Service learning is a method of instruction in which classroom learning is applied to real world situations through service to others. This past semester Books Are Wings was excited to offer our first service learning opportunities. Two Johnson & Wales students have been volunteering the skills they have learned in class since January to help Books Are wings with some key initiatives.

Gianna Trottier is a senior Sports Management and Marketing major who needed an internship that dealt with event planning. She quickly got up to speed on the plans for Books Are wing’s major fundraiser and threw herself into even the smallest details. She immersed herself in the day-to-day workings of Books Are wings  – staffing book parties, attending board meetings, and working closely with the director and assistant director on fundraising opportunities – to truly understand the mission of our organization. Working with Gianna has been a model for how a service learning internship can function – we gained valuable help on the day to day workings of our organization, and she gained experience and real world applications to what she has learned at Johnson & Wales.

Corinne Costa is a Johnson & Wales student studying graphic design. When Books Are Wings wanted to update its logo Corinne was chosen to help us develop it. Working closely for months with a great deal of back-and-forth tweaking, Corinne was able to experiencing what it is like working with clients on a project and meeting real-world deadlines while refining her graphic design skills. The end result is a modern new logo for Books Are Wings!

Wednesday, April 11^th was a night filled with books, music, dancing, face painting, crafts, snacks and more! Over 300 children filled the East Providence Library for the festivities. Since the inception of Books Are Wings, parties have been in full swing at Weaver Library in East Providence. Children and families in the area know Books Are Wings and with the support and organization of Pam Scheiwger, East Providence Library’s Children Librarian, Book Parties at the library are an amazing success. Books Parties are an effective way to foster community – unity, build social skills and is a key education initiative, which strengthens children and their families.

Save the dates for more Parties in the Library! Tell the children and families you know about the parties in their area to kick off summer reading.

June 22^nd Central Falls Library

June 28^th in Woonsocket Library

 United Way of Rhode Island’s Women’s Leadership Council is pleased to announce the launch of a children’s book drive that will run through July 31. In partnership with Books Are Wings, the effort engages local businesses, community organizations, and families to coordinate collections that help foster a love of reading while encouraging children to build their own libraries at home.

 Donations of new and gently used books may be delivered directly to UWRI’s office at 50 Valley Street in Providence. UWRI is also available to arrange for the pick-up of your book drive collection. All of the books collected will be distributed during Back to School Celebration RI’s backpack distribution event at United Way of RI’s 50 Valley Street headquarters on Saturday, August 18. To host a donation site please contact Jocelynn White, Director jwhite@booksarewings.org/ 401-651-8317.

During the month of April many schools across Rhode Island host a Reading Week – a week to emphasize the importance of reading and literacy skills in future school and life success. During the week guest readers and inspirational speakers visit classrooms, and many literacy programs and activities take place. Books Are Wings was able to support Reading Week activities at several schools through our book party program. At Globe Park Elementary in Woonsocket, Baldwin School in Pawtucket, Orlo and Oldham Schools in East Providence and B.F. Norton School in Cumberland we met with every grade to read stories, make book marks, and give away free books. Access to books in their own homes helps children take the message of Reading Week beyond the classroom, supporting and expanding their literacy skills.

Books Are Wings had a very busy March! We visited 12 sites and put over 2800 books into the hands of some of Rhode Island’s most at-risk children. At each Book Party included storytelling, making bookmarks and giving each child the opportunity to choose two free books. We were so pleased to visit the following programs:

~Captain Hunt School in Central Falls. Thank you to BankRI for partnering with us on this Book Party and providing each child with a tote bag for their books!

~Beautiful Beginnings Day Care.

~Children’s Friend Head Start. Over the course of the month we were able to visit both the morning and afternoon programs at all eight Children’s Friend sites.

~Sullivan School in Newport.

~Winters Elementary, Pawtucket. Thank you to Mayor Donald Grebien for being a guest reader at this event!