood that their child will grow up a strong reader and writer. That’s why we strive to include parents whenever possible in our programs.
Christmas cards! Wrapping! Cookies! And toys! Ornaments! Concerts! Family! And noise! Oh what a season to be someone’s mother Making some magic for your kids and others. The late nights of wrapping and shopping and baking Struggling in the dark morning hours of waking Wishing for peace, but racing instead Fending off “helpers” who won’t … Continued
(Thanks to Kat Colby for sending us this update about a recent book giveaway in Gilman, Vermont.) Tuesday, March 11 was a big day for Gilman Head Start in Gilman! In addition to a visit from local children’s author, David Martin, Head Start was awarded $2,000 worth of new hardcover books as part of Lunenburg-Gilman’s … Continued
Natalie Kinsey-Warnock, a children’s book author from Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, has been visiting K-8 students at the Lunenburg Elementary School and Gilman Middle School since October to teach her Story Keepers humanities curriculum. Story Keepers is part of Lunenburg’s three-year Community Literacy grant from CLiF. Natalie’s books are often based on her own family stories. … Continued
The day before Thanksgiving, Duncan rolled up to McLaughlin Middle School with the CLiF mobile chock full of books. CLiF specifically came to visit the ELL students – or English Language Learners – at this school in Manchester, NH. Almost all of these ELL students are New Americans, whose families have recently relocated to Manchester from … Continued
General / Book Recommendations
We all know the power books can have. They can persuade, instruct, entertain, stimulate, educate, amaze, etc., etc., etc. But can they make it snow? Probably not all by themselves, but maybe with our help. Just maybe. Remember the old “Think Snow” slogan? Well, this is exactly the time of year to pull it out … Continued
CLiF’s newest program, Year of the Book, provides more than $25,000 in literacy support, programs, and new books for six schools across New Hampshire and Vermont. One important part of Year of the Book is the mini-grants program. In each Year of the Book school, CLiF has offered $2,000 in funding for mini-grants for classroom … Continued
I pulled out a pad of paper to jot down a few ideas for my blog post, and the toddler to my right (my son Emmett’s friend) inquired, “Mommy write?” Impressed with her command of the word “write,” I joyfully responded, “Yes. I’m going to write!” To this, she replied, “Mommy write?” Again, “Yes. Write.” … Continued
CLiF has served over 350,000 children since 1998.