If you live in California - join speakupparents.org

California’s future depends on the quality of our public education system – a system that is not effectively serving most children in California.

Education policy is driven by decisions made in Sacramento and in local school districts, while parents – the most important and best advocates for kids – historically have not had a meaningful voice in the process.

Speak UP is an organization founded by parents who want to change that dynamic and improve public education in California. Our strategy is to engage our parent partners around the issues that are important to them – starting at the most local level – and bring them together to build a larger community of advocates.

When parents understand the decision-making process and recognize that systemic change is within their power, they will raise their collective voice as advocates and voters. Working as a community, we will drive the necessary policy changes to promote high-quality public education for all California children. Speak UP will build an enduring organization that will have a lasting impact on electoral results and legislation. 

The mission of Speak UP is to engage, educate and activate parents and community members to advocate for excellent, equitable public education at their children’s schools, in their communities, with elected representatives and at the ballot box.

http://speakupparents.org/

Milk+Bookies - Read Give Grow!

My amazing friend Meredith Alexander has a program called Milk + Bookies!  Go to http://www.milkandbookies.org/ and see how you can get involved with this incredible organization!

Read!

It’s what Milk+Bookies is all about, spreading the love of reading to those who can’t afford books of
their own.

Give!

Well, that AND service learning. Milk+Bookies teaches kids the importance of giving, and instills in them self-confidence, pride and a sense of goodwill – all wonderful byproducts of the Milk+Bookies brand of philanthropy.

Grow!

So how does Milk+Bookies foster literacy and service learning? By providing all of the tools, resources, support and instruction required for anyone to host their own Milk+Bookies parties. At these “book-raisers,” children are invited to choose, inscribe and donate books to their local peers in need and want of appropriate reading material.

Leaders + Readers

A continuation of our “Read! Give! Grow!” philosophy, Leaders + Readers is a program designed to encourage student volunteers in the Los Angeles community to organize book drives to benefit another Los Angeles based “sister” school.

The goal of every Leaders+Readers Book Drive is to flood underserved Los Angeles schools with books to support learning and academic excellence AND allow students to gain experience with leadership and community service. In the 2014-2015 school year, we were able to raise 55,800 books!

Email bookdrives@milkandbookies.org to find out how YOUR school can become a host or recipient with Leaders + Readers!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKuHAUhFKxk

5 thought provoking books to read this summer!

1)  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie

2)  And Tango Makes Three, Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

3)  The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison

4)  It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris

5)  The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky

Shout out to Dan Santat for his book The Adventures of Beekle winning the Caldecott

Congratulations to longtime JacketFlap member Dan Santat. Dan was awarded the Caldecott for his book The Adventures of Beekle. Congratulations Dan!

From Kirkus:

If an imaginary friend is unimagined, does it become a real friend?

Beekle (a crowned white gumdrop of lovable cuteness) lives on a fantastic island with other creatures “waiting to be imagined by a real child.” After seeing his companions leave, one by one, Beekle loses faith that he will ever “be picked and given a special name,” and so he does “the unimaginable” and ventures forth to find his friend. Upon arriving at a port city, he observes adults going about their daily lives in monochrome, dingy settings that lack any spark of color or vitality. Perspectives that often isolate the tiny Beekle in corners or surround him with large figures accentuate his loneliness. Everything changes when he arrives at a playground awash in color and sees children playing with their imaginary friends—many of whom had been on his island. But even here, he still cannot find his special friend. Feeling sad, he climbs a tree, and from his perch, he hears a voice calling to him. Lo and behold, he meets his special friend, Alice. She’s imagined him after all, as evidenced by the picture he retrieves for her, which is of himself handing her a picture. In a delightful comic sequence, the pair become acquainted, and “the world began to feel a little less strange."

Just in time for Valentine's Day!

If you have Bitcoin and someone special in your life, show how much you love them by buying flowers at Bitroses.com. Use coupon code: JF2015 and receive $5.00 off your purchase at check out.

Quote of the week!

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” 
- Mark Twain

Los Angeles Times Festival of Books Volunteer Program April 18-19, 2015

April 18 - 19, 2015

Festival of Books Volunteer Program

Repost from The Los Angeles Times Website

Thank you for your interest in volunteering for the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.

The Festival of Books began in 1996 with a simple goal: Bring together the people who create books and the people who love to read them. The Festival was an immediate success and has become Southern California's major literary event, now celebrating its 20th year! The 2015 Festival will be held on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19 at the University of Southern California and we would love to have you join us as a volunteer.

Last year 153,500 people attended the Festival, which featured over a hundred ticketed author events, children’s storytelling, poetry readings, book signings and nearly 500 exhibitor booths.  The Festival’s success has been due in part to the generous assistance of volunteers who welcomed attendees, assisted with registration, staffed author events, supervised book signings and much more.

Some details about volunteering: 

• Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older.  You cannot bring children under the age of 18 with you during your shift. 
• Volunteers will receive free parking, shuttle service from the parking lot, and lunch. 
• We will provide t-shirts for volunteers to wear and keep after the event.  (Please wear khaki, or beige pants or shorts.) 
• The majority of volunteer activities require being on your feet for most of your shift. Please wear comfortable shoes.
• Volunteer shifts last 3 - 4 hours, and you may sign up for as many shifts as you wish for one or both days. You may sign up for overlapping shifts and work the duration of the hours for those shifts.
• If you're flexible as to when you can work, when you sign up online, indicate which shifts you could work, and check the box indicating you'll work any ONE of the shifts indicated. If you'd like to work multiple shifts, check the box indicating you'll work ALL shifts selected. 
• Most volunteer positions are assigned when you check-in on the day of event. There are a few assignemnts with special time requirements (author escorts, registration, etc.) that you can express interest in as part of the online registration process. 

If you are a volunteer with strong leadership qualities, you might be interested in our Bookworm program.  This program rewards volunteers who provide leadership and commitment above and beyond the norm. Bookworms will be selected from those volunteers who agree to serve as Area Captains for an entire day of the Festival and attend a special training session. Bookworm roles include managing panel rooms, taking charge of Information Booths, supervising volunteers at Booksignings and other leadership activities. In addition to receiving a special shirt to wear at the Festival and other perks, Bookworms will be recognized in the Festival of Books program. While most Bookworms are veteran volunteers of the Festival of Books, we will still consider your interest if you are a first-time volunteer. If you wish to be considered as a bookworm for the first time, in addition to filling out the online application linked below, please email a resume that tells us a bit about your work experience.  If selected, you will be notified by the first week in March. 

If you experience any difficulties registering online please email us or call the volunteer hotline at (213) 237-6503 and leave a message. Further information about the Festival of Books and other L.A. Times events is available on the Los Angeles Times Signature Events page. For any specific volunteer-related questions, e-mail Larry Deckel, Volunteer Coordinator.

After you have registered, full information about volunteering, including a map and parking passes for both orientation and the day(s) of event will be sent to you via U.S. mail the during the first week of April.

If you have already registered and find you are unable to attend and must cancel as a volunteer, please email us as far in advance as possible and let us know so we can offer your space to someone else!http://www.troutco.com/fob/