Portland, OR. Edison High School, the only high school in Oregon and southwest Washington dedicated to students with learning differences, hosted 310 guests at the Sentinel Hotel on March 9th for the 2019 Brilliance Benefit. Edison President, Sean Preston and his wife Jillian were on hand to greet guests. The evening generated $330,000 in revenue to support financial aid, technology, and programs at the school. John and Emily Holmes chaired the benefit. (Photo credit, Andrea Lonas)
Guests having fun in the photo booth.
Rose Kilpatrick and Edison board chair, Jim Kilpatrick, raise their paddle.
Allison Raver, Cheryl Reinstadler and Barbee Halbert toast Edison.
Amy and Ed Steel enjoy the silent auction.
Edison board member, Verna Bailey arrives with her daughter, Asha Wilkerson, and brother and sister-in-law, Thomas and Judy Bailey.
From Edison HS:
As a small, private school, Edison High School offers an individualized curriculum that meets each student’s unique needs, and maximizes the ability to learn. We also provide the emotional support that builds confidence and maturity. By empowering students with learning differences to experience academic success and personal growth, Edison does more than prepare teens for the future: it changes lives.
Portland, OR. DoveLewis has been selected as one of seven 24-hour animal hospitals that will be featured in a live National Geographic TV show called Animal ER Live. The series starts on Saturday, March 30th and will air from 6 to 8 p.m.
Show creators promote the program, writing: “Be just a heartbeat away from the action as the team at DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital, the Northwest’s nonprofit 24/7 animal hospital, treats animals in the midst of emergencies on Nat Geo WILD’s new live TV series, Animal ER Live. Capturing the fast-paced drama and intensity of a hospital procedural mixed with the unbreakable bonds between pets and their owners, each episode of “Animal ER Live” will trail teams of emergency veterinarians and specialists as they work tirelessly through the night to save the lives of pets from coast to coast, giving viewers insight into the extraordinary and unpredictable world of urgent animal care.”
“As a Portland nonprofit, there’s nothing more important to us than caring for animals and the people who love them,” said Ron Morgan, DoveLewis president and chief executive officer. “Our team is always here and the hospital is always open, and now animal lovers in our community can see firsthand the world-class medicine that we practice every day.”
DoveLewis is the region’s only nonprofit, 24-hour veterinary emergency, critical care and specialty hospital, and over the course of 45 years of service to the community, the organization has treated over 500,000 animals. In addition to the experts behind the medicine—board-certified specialists, emergency veterinarians and specialized technicians—the four-week, live event series will follow local pet owners and animals patients from triage through discharge.
Photo by Gia Goodrich
Photo by Gia Goodrich
The show will be hosted by Emmy award-winning journalist Mark Steines (“Entertainment Tonight”). Based out of a studio in New York City, Steines will guide viewers through the night in real time as cameras bounce to and from the featured animal hospitals and mobile vet emergency units around the country, including:
Angell Animal Medical Center — Boston, Massachusetts
Animal Care Center EMERGENCY — Plainfield, Illinois
Best Friends Animal Society — Kanab, Utah
Mendocino Equine and Livestock — Fort Bragg, California
Waller Equine Hospital — Waller, Texas
Veterinary Specialty Care — Charleston, South Carolina
“‘Animal ER Live’ pulls back the curtain to give viewers an exclusive, totally unscripted look at the incredible skill and hard work that goes on behind the doors of some of the country’s busiest urgent pet care clinics,” said Geoff Daniels, Nat Geo WILD’s executive vice president of global unscripted entertainment. “This innovative new series promises endless inspiration and heartwarming and heroic moments that reinforce the amazing bonds we share with our pets.”
About DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital
DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital, established in 1973 and based in Portland, Oregon, is the only nonprofit, 24-hour emergency and intensive care unit in the region. With 45 years of service to the community, DoveLewis has treated more than 600,000 animals. DoveLewis also has seven donor-supported community programs that serve animals in need and the animal-loving community. For more information, please visit dovelewis.org.
