Contact Us Take The Pledge      
Transforming a Generation: 90% Literacy by Third Grade
Join the others who have taken the pledge:
Karen Malits, Debra Barnesd, jennifer jackson, Edward Shanaphy, Narda Pitkethly, Sara Goodman, Casey Dunn, STEPHANIE CLARK, Adam Faust, Tiffany Carlsen, Tammy Eriksen, Marie OBrien, Sharon Delo, Karen Newkirk, Indian River Taekwondo Langlois, Kelly Palmer, Wendi Adams, Paige Newinski, carrie fernandez, tommy collettit, Annie Brown, Carla Cundiff, kayla poindexter, Elizabeth Pinkney, Lori Nalls, Amanda Emanuel, Michelle Chandler, buzz wurzer, Ann Mathis, Janet Alford, yaquelin andrade, Jeff Miller, Hope Woodhouse , Michele Smith, Katie Collier, Tirso Moreno, Amanda Stevens, Kathryn Perez, Nancy Blessing, Donna Hedgecock, Kathleen Nealy, Kim Klaus, Karen Newkirk, Liz Tetreault, Mindy Lessem Pollack, Leslie Jones, Nancy De La Hoz, Melody M Englert, Elaine McGinty, Renee Lincoln, Michelle Bass, VBKA, Lillian Marsiglia, Christy Baer , Thomas Moore, Ralph Autullo, Mary Strickler, Marisela Luna, Carol David, Heather Helton, Juelie Perry, Diane Bressner, Lucy Roy-Delapaz, JIM BATORY, briana carter, Jennifer Roberts, uritayay, Sonja Phillips, Bridgette Diskin, LaTanya Gibson, MAry Grace Hektner, tommy collettit, Krishna Patel, Susan Aguirre , Milli Wenzel, Vero Beach Museum of Art, Michele Sternberg, Carolina Rojas, Jennifer Durrett, Lesley Lane, Carrie Spencer, elizabeth bahl, Yasmin Medina, Kay Yurigan, Lisa Barnum, Mary Anne Sitkowski, Tanya BRAUN, Dorie Shemo, Karen Taylor, Angel Maldonado, Christina Hayes, Kerilyn Ngom, Nancy Sparkman, Sophie Wood, Emily Wick, Elias Medina, Natalie Arbuckle, AmeriCorps/Big Brothers Big Sister, Joy Lukomski, cheryl gondek, Dorothy Cominsky, Kaori Fischer, East Coast Earthworks & Excavating, Dasie Hope Center, Samantha Breen, Page Woodward, JOY VANHORN, Cheryl Gondek, Kelli Mejia, Autumn Wheeler, Jody Houston, Alejandrina Micket, Elizabeth Stenger, Laura McGill, Keondra Eberhardt, Christine Sturgeon, judy jones, joshua poindexter, Amy Kelly, 1 1, 1 1, Diane Mahan, hannah kaufeh, Andrea Cosner, Leslie Connelly, liz woody, Mark yBzNyaFpSKdSM, Toni Reukauf, Lilibeth Ballina, renee fraker, Guillermina Walker, Sharon Klein, ruth darrigo, Tessa Stanley, Shanti Sanchez, Courtney Mellin, Stacey Klim, Lenora Ritchie, Liane McMullen, Rebecca Blair, SHARYN A HAWKER, Fourth Quadrant Partners, Kristina Trahan, The Buggy Bunch, Emme Scheible, Margaret Autullo, Marta Cronin, Lydia Galbraith, Pamela Miller, Doug Glenn, Linda Hammerle, Milli Wenzel, Gisele Parker, Jeanne Prince, Mary Graves, Maria Ortiz, Ronda Weaver, Nicolas ospina de la hoz, janice pagan, Matt McManus, Jill Truax, Tina Campbell, Vero Equine Riding Academy , Ramon Echeverria, donna palmquist, Christina Lindgren, Katherine Wolf, Clare Hughes, Jessica Cox, Brittany Bailey, Lisa Wheeler, Gloria Luna, Kerilyn Ngom, Cathy Durrett-Filusch, Indian River County Chamber of, Harvest Food & Outreach Center, Tisa Blidgen, keesha trusty, Elizabeth Falkiewicz, Tara Luton , Mark Farrell, Shawna Carton, Patricia Beaudoin, Heidi Lourie, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc., kari broomell, Annie Brown, maria marron, Hollie McDougall, Katrena McMahan, audrey colonna, Socorro Luna, Kayla Chitty, -1' 1, Sherrie Hale, Judy Whalen, Isabel Marron , Heather Thompson, Lorri Dior, Fidelity Investments, Lisa Guillette, GoldenTabs VlNDAmqBXuOUgPSzn, Kimberly Robideau, Gabrielle Wagner, Mary Laquidara, jacki decaro, maria miranda, Deirdre Creech, Brittany Lindsey, Dee Hollenbeck, Mary Ann Kalin, Angela Jawhar, Kim Brady, Gifford Youth Activity Center, JIM BATORY, Sterling Bobbitt , Marsha