By Rebecca Ballenger, Worlds of Words Associate Director
This year, Worlds of Words offers an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on middle and high school readers through a crowdfund campaign benefiting the Worlds of Words Center Reading Ambassador program. Since its inception in 2018, the Reading Ambassador program has been instrumental in creating a community for young people around reading, equipping them with real-world skills and experiences that extend beyond the pages of a book.
For more information, visit our U of A Foundation crowdfund campaign website.
Program Overview
The Reading Ambassador program is designed to immerse local middle and high school readers in a college-like experience within the realm of literature written specifically for them. Under the guidance of expert faculty and staff with backgrounds in children’s literature, education, library science and marketing, Reading Ambassadors select the novels they want to read and discuss. Each book cycle occurs over the course of two months, with four book cycles per year. The first month, we discuss the book and create plans for how to share it with peers. The next month, we host an event during which the Reading Ambassadors meet the author of the book they read. Reading Ambassadors are responsible for set up and clean up, greeting attendees and partners and moderating the program. Finally, we record an episode of our podcast, WOW Reads, to unpack the whole experience.
Impact and Benefits
Literacy Promotion: Reading Ambassadors play a pivotal role in promoting reading within their school communities. And by engaging directly with published authors of young adult literature, they not only gain insights into the creative process but also develop a deeper appreciation for the power of storytelling.
Educational Enrichment: Reading Ambassadors participate in literature discussions similar to what is offered in upper division children’s literature classes, devise strategies to share their newfound knowledge with peers, and plan and execute public events for the community. This multifaceted approach enhances their critical thinking abilities and encourages them to explore diverse perspectives.
Community Engagement: Reading Ambassadors extend their impact beyond their experience in the center by creating book displays at their schools, producing podcasts, and leveraging social media to spark enthusiasm for reading among their peers. Additionally, Reading Ambassadors gain experience and independence as they communicate with a range of people across multiple contexts. This initiative fosters a sense of community and collective learning, encouraging students to become advocates for literacy within their own spheres of influence.
Resource Distribution: In addition to the free books we provide to the Reading Ambassadors, they receive additional copies to donate to their school libraries (or other educational entity), ensuring that these literary works are shared with others. This initiative not only enriches school library collections but also broadens access for all students.
Why Your Support Matters
By investing in the Reading Ambassador program, you directly contribute to the enrichment of middle school and teen readers and support their love for books. You can back the Reading Ambassadors as leaders, expand their access to literature, and sustain their community of readers. Your gift will enable us to continue to offer and expand this transformative experience. Together we can foster deeper understandings of our humanity while maintaining the high standards of the program to more readers.
Testimonials and Success Stories
The impact of the Reading Ambassador program is best captured through the testimonials of participants whose lives have been positively influenced by this initiative:
What you can do:
The Reading Ambassador program represents opportunity for teens seeking to expand their horizons through youth literature. Your support is crucial in ensuring that this invaluable program continues to thrive, inspiring the next generation of readers, thinkers, and leaders.
Join us in making a lasting impact on the lives of young people. Together, we can promote literacy and cultivate a community where young people have the opportunity to explore the world through the power of reading. Your generosity will make worlds of difference.
Visit https://crowdfund.arizona.edu/wow for more information or to donate today!
WOW Teen Reading Ambassadors with author J.Elle at the 2022 Tucson Festival of Books. Photo courtesy of J. Elle.
WOW Currents is a space to talk about forward-thinking trends in global children’s and adolescent literature and how we use that literature with students. “Currents” is a play on words for trends and timeliness and the way we talk about social media. We encourage you to participate by leaving comments and sharing this post with your peers. To view our complete offerings of WOW Currents, please visit its archival stream.