About National Geographic Partners LLC
National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between National Geographic and Disney, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 131 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
About Big Fish Entertainment
Big Fish Entertainment, an MGM Company, is a full-service production company that creates multiplatform, visually driven content that compels and entertains audiences with the “unexpected.” Founded in 2006 by President Dan Cesareo, Big Fish has produced more than 1,000 hours of award-winning and top-rated programming in the live, unscripted reality, lifestyle and documentary space. Current Big Fish series include Animal ER Live for Nat Geo WILD; No. 1 unscripted crime series “Live PD,” “Live PD: Police Patrol” and “Live PD Presents: PD Cam” for A&E; “Live PD Presents: Women on Patrol” for Lifetime; mega-hit franchise “Black Ink Crew” (New York and Chicago) and mental health special “In Session Live With Dr. Jess” for VH1; culinary docuseries “Hustle & Soul” for WE tv; Chris Paul’s “Chapter 3” for ESPN; “Tattoo Girls” for TLC; and “How Far Is Tattoo Far?” for MTV. With other credits, including “Bomb Patrol: Afghanistan” and the Gates Foundation Reality PD public schools project, Big Fish captures and relates extraordinary worlds, characters and stories for such networks as Lifetime, A&E, VH1, WE tv, Discovery, TLC, MTV, E!, National Geographic, Oxygen, Travel Channel and Paramount Network. For more information, visit bigfishusa.com.
Portland, OR. Supporters of the nonprofit called Levé announced that they have selected a 2019 partner from 45 applicants. Levé will partner with Cascade AIDS Project (CAP). CAP is a nonprofit offering full-spectrum services to test for HIV and assist those living with it. Its mission is to support and empower all people with or affected by HIV, reduce stigma, and provide the LGBTQ+ community with compassionate healthcare. Last year, CAP touched the lives of nearly 30,000 members of the Portland metro area with holistic and critical services including free HIV testing, housing assistance, medical case management, and more.
Levé’s mission is to inspire the next generation of givers by connecting peers with local nonprofits. Each year, the all-women organization chooses a new nonprofit partner and draws upon members’ time and networks to highlight the organization.
Levé Board Member Lisa Hopkins explained why CAP was selected over the 44 other applicants. “CAP’s dedication to compassionate healthcare really resonated with us and their commitment to diversity and inclusion is especially important as we continue to grow our organization. We are so honored to lift up new voices and share CAP’s one-of-a-kind energy with our network.”
This annual partnership will extend the fundraising, volunteer, and advocacy reach of CAP. Last year, Charity Ball, Levé’s signature party for a purpose, attracted over 450 people–the majority of which were millennials. Members look forward to keeping this momentum in the upcoming year and exposing their network to CAP’s important and inspiring work.
Portland, OR. When Michelle Obama visited Portland for her sold-out appearance at the Moda Center on March 19th, she also visited Broadway Books. She promoted, Becoming and wrote on her Facebook page that she, “Spent time with a group of young professional women who are juggling careers, relationships, and children, and trying to find a little time for themselves too. We talked about the importance of self-care and finding a group of women to support us through all our ups and downs as we try to manage our chaotic lives.”
Michelle Obama said she hopes her book inspires people to see themselves in her story and “own who we are with pride.”
Michelle Obama also suggested book groups who read Becoming can share comments. “Let me know what you and your book clubs have been discussing! #IAmBecoming.”
Michelle Obama and Barack Obama have a foundation to advance their causes:
That mission begins at home, on the South Side of Chicago, where we are building the Obama Presidential Center. But it extends to all our work, whether it’s holding leadership training sessions in communities throughout the U.S., bringing local leaders together in countries around the world, working to support the global education of girls, or ensuring young men of color have pathways to opportunity.
The Global Girls Alliance continues the work of First Lady Michelle Obama to empower adolescent girls around the world through education. Learn how you can directly support the grassroots leaders working to educate adolescent girls today.
