An Open Book Foundation

AN OPEN BOOK FOUNDATION CONNECTS WASHINGTON DC-AREA STUDENTS TO AUTHORS, ILLUSTRATORS, AND THEIR BOOKS TO NURTURE A LIFELONG LOVE OF READING. WE SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE BY BUILDING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO INTERACTIVE LITERACY ENRICHMENT AND HIGH-QUALITY BOOKS.

AN OPEN BOOK FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO CONNECT AUTHORS, ILLUSTRATORS, AND THEIR BOOKS WITH WASHINGTON, DC-AREA STUDENTS TO BUILD EQUITABLE ACCESS AND NURTURE A LIFELONG LOVE OF READING. OUR VISION IS THAT CHILDREN SEE THEMSELVES AS READERS WHO CAN EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN THE VISUAL AND WRITTEN ARTS. AN OPEN BOOK BRINGS AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS TO SCHOOLS WHERE AT LEAST 50% OF THE POPULATION QUALIFIES FOR FEDERAL FREE AND REDUCED MEALS (FARMS); TYPICALLY NEARLY 85% OF STUDENTS QUALIFY FOR FARMS. AUTHORS/ILLUSTRATORS PRESENT ENGAGING BOOK TALKS AND INTERACTIVE WRITING AND DRAWING DEMONSTRATIONS AND AOB GIVES EVERY STUDENT ATTENDING THE EVENT A COPY OF THE AUTHOR'S BOOK TO ADD TO THEIR HOME LIBRARY. SCHOOL AND CLASSROOM LIBRARIES RECEIVE A SET OF THE AUTHOR'S TITLES. SINCE OUR FIRST EVENT MORE THAN ELEVEN YEARS AGO, WE HAVE GIVEN NEARLY 100,000 BOOKS TO STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS AT OVER 2,100 SCHOOL VISITS WHERE AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS MADE OVER 2,000 PRESENTATIONS. DURING PRESENTATIONS, AUTHORS INTERACT WITH CLASSES; WHILE SIGNING STUDENT'S BOOKS AUTHORS ENGAGE IN ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH STUDENT. THESE TALENTED AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS DONATE THEIR TIME TO PROVIDE DYNAMIC, INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES INCLUDING WRITING WORKSHOPS, READ-ALOUD, LITERACY-BASED ART PROJECTS, AND THE CREATION OF PERMANENT SCHOOL MURALS. MEETING PROFESSIONAL BOOK CREATORS CAN INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO A FUTURE CAREER PATH THEY MAY NOT HAVE OTHERWISE CONSIDERED. STUDENTS CAN IMAGINE THEMSELVES AS WRITERS OR ARTISTS WHEN THEY MEET AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS WHO LOOK LIKE THEM. IT IS CRITICAL THAT ALL CHILDREN DISCOVER NOT ONLY CREATORS BUT CHARACTERS AND STORYLINES THAT SHARE THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE OR CULTURE. FURTHERMORE, WITH THE ADDITION OF BOOKS TO HOMES AND SCHOOLS, LIBRARY CIRCULATION INCREASES, HOME LIBRARIES EXPAND, AND CHILDREN'S ENTHUSIASM GROWS. WHEN THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC FORCED SCHOOLS TO SHIFT TO DISTANCE LEARNING, AOB QUICKLY RETOOLED OUR EXISTING PROGRAMS AND INITIATED A FEW NEW ONES TO CONTINUE TO FULFILL AOB'S MISSION. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND THROUGHOUT THE NEXT, WE CONNECTED STUDENTS WITH VIRTUAL AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR VISITS AND BOOKS WITH DELIVERIES FOR PICK-UP AT THEIR SCHOOLS. AN OPEN BOOK ADDED TWO NEW INITIATIVES TO HELP SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS AT THE START OF THE PANDEMIC: DELIVERIES OF LEISURE READING BOOKS FOR STUDENTS AND AN ONLINE EDUCATORS' RESOURCE GUIDE. BETWEEN MID-MARCH AND JUNE, WE DELIVERED 5,621 CAREFULLY CURATED BOOKS TO 39 OF OUR PARTNER SCHOOLS FOR DISTRIBUTION DURING MEAL AND PACKET PICK-UP. AN OPEN BOOK HAS SEVERAL PROGRAMS IN ADDITION TO OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAM, PROVIDING AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR SCHOOL VISITS. 1. AOB'S ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM CONNECTS BOOK ILLUSTRATORS AND WRITERS TO SECOND AND FIFTH GRADERS FOR MULTI-LESSON EVENTS. THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY A GRANT FROM THE DC COMMISSION FOR THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES. 2. OUR NEW AND EMERGING ARTISTS OF COLOR PROGRAM AMPLIFIES THE VOICES OF NEW AND EMERGING BIPOC (BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR) AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS. THE PILOT PHASE OF THIS NEW PROGRAM FOCUSES ON BLACK ARTISTS, PROVIDING ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE STUDENTS WE SERVE TO SEE THEMSELVES IN BOOKS AND IN THE CREATORS OF THOSE BOOKS. THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY A GRANT FROM THE SENDAK FOUNDATION, WHICH ALSO PROVIDED FUNDING TO PURCHASE BOOKS FROM LOCAL BLACK-OWNED BOOKSTORES. 