Over the last four weeks, Riis Academy Read for Riis! read-a-thoners (say that five times fast!) in grades kindergarten and up, have been busily consuming lots of great literature. They’ve been logging their books and chapters read and inviting friends, family and community members to support them with pledges and donations. This is our very first read-a-thon, designed to encourage literacy among our young people, build and strengthen our Riis Settlement community, encourage our friends to support the literacy efforts of our youth and serve as a fundraiser for our organization.
Now our champion readers are asking for your help. You can click here to make a donation of any size. Type the word read-a-thon into the “special purpose” box, and your gift will be used to support the youth who participated in our Read-a-thon.
On April 4th and April 11th, we held reading events and invited volunteers to come read with our champion read-a-thon participants. We are so proud of all the young people who participated! Special thanks to all the volunteers from New City Church who came out to read with our youth, and to volunteer Ellen Stedfeld who facilitated an “Illustration Corner” for students to draw pictures to accompany their stories.
Also, special thanks to local businesses Enigma Bookstore, Astoria Bookshop and Lukas Lighting, who have all been kind sponsors of the read-a-thon!
Your gift, no matter how small, will be used to support Riis Academy’s youth programming, and all the great programs Riis Settlement offers to underserved individuals in the communities of Long Island City, Astoria and greater Western Queens.
So, show your support for youth and literacy skills, and join us at our Spring Arts Festival on May 17th where the read-a-thon winners will be announced – see you there!