Leaders: Africa
Leaders: Africa is a year-long initiative to inspire, empower, and connect 200 emerging leaders from across Africa to take on the biggest challenges in their communities, countries, and continent. Explore +
The Obama Foundation Community Leadership Corps builds upon our pilot training programs to bring together rising leaders to identify and address community issues. Learn More+
The Community Leadership Training Day is a one and a half day, introductory training that is designed for young people ages 18 to 25 who want to get involved in their community, but, don’t know where to start. Read More +
We developed the Obama Foundation Scholars Program to give rising young leaders around the world who are already making a difference in their communities the opportunity to take their work to the next level through a newly designed curriculum that brings together academic, skills-based, and hands-on learning. Read more +
To ensure all young people can reach their full potential, the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance focuses on mobilizing mentors, reducing youth violence, and improving life outcomes for boys and young men of color. Read more +
The Obama Foundation Fellowship supports outstanding civic innovators from around the world in order to amplify the impact of their work and to inspire a wave of civic innovation. Read more +
We brought civic leaders from around Chicago, the U.S., and the world to come together to exchange ideas, explore creative solutions to common problems, and experience civic art, technology, and music. Read more +
Obama Foundation Values
With you, we will inspire and empower people to change their world.
We focus on solving problems, not taking sides. We strive to collaborate, not to compete. We win when ordinary citizens understand the impact every individual can make in a community, regardless of who they are or what they believe. For us, there is victory in civic engagement that goes beyond border, party, or pride.
We are defined by our values:
TEAM
We are invested in the success of others, we treat each other with respect and kindness, and we will work diligently to lift each other up.
HUMILITY
We share a passion for impacting the lives of those around us. Sometimes that means speaking up and other times that means stepping aside to create space for other voices. We recognize that we do not have all the answers, and we commit to showing up and learning from others.
INTEGRITY
We recognize that how we do our work and how we collaborate with others is just as important as what we are seeking to accomplish.
INCLUSIVITY
We value each other’s contributions and hold the conviction that only from diverse backgrounds and divergent points of view can we find the best solutions.
STEWARDSHIP
We roll up our sleeves, work hard, and focus on what we are giving back to our communities, rather than what we are gaining ourselves. When we find success, we remember and support those who are just beginning to take risks and make a difference.
FEARLESSNESS
We have a fearless mindset. We are not afraid of taking risks, sharing a new idea, meeting new people, or admitting when we just don’t know the answer. Something great might come of it.
IMAGINATION
We strive to be novel thinkers. Unconventional ideas and new perspectives are why we’re here. We are willing to make big bets on ideas that haven’t been tried before as we aim to solve the hardest problems of our times.
Portland, OR. On March 6th, the local environmental nonprofit SOLVE kicked off its 50th Anniversary at Hotel deLuxe. Kris Carico, SOLVE’s recently promoted CEO, took time to thank Peter and Julie Stott, and SOLVE’s former Executive Director, Jack McGowan.
The event was co-hosted by Peter Stott and Dave Robertson. Special guests included Tad McCall (son of Tom McCall who founded SOLVE in 1969) and Jack and Jan McGowan (a well-loved pair that ran SOLVE for years) among other longtime supporters. Tad and Jack spoke passionately about the organization’s history and its importance. SOLVE organizes an average of 2-3 environmental projects per day across Oregon, resulting in hundreds of thousands of pounds of litter removed, thousands of acres of invasive species removed, and thousands of native trees and shrubs planted every year.
Tad McCall inspires the crowd as he describes growing up with Governor Tom and Audrey McCall, and their positive political and environmental influence.
March 2019 has been proclaimed SOLVE Month by Governor Kate Brown because of SOLVE’s significant contributions to Oregon over the past 50 years through extensive community engagement efforts that improve the state’s reputation as being environmentally responsible.
Our mission is simple: to bring Oregonians together to improve our environment and build a legacy of stewardship.
As SOLVE turns 50, we have a lot to celebrate. A half-century of bringing people together, from all walks of life and every corner of the state. Of getting people out and answering the call. Cleaning up our beaches, parks, neighborhoods and natural spaces. Reaching out, digging in and picking up. By restoring vitality, planting new beginnings and keeping invaders at bay. Developing diverse relationships. By partnering, collaborating and engaging. Honoring the pioneers of our past and building on their legacy. Together. With an unstoppable force of volunteers, thirty thousand strong and one hundred percent committed. We are individuals, businesses, neighbors, families and friends. These are our communities. Our unique places. Our rivers and streams, lakes and mountains, land and sea. Our pride and joy. It’s in our nature to protect it for generations to come. Together, we are taking care of Oregon.