3. AFTER SELECTED EVENTS, AOB RETURNS TO SCHOOLS WITH A FOLLOW-UP EXTENSION ACTIVITY. THESE ACTIVITIES EXPLORE HOW BOOKS ACT AS CATALYSTS TO ACTION AND INVESTIGATION AND DEEPEN STUDENTS' EXPERIENCES WITH THE AUTHORS' AND ILLUSTRATORS' BOOKS THEY RECEIVED. USING LESSON PLANS DEVELOPED BY OUR EDUCATION COORDINATOR AND/OR ONE OF OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS, STUDENTS ENGAGE IN A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES THAT FURTHER INVESTIGATE AN ASPECT OF THEIR BOOK AND/OR A CONNECTION TO THEIR CURRENT CURRICULUM. 4. AOB'S BOOK GROUP PROGRAM, OR BOOK ACQUISITION TEAM, HAS THREE GOALS: JUMP-START A BOOK GROUP THAT THE LIBRARIAN WILL SUSTAIN INDEPENDENTLY; STRENGTHEN STUDENTS' ADVOCACY SKILLS ON BEHALF OF SCHOOL LITERACY INITIATIVES, AND PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH BOOKS TO READ FOR THE GROUP AND TO ADD TO THEIR HOME LIBRARIES. STUDENTS WRITE SIMPLE GRANT APPLICATIONS (IN GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALLY) TO AOB FOR BOOKS FOR THEMSELVES AND THE SCHOOL LIBRARY. AOB HAS A CADRE OF STAFF WITH VAST EXPERIENCE AS LIBRARIANS, TEACHERS, AND BOOKSELLERS, WHO SCOUR LITERARY PUBLICATIONS AND PUBLISHER GRIDS TO IDENTIFY THE BEST AUTHORS AND BOOKS FOR THE STUDENTS WE SERVE. WE ARE THEREFORE ABLE TO MATCH AN AUTHOR'S TALENTS AND A BOOK'S SUBJECT MATTER WITH A GIVEN GRADE'S UNIT OF STUDY.

AN OPEN BOOK FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO CONNECT WASHINGTON DC-AREA STUDENTS TO AUTHORS, ILLUSTRATORS, AND THEIR BOOKS TO NURTURE A LIFELONG LOVE OF READING. WE SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE BY BUILDING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO INTERACTIVE LITERACY ENRICHMENT AND HIGH-QUALITY BOOKS. OUR VISION IS THAT CHILDREN SEE THEMSELVES AS READERS, WHO USE THEIR WRITTEN AND VISUAL LITERACY SKILLS TO NAVIGATE A COMPLEX WORLD AND DEFINE THEIR OWN FUTURE. AOB PARTNERS WITH TITLE 1 SCHOOLS IN THE DC METRO AREA (WARDS 1,2,4,5,6,7,8 IN DC; MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD; AND ALEXANDRIA CITY AND FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA). BECAUSE WE WORK IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS, WE ALSO CONSIDER OTHER DATA POINTS TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY. DUE TO A LONG HISTORY OF DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES IN OUR COUNTRY, STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOLS WE SERVE ARE PREDOMINANTLY BIPOC. NOT ONLY DO AOB'S LITERACY PROGRAMS ADDRESS THESE DISPARITIES, THEY INFUSE JOY IN THE STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND AUTHORS WHO EXPERIENCE THEM. AUTHORS/ILLUSTRATORS PRESENT ENGAGING BOOK TALKS AND INTERACTIVE WRITING AND DRAWING DEMONSTRATIONS AND AOB GIVES EVERY STUDENT ATTENDING THE EVENT A COPY OF THE AUTHOR'S BOOK TO ADD TO THEIR HOME LIBRARY. SCHOOL AND CLASSROOM LIBRARIES RECEIVE A SET OF THE AUTHOR'S TITLES. SINCE OUR FIRST EVENT MORE THAN TWELVE YEARS AGO, WE HAVE GIVEN NEARLY 110,000 BOOKS TO STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS AT OVER 1,200 SCHOOL VISITS WHERE AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS MADE OVER 2,200 PRESENTATIONS. DURING PRESENTATIONS, AUTHORS INTERACT WITH CLASSES; WHILE SIGNING STUDENT'S BOOKS AUTHORS ENGAGE IN ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH STUDENT. THESE TALENTED AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS DONATE THEIR TIME TO PROVIDE DYNAMIC, INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES INCLUDING WRITING WORKSHOPS, READING-ALOUD AND LITERACY-BASED ART PROJECTS. MEETING PROFESSIONAL BOOK CREATORS CAN INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO A FUTURE CAREER PATH THEY MAY NOT HAVE OTHERWISE CONSIDERED. STUDENTS CAN IMAGINE THEMSELVES AS