Reading Is Our Superpower

Literacy Transforms Us into Leaders

We all can agree that reading is fundamental. As one volunteer shared, reading is a way, “to continuously help the children of the future be the leaders of the future.” The team at Communities In Schools of Michigan could not agree more, and that is why we brought the Leaders and Literacy Day to Dearborn Public Schools during March is Reading Month.

There is nothing like the Leaders and Literacy Day, where we recruit hundreds of volunteers to infiltrate a school so that every student has someone to read with them one-on-one and share their passion for reading. Everyone reads the same book and each student goes home with their own brand new copy. The book is pivotal. This year it was Yasmin the Superhero by Saadi Faruqi, for its empowering message and culturally relevant characters. After this first Leaders and Literacy Day in Dearborn we were astounded by the positive response from the community. Since the March 4th event, a constant stream of stories and notes of appreciation have been sent from the volunteers, community partners, and the staff, students and parents at Salina Elementary School.

There were 228 volunteers, plus parents, who read one-on-one during this whole school takeover.  A teacher, who has been at Salina Elementary School for 29 years, said she couldn't remember a better event where she has seen such joy on her students’ faces. One student went so far as to say it was the best day of their life. This day is so important to us at CIS of Michigan, because we know students rarely have the chance for one adult to give them an hour's worth of attention. That attention from one adult can make a student feel empowered to learn to read and become their own superhero. Volunteers shared the important message to love and appreciate reading, and moreover, displayed that message by giving up their time to spend their morning with our students.

The Magical Power of Reading

Here is volunteer Randy Ferguson’s testimony of his experience at the Leaders and Literacy Day:

“Our book was Yasmin the Superhero. I followed the format given to us by school leaders. But we didn’t only read the book together (his reading ability was amazing), we chatted along the way. We needed to find out what super powers [my student] had that we could draw onto the paper “super” shield we made for each of the kids.

[My student] was so shy at first, but when we found his super abilities, his eyes twinkled. I explained to him that super powers do not only consist of flying and fighting evil, rather can contain everyday kindnesses.  We settled on his ability to speak and read two languages (which made his smile larger) and his desire to help others be safe (like being a safety boy when he gets to the higher grades).

This event filled my day with a wonderful joy that not only gave me a new perspective on learning and open-mindedness, but rather filled my day with thoughts of [this student].  Such a powerful message was sent by communicating with this beautiful little boy.”

This is just one of many stories amplifying the power of this book’s message and the special connections that were made in every classroom that morning. Another volunteer shared that they chose to volunteer at the Leaders and Literacy Day, “…because kids need to know that more people care about them and to show them that reading is fun”. This message came through each pair reading side-by-side. All the students even heard this message through a video from Saadia Faruqi, author of Yasmin the Superhero, on this special day.

After the event, we already had students running up to us, asking when the next Leaders and Literacy Day would be. This event could not have happened without the dedicated staff at Salina Elementary School and the local support from companies like AK Steel and Gleaners Community Food Bank. The average costs of a Leaders and Literacy day is approximately $2,500 or more. We are so grateful to our sponsors: First Book, Delta Dental, D&B Grocers, the Amity Foundation, several individuals, and donations from Culligan of Detroit, Biggby, King's Bakery, and New Yasmeen Bakery we were able to put on this year's event.

Share A Gift For the Hour

Two more Leaders and Literacy Days were scheduled for March, one in Battle Creek and one in Lansing. Due to the statewide school closures and shelter-in-place mandates those events haven’t happened. One of the featured books was about a girl who wants to find a way to help her family and community during a crisis called The Breaking News by Sarah Lynne Reul. It is the most timely book for students to read during the COVID-19 pandemic. Author Reul decided to make a virtual read aloud for all the students who are now learning from home. Check out the amazing story of The Breaking News here, and share it with a child you know as they process the current events.

Even if we are not able to match the 178 volunteer readers for our two other Leaders and Literacy Days, we can still share the gift of reading and the powerful messages each book holds with the children around us. A volunteer from Dearborn said, “…I believe reading opens the world to all,” what a perfect gift for the hour. With schools closed many students are having cabin fever and not getting valuable instruction; tell them the secret of how books can transport you to other worlds. As Pat Zietlow Miller, author of our featured book Remarkably You, puts it, “Books are remarkable. They can take you anywhere you want to go and places you never even knew existed”.

Thank you to every person who volunteered and is an advocate for children’s literacy. We are leaders and superheroes in our communities every time we pick up a book and read with a child.