It’s a Page Turner
Spring All District Reads Programs Are a Big “Hit”
Our baseball-themed spring reading programs have wound down, and everyone agrees they were a big hit. Indeed, they were more than just a hit—they were a home run, much like the 382 home runs hit by former Major League Baseball Ryan Howard, coauthor of the spring book.
During March, 31,000 elementary school families across Norfolk Public Schools, Portsmouth Public Schools, and Suffolk Public Schools geared up for baseball season by reading Little Rhino: My New Team (Scholastic, 2015), part of a series written by 2006 Major League Baseball MVP Ryan Howard and his wife, Krystle Howard, a former elementary school educator. The Howards graciously did a half-hour Zoom interview on March 10th to promote the spring All District Reads programs. Watch for edited excerpts of this interview to appear on the ADR website soon.
The spring programs wound down with special activities in certain schools. And a further treat still remains, courtesy of the Norfolk Tides baseball team. On April 13th and April 27th, students who bring a copy of their Little Rhino book will get free admittance to the ballpark when accompanied by a paying adult!
Here, There, Everywhere! All District Reads Takes the Spotlight
Billboards…TV news…print news. All District Reads is everywhere these days! On March 20th, digital billboards promoting All District Reads went live in two locations—State Route 58 on the Chesapeake/Suffolk border and near TowneBank on High Street in Portsmouth. Three different versions, featuring the Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Suffolk programs, are slated to be displayed in both locations for three to four weeks. The billboards revolve around the theme “Parents and kids reading together…. This Story Starts at Home.”
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Thanks to a generous anonymous donor, the cost of the billboards, which Adams Outdoor
Advertising discounted by a large amount to begin with, were fully covered
In other media coverage, an article by Larry Rubama in the Virginian-Pilot on March 19th
featured All District Reads and the March 10th Zoom interview with Ryan and Krystle Howard, coauthors of the Little Rhino series. Access the article on the homepage of the All District Reads website.
The Zoom interview with Ryan and Krystle Howard drew attendees from several other media
outlets as well. Read and watch WAVY’s coverage by Robert Rizzo here.
Suds & Buds Event Supports ADR, Other Local Causes
Great food and music. A beautiful setting. The chance to support three local charities, including All District Reads! What other reasons could you possibly need to attend the TowneBank Suds & Buds 2025 Party? The event takes place on May 22nd from 5:30PM to 8:30PM at the Norfolk Botanical Garden.
Admission includes two tickets for either beer or wine and a souvenir beer or wine glass.
Attendees will enjoy music by Lewis McGehee. Proceeds from the event benefit Norfolk Rotary Charities, Norfolk Botanical Garden, and All District Reads. Learn more and register here.
Highlights from All District Reads Board MeetingOn
On April 2nd, the ADR Board of Directors met to discuss the work of the organization. ADR Executive Director Mike Dillender reports these highlights of the discussion:
- An article by Suffolk Public Schools Superintendent John B. Gordon III extolling the value of All District Reads is scheduled to appear in the May 2025 issue of School Administrator, the magazine of AASA, the School Superintendents Association. ADR is proud of the partnership with Dr. Gordon and Suffolk Public Schools and thankful for the impact we have made together.
- We plan to reach out and provide an ADR update to Ryan and Krystle Howard, coauthors of the Little Rhino series. Concurrent with this update, we want to plant seeds about the potential for a partnership between ADR, the Howards, and Major League Baseball to bring ADR into public schools in Major League cities like Atlanta, Baltimore, or Philadelphia.
- The Board is looking at potential dates for a one-day retreat for Board and staff development this summer.
- The next scheduled Board meeting is on Wednesday, September 3rd.
All District Reading BLog Spotlights the Power of Partnerships
“Fostering family literacy through developing partnerships between communities and public schools.” Our mission statement sums up what makes the All District Reads model so powerful – it brings together four key elements to support a potent reading experience:
- Community
- Families
- Schools
- Books
Our latest blog post describes how such a simple model accomplishes all this so successfully. Read the full article here.
Literacy Quote
“If imagination is the rocket, then books are the rocket fuel. They supercharge the mind and
help it see beyond what it can conceive on its own.”
– Trevor Noah, in his book Into the Uncut Grass
Reminder: YOU Can Help US Spark the Love of Reading
Want to support ADR’s mission to connect communities to local elementary students through the All District Reads program? Here are two easy ways.
Visit the ADR website: Consider supporting our work by making a monthly donation or by giving a one-time gift of any size. Visit the ADR Donations page to learn more.
Consider a gift of stock: Gifts of appreciated stock can provide many tax benefits to donors. Please speak to your financial advisor to learn about the benefits and arrange a donation to All District Reads. We work with TowneBank Wealth Management to assist with transfer of stock/securities. To make a stock gift, please contact us at info@alldistrictreads.org or (757) 250-2774.