Portland, OR. The Portland Winterhawks teamed up with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oregon & SW Washington for the first annual Hockey Challenge, presented by Budweiser at the Moda Center on February 17th. The Hockey Challenge was a day-long hockey tournament that brought together hockey-enthusiasts from all over Oregon and SW Washington to raise funds for the three local Oregon Ronald McDonald Houses. Each team skated on behalf of a family with a seriously ill child staying with RMHC. Through the Hockey Challenge RMHC Oregon & SW Washington hope to raise nearly $75,000.
The top fundraisers played in the All Star game with professional hockey players and local celebrities.
A few notable alumni participating in the All Star game were Taylor Peters and Joe Mahon who played on the 2013 Winterhawks WHL Championship Team. Anton Cederholm, who was on the 2014 and 2015 Western Championship teams and Courtney Carnes who played four years of collegiate hockey at Buffalo State College, then played in the inaugural season of the National Women’s Hockey League for the Buffalo Beauts. Other memorable matchups include the Portland Police vs Portland Fire & Rescue.
Proceeds from the Hockey Challenge allow RMHC to offer compassionate hospitality and a “home away from home” to families with seriously ill children.
Each year RMHC provides support to thousands of families from across Oregon, the US and the world. RMHC offers one-of-kind programming and support including free night stays, home cooked meals prepared by volunteers, pet therapy, childcare, arts and crafts, and a beautiful place to stay just moments away from the hospital. Beginning this year, RMHC Oregon & SW Washington is able to provide nearly 5,000 more nights for families to stay each year. On average, RMHC families travel 495 miles and a family checks into one of the three Oregon Houses every five hours.
Portland, OR. More than 220 guests gathered at the Portland Art Museum on March 2nd, for Northwest Academy’s annual auction, Club Cabaret – The Northwest Academy Awards. Shannon Jones, Jeremy Weber, Chris Runyard, and Lisa Larpenteur were among the supporters at the benefit. The audience, comprised of parents, trustees, advocates of the school, sponsors, and extended community, along with a challenge grant from the Quest Foundation, raised more than $260,000 in support of programs and student scholarships at Northwest Academy. (Photo credit, Andie Petkus)
John & Renee Gorham
Board Chair Jason Matusow & Northwest Academy Founder Mary Vinton Folberg
Kathy Oh-Keith and Leah Swartley
Chris Schuck, Head of School
From Northwest Academy:
Our Mission
Northwest Academy is committed to inspiring students to discover their intellectual and artistic voices in a creative and supportive atmosphere fueled by curiosity and constructive challenge.
Vision
Northwest Academy will be recognized as a center of excellence in proficiency-based education, artfully blending academic instruction and experience. Graduates of the school will be innovative thinkers who chart their own futures and excel in a diverse global society.
Core Values
Northwest Academy’s core values guide the Board, administration, faculty and staff in their efforts to provide students with a challenging and unique education.
Education in both academics and arts, results in a more complete and balanced individual who, while being productive, also leads an inspired and meaningful life.
Talented faculty, passionate about their subject areas, and the support of free and open inquiry motivates students’ interest in learning and creative thinking.
Student engagement, curiosity and creative thinking expand when nurtured by accomplished and energetic faculty who promote participation and welcome debate.
Students thrive in an environment where both individuality and collaboration are encouraged and fostered.
Proficiency-based placement enhances students’ motivation and initiative, while allowing a student to work through education at relatively accelerated or a more leisurely personal pace.
Intellectual and artistic courage grow from a culture that stimulates fascination with ideas and diversity of perspective.
Students achieve when they are guided to be self-reliant, intrinsically motivated and advocates for themselves.
Students reach higher personal levels when they work in a psychologically safe environment, devoid of put-downs, ridicule, and social cliques. It is the school’s understanding that a student culture with these important values must be strategically developed and upheld.
Creativity is one of the most important human qualities that must be nurtured if a student is to become adaptable during change.
The school intends to recognize talent in its faculty, students and administrators. It will be an environment that nurtures and supports achievement, curiosity, risk-taking, hard work and questioning.
