Education: Gershwin and Mission Read

It’s hard to remember life without it…I, like many of you, am a part of a generation of students who grew up without the Internet – or even computers.  While in elementary school in New Jersey, our teachers and librarians taught us to use the Dewey Decimal system to locate books.  Remember those — the actual (paper index) cards with numbers and stamped dates!  One assignment in particular stands out – we had to read a biography of a person we found interesting and then write a book report.

My Lifetime Love Affair with George Gershwin:

I went to a small elementary school and the set of biographies in the library were the perfect size for adolescent hands.  These many years later and I can still picture the covers—artistic sketches of the subjects’ faces in the center with items that represented their individual stories in the background.  After careful deliberation, I chose George Gershwin.  This choice would set the stage for a lifetime love affair with “Rhapsody in Blue.”

My school library did not have a recording of the piece, so I went to the town library to borrow a copy and was instantly mesmerized.  I know every note and can visualize the instruments playing in time to perform this brilliant piece of music. My husband and I have been fortunate enough to see it performed live – it is a breath-taking, unforgettable experience.  Now, my children recognize Gershwin’s memorable notes, listen to it and will make up a myriad of interpretive dances to the different moods and melodies throughout the composition.

At the time, I did not recognize how such a small project would alter my views of, not only “Rhapsody in Blue,” but also Gershwin, the man. Reading and researching this undeniable genius opened and expanded my cultural world and allowed me to experience a tiny piece of his.

I often wonder, what if I hadn’t been drawn to that cover? Would I still have the life-long appreciation for this beautiful symphony? What if we all didn’t read? Or simply stopped reading?  Or did not place any value on reading in our society and with our children?

Think about that for one second.

Enter Mission Read.

Mission Read is an organic, grassroots literacy campaign designed to stress the importance of reading for all levels of readers, regardless of their age, gender or socioeconomic status.  Using this as the benchmark, Mission Read will highlight topics and issues that relate to literacy. Each month we will feature a series of articles that stress the ‘need to read!’  The campaign will also feature writers, business owners and advocates for education and children’s issues.

Beyond the articles and discussions using social media, Mission Read will also be the hub for outreach, education and community involvement.  Participants will be able to showcase their efforts in spreading the love of books and reading in their locales and beyond!

I am fortunate that, through Page’s Corner, I have a platform to speak openly about topics that relate to the importance of literacy, particularly for children.  I want to share this platform.  I am asking you to ‘spread the word!’  Ask people what they are reading.  Support your local paper.  Visit your town library or independent bookstore.  Donate to the community book drive.  By doing any/all of these things, you are participating in Mission Read.

For this piece, some of my favorite #MissRead ladies have shared organizations they feel are important in championing literacy and reading (please check them out and follow their awesome social media pages!)  There are so many wonderful groups out there!  Let’s add to the list!  Let’s create a database for people to reach out to when they need aid, comfort and a good book.  Please leave your favorite in the comments and a list will be created on our Mission Read Pinterest board.  If there is a group in need, we, as a community of moms, can help!

There are many people on this planet who do not have the access to books that we do.  Many of them are in our own backyards.  This needs to change.  All people need to have the opportunity to pick up a book and discover a hidden interest or talent, a favorite character or a “Rhapsody in Blue.”  Thank you and Welcome to Mission Read!

Favorite Literacy Links:

Beth Panageotou:

Mission Read (www.missionread.org)

LitWorld (www.litworld.org)

Frederick Reads (www.frederickreads.org)

Books Are Magic (www.booksaremagic.org)

The Reading Team (www.readingteam.org)

Little Free Library (www.littlefreelibrary.org)

Niki Barnes:

Book Train for Kids (www.booktrainforkids.wordpress.org)

Imagination Library (www.imaginationlibrary.com)

Laurel Snyder:

RIF (www.rif.org)

First Book (www.firstbook.org)

On The Same Page (www.weareonthesamepage.org)

The KIPP Scribes Program (www.wrensnest.org/pub_scribes.php)

Ame Dyckman: Family Reading Partnership (www.familyreading.org)

For more information on Mission Read, please visit www.missionread.org.