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News & Events
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Storytellers Reaching Oakland Kids Posted in the Oakland Tribune on Wednesday, February 4, 2004 Written by Ali Fard, Correspondent Reading Events Twice a Month Include Food, Free Books Oakland ~ The great cultural tradition of family storytelling might have missed a generation infatuated with video games and the Internet, but all is not lost for students at some Oakland schools. The Family Reading Night Project, sponsored by a group of local literacy organizations, hosts professional storytellers from the community to read books aloud to students at 37 of the lowest performing elementary and middle schools in the city. Students and their families gather around the storyteller while having dinner and hearing folk tales and stories from different cultural traditions.They get free books too. "It's a nice event for Oakland schools," said Kelsey Krausen, program director for the Oakland Parents Literacy Project. "People are getting to know their neighbors. There's a certain level of chaos -- pizza flying and all that -- but it's really enjoyable." The project happens about twice a month, with reading events at two to five schools per night. With about 200 people attending from each school, Krausen estimates more than 1,000 people celebrating literacy in Oakland at the program's peak. "It's an amazing project because it's deeply connected to the community," said Chiraz Zapf, East Bay program manager for Community Impact, the organization that funds the program. Zapf said the program's goal is to promote literacy and convince families that reading to their kids for 20 minutes a day will enhance their literacy skills at school. Since its inception, the project has hosted readers including writer Ishmael Reed, Oakland Raiders player Roland Williams and Mayor Jerry Brown. Now the program focuses mostly on professional storytellers to better hold the audience's attention. Other groups involved include Heroes, Oakland Ready to Learn and Learning For Life. Volunteer opportunities for the Family Reading Night Project include helping with sign-ups, passing out free books, serving food and possibly doing readings in classrooms. The next reading night is at Franklin Elementary School on February 12. For more information about the project or to sign up as a volunteer, call (650) 965-0242 or e-mail The Oakland Tribune: Cityside
Oakland Tribune: General Contact Information
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Related links: - Literacy Project - Oakland Tribune - Oakland Unified Schools |
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