Portland, OR. The regular NBA season doesn’t end until April 10th, but the Trail Blazers have already hit enough three-point shots to earn over 14,000 trees to plant. The Blazers are teaming again with Daimler Trucks North America and Friends of Trees to plant three trees for every three point field goal made during the 2018-19 regular season. Last season, the “3’s for Trees” program helped plant over 15,000 trees. (Photo credit, Justin Tucker)
Christa Stout, Vice President of Social Responsibility for the Portland Trail Blazers explains, “Planting over 15,000 trees is an incredible milestone, and it has been amazing to see the transformation of the Sandy River Delta over the past four seasons. We are proud to partner with these two amazing organizations that continue to make a positive impact on our environment.”
Scott Fogarty, Executive Director of Friends of Trees; Eileen Frack, Daimler’s General Manager of Human Resources; and Christa Stout celebrated the program at the Blazers 2018-19 season opener.
Trail Blazers and Daimler volunteers helped plant the “3’s for Trees” saplings last spring.
Daimler Trucks North America helped Friends of Trees plant the 15,000th tree in the Sandy River Delta. Thanks to the reforestation of this area, native wildlife has returned to the Delta to live and breed for the first time in many years. After the regular season, volunteers will be out planting again. You can join a Friends of Trees planting event to help plant all these trees. Learn more at friendsoftrees.org.
From Friends of Trees:
Friends of Trees was founded in 1989 by a community member who loved trees and started planting them in Portland neighborhoods. Today, Friends of Trees is a nationally recognized, regional leader in improving the urban tree canopy and restoring sensitive natural areas—through programs delivered by thousands of volunteers. Friends of Trees greens our region while growing community.
Since our founding Friends of Trees has planted 750,000+ trees and native plants with thousands and thousands and thousands of volunteers in 120+ neighborhoods in six counties across two states.
Whether it’s a forest created from our canopy of urban trees or the forest to come from our restoration plantings in sensitive natural areas, there is no doubt that the trees planted by Friends of Trees play a vital role our region’s livability. Given rising temperatures and all that we know about the cooling and cleansing effects of trees, it’s easy to see how our work improves our natural environment. But what’s really something else is the people-power: the trees we plant are actually planted by 6,000+ volunteers every planting season.
Portland, OR. Eight hundred guests gathered for the 35th Annual Classic Wines Auction and raised $3 million dollars for five nonprofit partners. This brings the total raised, over 35 years, to nearly $50 million. The benefit was at the Oregon Convention Center on March 2nd. The nonprofit beneficiaries this year were: Metropolitan Family Service, New Avenues for Youth, Friends of the Children – Portland, YWCA Clark County, and Unity Center for Behavioral Health. (Photo credit, John Valls)
Ryan Smith, Jason Zidell and William Oben
Tom Gerrie of Cristom with Tricia and Mark Cooper
Jim and Cathy Rudd with Karen Hinsdale
Heather Martin, Drew Carney and Fritz Hatton
Rick Hawkins, Judy Strand and Larry Black
Wally Rhines and Roger Hinshaw
The Super Silent Auction
Reception Chef, Sara Hauman
Supporters from the Mercedes Benz Table
Entertainers from “Love Bomb Go Go”
KR Rombauer and David Duncan from Silver Oak
Woodward Canyon was represented by Jordan, Darcey, and Rick Small
Wine Ambassadors for CWA19 included representatives from Rombauer, Woodward Canyon, Domaines Ott, Becky Wasserman Co., Cristom and Silver Oak
Chris and Kathryn Hermann
John Goodwin takes a selfie with his guest.
Cindy and Duncan Campbell
A sommelier shows a bottle to Drew and Maura Bledsoe
DJ Wilson
800 strong, guest enjoyed enjoy a gourmet array of food prepared by Portland chefs, including a multi-course dinner paired with wines selected by Honorary Wine Ambassadors from around the globe.
There were over twenty CWA Sommeliers.
