Even though school’s still in session, CLiF’s summer programming is already well underway! Last month, CLiF presenter Simon Brooks kicked off the first event of the summer season, hosting a storytelling session and book giveaway at the New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth and Families’ Foster Care Block Party.
Here at CLiF, we’re all about building community. You’ll hear this phrase throughout our various channels and in reference to our many, many partners across Vermont and New Hampshire. Our work ultimately aims to build a culture of literacy within a local community, and one grant in particular targets this goal: the Community Building Grant.
Having given CLiF Executive Director Laura Rice a little time to settle into her new role, we decided it was time to get to know her better! So, we peppered her with questions, and she humored us by provided insightful answers that illustrate some of the many reasons we are thrilled to have her as CLiF’s new leader.
In honor of founding Executive Director Duncan McDougall’s final day at CLiF, we are republishing the letter he penned for our 2022-2023 Winter Newsletter, graciously–as always–extending his thanks to the many friends and supporters of the organization he created. Today it is our turn to extend our sincere gratitude to Duncan for his dedicated leadership of CLiF over the last 25 years.
Award-winning author/illustrator and CLiF presenter Jason Chin has a special video message for the more than 700 young writers who entered CLiF’s debut Two-Sentence Winter Writing Contest.
Meet CLiF’s new executive director, Laura Rice and take a tour of the organization’s new headquarters, opening later this month.
Free professional development? The chance to network with colleagues and book lovers across Vermont and New Hampshire? Yes please! It’s all there in the upcoming CLiF Community Literacy Conference.
Dates: March 15, 22, and 29 (3-4:30PM EST)
They say everybody has a story. Research an entire community, and you’re bound to harvest a bushel basket of unforgettable tales.
When I was young, all I wanted to do was read and write (those two things are still pretty much at the top of my list). I was one of those kids who always had a book open—on the playground, at lunch, in line for anything. I loved writing poems and stories like I saw in my beloved books. Sometimes this caused other kids to tease me, but I could always get away by immersing myself in stories, whose characters I sometimes identified with more than the other kids in school.
CLiF is pleased to announce our 2023 Winter Writing Contest, open to kids 12 and under who live in Vermont or New Hampshire. The challenge: In exactly TWO SENTENCES, tell us a story about winter. Entries must be submitted by email or postmarked by Feb. 28. Read on for more details.
General / Literacy Activities / Book Recommendations
Start practicing your character voices and expressive intonations because World Read Aloud Day is coming up on February 1, 2023!
This bookworm-friendly celebration was founded by LitWorld in 2010, and honors the power of reading aloud, while advocating for literacy as a fundamental human right.
I am so glad to introduce myself as CLiF’s new project specialist. I joined the team in December 2022 in a role I think of as a “utility outfielder,” supporting our programs and working to build new partnerships across Vermont and New Hampshire.
The Children’s Literacy Foundation’s At-Risk program supports children in Vermont and New Hampshire who are at increased risk of growing up with low literacy skills. The program provides equitable access to inspiring literacy resources and high-quality reading materials to children in both states who might otherwise go without.
At the Children’s Literacy Foundation, we are huge fans of the many independent bookstores we partner with across New Hampshire and Vermont. Special recognition goes out to our bookstore friends who are holding book drives for CLiF this holiday season.
At the Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF), our work revolves around inspiring children to feel joy and excitement about reading and writing. Among the ways we accomplish this goal is through our flagship program, CLiF’s Year of the Book, one of our nine literacy programs.
At the Children’s Literacy Foundation, our work focuses on serving Vermont and New Hampshire children at highest risk of growing up with low literacy skills. It’s never been more important to ensure kids in our communities have equitable access to enriching literacy experiences and resources. CLiF’s programs serve children in shelters and affordable housing; refugee, foster, and migrant children; children in rural areas; children of incarcerated adults; children scoring below standard in schools; and many others.
General / Book Recommendations
In honor of Halloween, we’ve conjured up a list of our favorite spooky books for young readers who appreciate a a few tingles down their spines. No tricks, all treats.
CLiF Grant Applications / Partner Stories / CLiF Spotlight
We’re fortunate here at CLiF to have a committed and wide-ranging collection of partners, many of whom we’ve known and served for decades. The Waterville Town Library, which received a Rural Libraries grant for 2022-23, is one of these programs. Grant coordinator and volunteer Trustee Chrissy Wade wrote and received a CLiF Rural Libraries grant twenty years ago when she first moved to Waterville, Vermont!
CLiF has served over 350,000 children since 1998.