Read up on all the latest happening with SAYL!  
 Upcoming events, Reading Buddy updates, & more!
Your Monthly News & Updates - December 2017
A Note from Our Executive Director

"How did it get so late so soon?
It's night before  it's afternoon.
December is here before it's June.
My goodness how the  time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon?"
-Dr. Seuss

I know that all of you are feeling this way this time of the year. I am for sure. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was unearthing the decorations from beneath the stairwell? It seems that every year flies by faster than the last - is that just a phenomenon of my age? Nah... Anyway, even though we are all swept up with endings, we need to try to live in the moment while continuing to plan for the future.  Read more >>

Upcoming Events

Shop for a Cause
 
Sunday, December 16 - 12-6pm
Charming Charlie
- 225 E. Basse Road

Come out and continue your holiday shopping and shop for a good cause at the same time! Up to 20% of all sales will benefit SAYL's Reading Buddy Program!

For more details on our upcoming events visit sayl.org.

Reading Buddy Insider

Reading Buddy Seminar Slated for January 

We've had lots of Reading Buddies inquiring about our next Reading Buddy Seminar, and we are excited to announce that this year's seminar sessions will take place in the months of January and February. Reading Buddy Seminars are developed by SAYL Program Managers on different topics pertinent to Reading Buddies' work with their students. This year's seminar is entitled, "Beyond Sounding It Out: Building Strategic Readers." It will focus on ways Reading Buddies can support and encourage students' use of multiple strategies to figure out new words and self-correct errors as they read. Locations and dates are still to be determined, however, we are working to ensure a variety of options so all that are interested in honing their craft as a tutor can attend a session. Keep an eye out for an announcement in the upcoming month for dates and more information! 


Book Buddy News

Fall sorting continues at an accelerated rate at Book Buddies to keep ahead of the books expected from ongoing book drives. The Reagan High School Honor Society arrived on November 4 ready to work, and they did - organizing and packing hundreds of unsorted books.

On November 18 there were thirty-four busy sorters at Book Buddies headquarters in the former WW White Elementary School gym. This was a Book Buddies record for dedicated volunteers working at the same time! Read more >>

Volunteer Spotlight - Accenture Federal Services

For the month of December we are highlighting one of our newer partnerships with Accenture Federal Services (AFS). This is AFS' second year participating in the Reading Buddy Program, and it is all thanks to two people, Yvette Spivey and Jasmine Buendicho.

Yvette first learned about the SAYL Reading Buddy Program while a student at UIW three years ago. While completing a community service requirement for graduation, she learned about SAYL and become a Reading Buddy volunteer.  Read more >>

School Spotlight - Rodriguez ES

This month we are excited to recognize the 2nd grade team alongside our fabulous Site Director, Dr. Leticia Garcia, for their support of the SAYL program at Cleto L. Rodriguez Elementary in SAISD. Ms. Pena and Ms. Cutter have been welcoming and sharing their expertise with SAYL volunteers for several years. Ms. Jimentel is new to Rodriguez this year, and has been helping the volunteers in our Bilingual Reading Buddies Pilot.  Read more >>

Donor Spotlight

A huge THANK YOU to the following organizations for their ongoing support, allowing San Antonio Youth Literacy the opportunity to continue to deliver its SAYL Reading Buddy Program to those children struggling to read on grade level.

$350 from the Frankie Casseb Youth Literacy Club
$500 from Alamo Area Hospitality Association
$600 from Half Price Books
$3,000 from Women of AT&T, SA Chapter

(Photo to right: Mary Flannigan and Pat Medina with SAYL accepting check from the Women of AT&T)


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