Chris Hermann from 00 Wines
Charissa Caldwell and Andrew Plummer from Mercedes Portland
CWA Board Member Brian Garish
Here’s a list of the top Live Auction items:
Mercedes-Benz 550 (donated by Mercedes-Benz of Portland and Mercedes-Benz of Beaverton): $157,500
Trip to Rome and Tuscany with Modern Adventure: $70,000
Trip to Monaco for Formula 1 Grand Prix: $70,000
Northern Lights adventure in Finland: $58,000 (sold twice)
35 Magnums of wine to celebrate 35 years of Classic Wines Auction: $13,000 (top-selling wine lot)
Trip to Sonoma with Matt & Jasmin Felton: $100,000
Cruising Paradise with Rombauer Vineyards: $16,000
Bordeaux Wine Cruise with Woodward Canyon: $13,000
Elevated Willamette Valley Chardonnay Experience with 00 Wines: $11,000
California: Rombauer Vineyards & Silver Oak Cellars
France: Becky Wasserman & Co., Domaines Ott
Award Winners:
VINI Award: Greg & Michele Goodwin Each year since 1992, the Classic Wines Auction has presented the VINI Award to individuals that have used their enthusiasm and support of viticulture and passion for the community to increase the success of Classic Wines Auction events. Their knowledge and experience have created new standards of excellence for the auction and related events.
ORVI Award: Véronique DrouhinEach year since 2002, the ORVI Award has been awarded to individuals who have demonstrated significant achievements in building the Oregon wine industry and establishing its worldwide reputation. The ORVI award is presented to individuals that have not only elevated the status of Oregon wines, but have also provided generous support to the Classic Wines Auction. These individuals are leaders in the Oregon wine industry and are recognized and respected for their professionalism and philanthropy.
35th Anniversary Leadership Award: Bank of America / Roger Hinshaw. This special 35th Anniversary award is presented to Bank of America for more than 20 years of generous support for Classic Wines Auction. Their contributions have totaled more than $1 million dollars. We are grateful for the many ways they work wonders in the community.
Koerner Rombauer Award for Service: George Hosfield. The Koerner Rombauer Award for Service was created in 2007 to recognize individuals, like Koerner Rombauer, that have consistently served, funded, and supported the Classic Wines Auction and its benefiting nonprofit partners.
From Classic Wines Auction:
Working with multiple nonprofit partners to spread the wealth and maximize our impact in the community.
Classic Wines Auction supports the work of Oregon and Southwest Washington organizations by providing funds to pre-selected nonprofit partners benefiting children and families. This year, we are honored to partner with Metropolitan Family Service (MFS), New Avenues for Youth, Friends of the Children – Portland, YWCA Clark County and Unity Center for Behavioral Health.
Portland, OR. Over 300 supporters joined SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) for the organization’s Alphabet Ball fundraiser at The Nines. The event on February 8th raised $502,000 which will help support over 11,000 children in the SMART program this year with one-on-one reading support and books to keep. Alphabet Ball guests David and Thuy Blair and Triston and Jazmine Dallas joined SMART Board Member Joe Mueller and his wife, Holly Mueller.
SMART volunteers Kent Lewis, Michelle Cheek, SMART volunteer Erica Lewis, Renata Morris, SMART Board member Adam Morris, Vanessa Dichari, and Tabitha Lovett enjoying the cocktail reception.
Generous guests raise their paddles to support SMART.
Guests celebrated winning the Book Pack Frenzy, a competition to donate the most book packs for SMART students, with the gift of Carson Ellis’ book, Home. From front left, clockwise: Sarah Gates, Brenda Fox, Corbett Fox, Stephanie Gates, Stephen Dudley, Bud Borja, Nancy Dudley, SMART program alum Marissa Paulson, and Phoebe Peterson.
SMART Executive Director, Chris Otis (far left), and SMART Board Chair, Terri Browning (far right), celebrate SMART’s regional and statewide Volunteers of the Year. Volunteers from left: Judith Pearson; North Coast Area winner; Heidi Gaither, South Central Area winner; Julie Ehlers, Metro Area winner; Karen Brkich, Rogue Valley Area and Statewide winner; and Jim Linker, Central Area winner.
From SMART:
Learning to read is one of the most important steps in a child’s life, laying the vital foundation for future knowledge and education. Research proves that shared book reading and access to books in the home during a child’s first, formative years are the strongest predictors of early literacy skills. At SMART, this is what we do.
Founded in 1992, SMART’s proven model engages community volunteers across Oregon to read one-on-one with PreK through third-grade children for one hour per week during the school year. SMART volunteers model reading aloud and ignite a love of reading in children, helping build reading skills, motivation and self-confidence. SMART students also receive up to 14 new books to take home and keep each year.
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