A to Z Literacy Movement

02/14/2026

"Reading is like thinking, like praying, like talking to a friend, like expressing your ideas, like listening to other people's ideas, like listening to music, like looking at the view, like taking a walk on the beach." ❤️ -Roberto Bolaño

02/13/2026

How do you show love?❤️
With books, of course! ❤️
Thank you Crystal Lake Food Pantry for letting us host free book fairs for families tonight and Saturday. ❤️

12/20/2025

Books are the gift that keep giving and we love our annual holiday free book fair at the Crystal Lake Food Pantry.

12/20/2025

12/20/2025

Books are the gift that keep giving and we love our annual holiday free book fair at the Crystal Lake Food Pantry.

07/15/2025

So happy to support a first year special education teacher in Michigan. Sending three boxes of books her way to help grow that classroom library.

06/21/2025

06/17/2025

📚✨ What a success! Our free Book Fair at Summer School was a hit! 🎉

A huge thank you to Lisa Libraries and volunteers who made it possible. From the stacks of books to the bright smiles on everyone's faces, it was a day filled with joy!

The best part? Every book was FREE, giving every child the opportunity to dive into new worlds and spark their love for reading. 🌟📚

Let’s keep this momentum going and continue spreading the joy of reading!

06/11/2025

While in Zambia, Betty worked with students and teachers at two schools. Here is another post:

Country Roads (John Denver)

We were definitely out on some country roads today, heading out of Lusaka on the Great East Road…about 2 hours away to a rural school in Rufunsa. The community school there uses the successful Shine phonics program, and the Shine farm is nearby. Although I’ve been out here twice before on two previous trips, there are always new things to learn about and see in this more rural part of Zambia.

I got a beautiful welcome from the students and teacher Febie…singing, dancing, poems, and two students reading books aloud. In turn I read several books to them, danced with Febie, passed out supplies I’d brought, and my favorite project (done by local high school National Honor Society students at Monomoy H.S. in Harwich) matching fun picture books with soft toys.

Another bonus for the day… seeing the new tables, benches, and blackboards that I’d raised money for, to provide for this school. Thanks to the First Congregational Church of Harwich Center (our church) and friends in my Together Women Rise group for their generosity.

06/11/2025

A to Z teammate Betty Gausz Trummel just got back from Zambia! Here is one of her recent posts along with a few photos.
ABC, easy as 1, 2, 3…” (Jackson 5)

If only this was true…but in many places in this world teachers and children lack the basic supplies and means to get a quality education. Shine Zambia is a small oasis in the Mutendere East compound. It provides a basic literacy program (and numeracy and other subjects) to jumpstart the most vulnerable children in this compound, and prepare them to continue their education.

I have been honored to work with pupils and teachers the past week or so. I’ve observed Shine’s teachers, have modeled lessons for students and teachers, delivered professional development to the staff both as a group and individually, passed out school supplies and toothbrushes, encouraged pupils in their reading and writing, and have been warmly welcomed and included at Shine.

My work isn’t over. Continued communication and mentoring continues long after I leave. Lessons and materials I left behind, video chats to come, sending prompts and ideas, and there’s so much more.

I’ve valued this work and connection with Shine for the past 15 years. I will be back, hopefully in a couple of years. Representing A to Z Literacy Movement is a big gift in my life.

12/24/2024

🎉 🌍 Huge congratulations to the former HBMS Bilingual Ambassadors for earning an honorable mention in NPR’s 2024 Student Podcast Challenge! Out of over 2,000 teams, their episode From American to Zambia, produced by former 8th grade students Gabriel, Maddox, Erick, Keshav, Iris, and Justin, stood out for its creativity and impact.

A special thank you to Representative Suzanne Ness from District 66 in Illinois, who visited HBMS to recognize these talented graduates for their achievement. 🎙️ Check out the episode here: https://bit.ly/3ORkrOk.