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March 1, 2002/Adar 17, 5762, Vol. 54, No. 24
Performers help bring literacy to schools
BETH OLSON
Staff Writer
Elayne Stein and Fred London bring books to life.
The pair are two of 36 local performers who visit Valley schools each week to encourage a love of reading in children through the BookPALS program. BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools) is a program of the Screen Actor's Guild Foundation, the charitable arm of the Screen Actors Guild. Professional performers are paired with classrooms at economically disadvantaged schools. The BookPALS then visit the same classroom each week for an entire school year and read aloud to the students.
"They bring whatever talents and gifts they have and really share them with the children in addition to reading with them," says Ellen Dean, Arizona BookPALS coordinator.
Stein, a SAG board member, has been a BookPAL at Orangewood Elementary School in the Washington School District for the past four years. For three of those years she has followed the same group of kids, from kindergarten through second grade.
"The kids call me Nana," says Stein. "It's the most rewarding thing you can imagine."
London, a member of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, says he came across the BookPALS program in an AFTRA newsletter and thought that the program sounded like fun.
"I've been reading to my own little girl since she was an infant and she always really enjoyed that and she became quite a reader herself," he recalls.
The BookPALS program was founded in Los Angeles in 1993 by actress Barbara Bain. There are now 19 chapters across the United States, with 2,000 active volunteers reading to 75,000 children a week.
The Phoenix chapter was founded in 1998, and there are currently readers in several Valley school districts.
Dean says many of the readers have gone above and beyond the call of duty - one reader even visited a school daily, reading to 10 classes per week. Another BookPAL worked on Shakespearean scenes with his fourth-grade class and then rented lighting, had parents help with costumes, and held a performance and potluck.
"All of the families brought enchiladas and menudo and incredible Mexican dishes," recalls Dean. "This BookPAL brought the whole community together."
The BookPALS program also works with the Washington School District on extra-curricular programs. One of these programs is Gardner's Story Box, a phone line that children can call to hear a weekly story read by a BookPAL. Dean says that last summer the line was getting 1,300 calls per month.
BookPALS will also be working with the Washington School District for Read Across America Day on March 2, Dr. Seuss' birthday. The district has planned a literacy day at MetroCenter. Activities will include a parade with Clifford the Big Red Dog, a performance by Great Arizona Puppet Theater, Mad Science, storytellers and BookPALS.
Dean says while more BookPALS are always needed, she is thankful for the work her readers do.
"I think the readers are just wonderful and they all tell me they get more out of doing this than they give. I think it's the connection with the kids," she says. "They really feel like they're needed - like they're making a difference."
For more information about BookPALS, call Ellen Dean at 602-421-8863, or visit www.bookpals.net. Call Gardner's Story Box at 602-347-2741, ext. 1154.
Contact the writer at beth_olson@jewishaz.com.
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