Enter photo contest now to help put books onto the hands
and homes of at-risk young children!

Be an active part of encouraging reading to children and be seen all over Alabama-- reading to a child! Submit a photo now through August 2 to be in the 2017 “SEE the NEED to READ to a child” calendar. Proceeds from the sale of the calendars will benefit the children served by Jean Dean RIF (Reading Is Fundamental), signature service project of the Alabama Kiwanis Foundation.

In school year 2015-2016, Jean Dean RIF celebrated 25 years of providing quality, age- appropriate books to at-risk young children in Head Starts, state sponsored daycares and other areas where there is a need for books in the home.  To further the mission of Jean Dean RIF and raise awareness of the importance of reading to children and giving them books to own at home to prepare them for successes in kindergarten and beyond, a school-year “Get Caught Reading to a Child” calendar was produced.   Over 2000 of these “reading calendars” were sold across the state and one was given to every state legislator.  The “2017 SEE the NEED to READ to a Child” sales will also distribute high quality calendars, centered around reading and featuring Alabama’s citizens, to prompt  others to find time to read to children and help fund books for their homes. 

Everyone is encouraged to have fun with their photos reading age- appropriate books to children anywhere from their living room or backyard to a favorite sports venue or local place of interest! It is a great time to show your support of reading to children and feature some child(ren) you care about as well.  Be creative! The photo does NOT have to be taken in a classroom setting. You may use a setting that shows off your community–maybe a park or a building unique to your area. You might even consider asking a local celebrity to participate. Another thought is to use a prop that highlights “SEEING”- glasses, telescope, magnifying glass, etc.

The photo should be of high quality resolution. It does NOT have to be taken by a professional photographer. Many Smartphones have the technology to take a high quality image.

Individuals, classrooms, clubs or programs are invited to submit photos with permission forms to [email protected] from now through midnight August 2.  Winners will be selected by popular vote on the new Jean Dean Reading Is Fundamental Facebook page.    Everyone is encouraged to vote from August 5 through midnight, August 23 on winners for the 2017 “SEE the NEED to READ to a Child” calendar.     The winner will be posted on that site August 31.

A complete listing of contest rules, book suggestion listing, submission form and required photo permission forms is available now at www.jeandeanrif.org.

National RIF is the oldest children’s literacy organization in the US.   Jean Dean RIF is the largest RIF project in the nation serving preschoolers. The program serves children in every county in Alabama.  Well over 20,000 at-risk young children (primarily 0 through 5 year olds) receive three books every year through over 500 sites thanks to funding and volunteer support from all over Alabama.

RIF brings together all the elements major studies identify as critical to ensure children grow up reading: access to books,  incentives to read them, books in the home, parental involvement and reaching youngsters early.  Programs served say the 3 main benefits of Jean Dean RIF are: 1) important people in the community coming into the centers and showing the children they care about them- and- care about reading, 2) putting books in the home allows family literacy, and 3) the in-kind donation greatly enhances the benefits which can be made available for the children.

Jean Dean RIF has been recognized for its literacy efforts many times over the years.  The program was named one of 12 Leaders for Literacy nationwide in 1993-94, nominated as a Point of Light and complimented by President George Bush, highlighted as “ONE OF 5 IDEAS WORTH SHARING”  by U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley in his June 1995 Satellite Town Meeting which was aired nationwide, and has been recognized since then by National RIF (as 1 of 25 Programs of Excellence), Kiwanis International, the National Head Start Association, the Alabama Department of Education and the Alabama Reading Incentive Council. 

Photos are encouraged from every county in Alabama, the service area of Jean Dean RIF.    A free calendar will be presented to the top twelve vote recipients and they will each be featured on a month in the 2017 “SEE the NEED to READ“calendar.    Calendars will be ready for delivery after September 19.  Discounts will be available for all who submit photos and for multiple calendar orders.

Questions? Please contact Cathy Gafford at [email protected] or by phone at 334.750-9974.