Research abstract

7 million books and counting: One man’s fight for literacy among city’s at-risk kids

Rowe Elementary has begun a literacy campaign for At-Risk students. They provide a bag of books to each student. The goal is to provide twelve books per year, per struggling student. How would you go about promoting reading? By Chicago Tribune

Laura Lurns Last updated February 8, 2017 · 1 min read

A man, who is inspired by his father’s dedication to literacy, founds a charity in Chicago with the goal of providing 12 books per year to each child at risk from birth through to the 6th grade. As a man from modest roots, Brian Floriani recognizes the potential for him to make a difference in the community around him, and vows to help improve the literacy rates in the Chicago area memory of his father.

Each kid steps to the front and gets a shiny white plastic bag, then wades back into a moment that builds into a kind of feverish, break-the-piñata pandemonium. The bags are filled with books, not candy, but in an instant they are pulled out, spread across desks, passed with wonder from hand to hand.

By way of innovation, tapping into social networks from his previous golfing career, and engaging volunteers around the community, Mr. Floriani launches his charity full-scale with revolution in mind. By empowering children with the use of books and knowledge, Brian Floriani hopes to make a difference in the world and inspire his own children to continue his legacy of helping others.

Key takeaways

Rowe Elementary gave out bags of books, rather than candy.
The surprise of what they picked excited the children and gave them the drive to read.
The plan is to give away 12 books a year to every ad risk student.

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Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert Writes about the learning brain for parents who want plain answers. Every article is grounded in current neuroscience and classroom practice.

Key takeaways

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