Van Arman, Amy Speak, Christy Baer, Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River County, Nichole Harris, Patrick Toole, F.A.C.T. Fellsmere Action Community Team, Vero Beach Museum of Art, mardy hall, Rose Brickles, valerie conway, Dr. Connie Proskovec, Megan Falcone, Teri Dugan, Keith Touchberry, Shannon Gillen, John obrien, Lisa Guilmette, Ramon Echeverria, Randall Hunt, Rebecca Turner, Christina Lindgren, allene moorehead, Susan Rosier, Erica Thomas, Kenny Carmichael, Kim Klaus, Barneyxcq yWxcSpFGWvTabbVDxz, Kristen Jones, Robyn Bethel, Tara Miranda, sharon richards, Cathryn Miquelon, yaquelin andrade, Jennifer Croom, Kirra OBrien, Di Pugh, Agnieszka Szymanska, Susan Del Tufo, Tracey Barker, Isabel Marron , Kaori Fischer, Mardy Fish Children's Foundation, Brooke Flood, sabrina fraga, 1 -1', Melissa Hall, Bruce Green, Fidelity Investments, Literacy Services, audrey colonna, mary kannapes, Michael Van Houten, belinda washimgton-davis, Teri Dugan, Elizabeth Pinkney, jennifer roker, Lisa Segroves, 1 -1', Susan Del Tufo, Cynthia Jorgensen, ann prince, hannah kauferh, Sharon Klein, Becky Levesque, kelly baysura, Angel Maldonado, Tricia Boyle, Beth Livers, Renee Boesch, Dean Stewart Photography, Alaina McCloud, Arianna Lagges, Matthew McManus, Dorie Shemo, mardy hall, Stacey Fletcher, Kidz Closet Charities, parker hammond, Tabitha Johnston, Farrah Lemanski, Annie Brown, Teri Barenborg, Tessa House, Devi Maharajh, shelby dorris, Nancy Blessing, Susan Rosier, LaTanya Morgan, Suzi Rusin, Maria Alvarez, Sherry White, Whole Child Indian River, Andrea Cosner, Mike Gaudio, Brenda Zamora, Bent Pine Golf Club, Nicole Piontek, Amber Petry, Crystal Gothe, Rachel Holpfer, Gretchen DiVincenzo, LaTanya Morgan, shelby dorris, matt KdPIOvmNNItBy, Kelly Sartain, Achillies Pace, Maureen Nicolace, Heather Thompson, Jayne Becker, Gloria Severino, Susan Rosier, Mari Seg, Susan Del Tufo, Tiffany Justice, Gina Sultaire, Traci McGough, Bill McMullen, Ashley Farruggio, Helene Caseltine, Jennifer Steele, Kathryn Woodall, Diane Donar, Melinda Judson, Sue Sharpe, Vero Beach Police Department, Taylor Walker, Laurie Pedersen, Celeste McWilliams, Mary Kramek, FELLSMERE ELEMENTARY, Jamie Stalter, Sandra Daniel, Nancy De La Hoz, Emilia Jacobs, Patricia Mandell, ggdxfg fdgfh, Chuck Evans, Vero Beach Magazine, Debra Schroeder, Heather Young, Fenia Hiaasen, DOE-OEL, GEORGE JETT, Sandy Hamrick, Elizabeth Tetreault, Dr. David Christiansen, Christopher Cummings, Kelley Williams, Barbara Johnson, Laura Zorc, Patricia Mandell, Cindi Ellis, Therese Victoria, United Way of Indian River Co., TLA, Shariea Shoatz, -1' 1, Linda Condit, Ramon Echeverria, Indian River County Lawyers Auxiliary, Janai Cooper, Rhonda McGilberry, charlene bentien, Heidi Lourie, Phoebe Beacham, Angela Bosman, Sharon Klein, Kelly Palmer, test test, Kristi Challenor, Jennifer Seifstein, Jenna Chatfield, Tami Haffield, Ana Renuart, Becky Allen, ISABELLA LAGGES, Clare Hughes, Kevin Maloney, 211/Help Me Grow, Janet Farmer, Nancy Prizito, Jeff The Bro, Raquel Searcy, Pamela Prange, Louis and Sara Smith, Deborah Dillon, Healthy Families, Arlene Kahn, sharon butler, Karen Disney, jorge luis ramirez, Nate & Kristen Bruckner, Christine Ryall, Helene Caseltine, Ralph Sunshine Acquisitions, Theresa Wagner, Heather Quigley, Megan Falcone, Kelli Mejia, Bobbie Donelson, Lisa McFaland, Emily Jarrett, Kathleen Hamilton, Becky Warren, Margaret Dawson-Brown, Susan Del Tufo, Rhonda McGilberry, Lisa Bishop, Kathy Minix, Erin Hollander, Janie Graves Hoover, Kristin Culbreth, FRAN PERKINS, Donna Hedgecock, Hayley Gondek, Amanda Acker, Fellsmere Police Department FPD,