WRITERS OR ARTISTS WHEN THEY MEET AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS WHO SHARE THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE OR CULTURE. FURTHERMORE, WITH THE ADDITION OF BOOKS TO HOMES AND SCHOOLS, LIBRARY CIRCULATION INCREASES, HOME LIBRARIES EXPAND, AND CHILDREN'S ENTHUSIASM GROWS. WHEN THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC FORCED SCHOOLS TO SHIFT TO DISTANCE LEARNING, AOB QUICKLY RETOOLED OUR EXISTING PROGRAMS TO A VIRTUAL FORMAT, AND INITIATED A FEW NEW ONES, TO CONTINUE TO FULFILL AOB'S MISSION. IN THE 2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR, AOB IS RETURNING TO THE CLASSROOM FOR A MAJORITY OF ITS PROGRAMMING. IN ADDITION TO OUR FLAGSHIP AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR SCHOOL VISITS, PROGRAM, AN OPEN BOOK OFFERS SEVERAL OTHER PROGRAMS: 1. AOB'S ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM FEATURES MULTI-SESSION LESSONS THAT CONNECT STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TO AWARD-WINNING ILLUSTRATORS AND THEIR BOOKS BY EXPLORING A VISUAL ART PROCESS FEATURED IN THE BOOK'S STORYLINE OR ILLUSTRATION MEDIUM. THESE LESSONS ALIGN WITH THE DCPS ARTS FRAMEWORK. TECHNIQUES FEATURED MAY INCLUDE SCULPTING, COMICS, PRINTMAKING, OR RECYCLED MATERIAL CREATIONS. EVERY STUDENT RECEIVES A KIT OF ART SUPPLIES AND AT LEAST ONE BOOK. THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS KEEP THEIR BOOKS AND KITS SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO PRACTICE WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED LONG AFTER THE RESIDENCY HAS CONCLUDED. AOB PROVIDES THE ILLUSTRATOR WITH A STIPEND, AND ILLUSTRATORS' TRAVEL AND HOTEL COSTS. 2. THE STEM RESIDENCE PROGRAM FEATURES MULTI-SESSION LESSONS THAT CONNECT STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TO NON-FICTION WRITERS AND THEIR BOOKS TO EXPLORE STEM-RELATED SKILLS AND CONCEPTS. THE STEM RESIDENCE PROGRAM, ALIGNED WITH NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS, FOCUSES ON HANDS-ON APPLICATIONS RELATED TO SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS, INQUIRIES, AND PROCESSES. EACH STUDENT RECEIVES A COPY OF THE BOOK AND A SCIENCE MATERIALS KIT. THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS KEEP THEIR BOOKS AND KITS SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO PRACTICE WHAT THEY LEARNED LONG AFTER THE RESIDENCY HAS CONCLUDED. AOB PROVIDES THE AUTHOR WITH A STIPEND AND THE AUTHORS' TRAVEL AND HOTEL COSTS. 3. OUR NEW AND EMERGING ARTISTS OF COLOR PROGRAM AMPLIFIES THE VOICES OF NEW AND EMERGING BIPOC (BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR) AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS. AOB RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF CONNECTING STUDENTS WITH CREATORS WHO LOOK LIKE THEM, BUT WE FACE CHALLENGES GETTING DEBUT BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR (BIPOC) BOOK CREATORS. DEBUT AUTHORS AREN'T ALWAYS SUPPORTED WITH PUBLICITY BUDGETS AND TOURS. OUR PROGRAM FOR NEW AND EMERGING AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS OF COLOR AMPLIFIES THE CREATIVE VOICES OF NEW BIPOC AUTHORS/ILLUSTRATORS. AOB PROVIDES A MODEST STIPEND TO EVERY AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM AND R TRAVEL AND HOTEL EXPENSES FOR AUTHORS/ILLUSTRATORS. 4. AOB AND ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS VISITS A SCHOOL BEFORE OR AFTER A SELECTED EVENT WITH AN EXTENSION ACTIVITY. USING LESSON PLANS DEVELOPED BY OUR EDUCATION COORDINATOR AND/OR ONE OF OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS, STUDENTS EXPLORE AN ASPECT OF THEIR BOOK AND/OR A CONNECTION TO THEIR CURRENT CURRICULUM. THESE ACTIVITIES EXPLORE HOW BOOKS ACT AS CATALYSTS TO ACTION AND INVESTIGATION AND DEEPEN STUDENTS' EXPERIENCES WITH THE AUTHORS' AND ILLUSTRATORS' BOOKS THEY RECEIVED. FOR EXAMPLE, TONY HILLERY, AUTHOR OF THE PICTURE BOOK AND FOUNDER OF THE NONPROFIT HARLEM GROWN, JOINED AOB TO VISIT THE LOCAL NONPROFIT FOODPRINTS SUMMER SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THEIR SCHOOL GARDENS TO SHARE AND COMPARE GROWING-AND COOKING-TIPS AND TECHNIQUES.