“Book Em” spreads the word

There was much to be thankful for Thanksgiving week as the Moonshot Moment Bookmobile made its way through the Gifford community handing out books from The Learning Alliance Mobile Library with the help of Indian River County Sheriff's deputies.

In an effort to put books in the hands of children while making connections, The Learning Alliance and the Sheriff's Office formed a literacy partnership to promote reading through “Book Em: A new take on getting booked by law enforcement” in support of The Alliance's Moonshot Moment Goal to have 90 percent of Indian River County children reading on grade level by the third grade.

Officers helped get the “word” out in low-income neighborhoods, escorting the bookmobile, assisting the children to select books and reading with them on bean bags.

Deputy Freddie Floyd led the charge as the bookmobile made stops at Grace Manor, Taylor Pointe, Victory Park and Pinnacle Grove in the Gifford Community literally spreading the word. More than 125 people – from babies to grandparents – availed themselves of more than 600 books.

The lack of children’s books is more pronounced in areas with higher concentrations of poverty, according to a recent study. Book deserts constrain opportunities to prepare children to come to school ready to learn.

Having access to print resources at an early age directly affects a child's vocabulary, background knowledge and comprehension skills. The presence of books in the home has been shown to directly correlate with children’s reading achievement.

The vast disparity of book availability in homes between middle-income communities with 13 books for each child is in stark contrast to having only 1 age-appropriate book for every 300 children in areas of concentrated poverty – an average of 16 times as many books per child.

“'Book Em' is a classic example of the power of our Moonshot Community Action Network, as this was a partnership between The Learning Alliance, the Sheriff’s Department and our public housing neighborhoods,” said Marie O'Brien, TLA Manager of Digital Media and Moonshot Outreach. “It’s such a joy to see the smile on a child’s face when they get to select and keep their very own book. For some, it is the first book they have ever owned, but we’re working to change that in our Moonshot Community so that every child has a home library.”

About The Learning Alliance:

At The Learning Alliance, our work is predicated on the question – What does it take to achieve 90 percent literacy by third grade such that we create literate, compassionate, creative citizens who will improve our world? The Learning Alliance is a catalyst for innovation and collaboration supporting the Moonshot Moment 90 percent literacy transformative goal by arming front-line educators, parents, and community leaders with the tools, knowledge, and support necessary for success. Through innovative, evidence-based approaches to teaching and learning, we empower teachers to transform children’s lives. Through partnerships with the School District of Indian River County, Indian River State College, community leaders and civic youth organizations in our community, we hope to create local solutions that can serve as a model for the nation.

For more information about The Learning Alliance, please visit www.thelearningalliance.org or call 877-548-READ (7323).