The Foster Grandparent Program of Northern Nevada

08/23/2026

08/21/2026

This is so awesome! Love it when the community gets involved to help kids succeed!

✂️ Literacy in the Barber Chair

At one barber shop, a haircut comes with a story. Young boys pick a book off the shelf and read it out loud while the clippers buzz. The barber hangs on every word. What used to be dead time in the chair is now reading practice, and there's a reward waiting when the last page turns.

📚 How the Program Works

The setup is easy for any child who walks in. There's a shelf stocked with diverse titles, and each kid picks whatever catches his eye. He reads aloud during the cut while the barber listens, stepping in with a correction or a hint when a tricky word shows up. Once the last page turns, the bill disappears. The haircut is free.

💡 Building Confidence and Community

Reading out loud here feels like fun instead of a chore. Parents say their kids walk out more confident, including ones who used to struggle with reading in class. The shop is a relaxed place with no grades on the line, so a child can settle into a story and hear his own voice grow steadier. The idea is that a boy who likes a book in the chair will keep reading once he's out of it. 💪

🎓 Investing in the Future

Word of the program has spread past the neighborhood, and other business owners have started looking for their own ways to give back. Meanwhile, the chair stays busy. New families keep walking in, and the regulars read a little better with every cut.

Facts checked by

Sources:
Associated Press
National Public Radio
The Des Moines Register

08/11/2026

08/10/2026

The staff at Robert Mitchell can’t wait to welcome back all of our students on Monday! We have missed you!

We are a school that fosters a growth mindset, leads with integrity, builds a strong community, shows compassion to all, and approaches every day with enthusiasm for learning and success.

We are Shining Stars! ⭐️

08/06/2026

08/06/2026

Great news!

07/30/2026

This is us videoing Grandma Pat as she is on KOLO TV. Grandma Pat is a wonderful representation of our Foster Grandparents! The kids at Van Gorder are so lucky to have you Pat!

07/29/2026

Nothing quite like having a whole classroom sing "Happy Birthday" to you.
Grandma Lois sure felt special!

07/28/2026

07/23/2026

So cool

Jack's Carnival started in 1924 when Mary Lukens, Lena Juniper, and Ruby Spoon decided to hold a carnival to help pay for extracurricular programs, hot lunches, milk, clothing and fuel for needy families with children in Sparks schools. Children dressed in everything "Jacks" as portrayed in Mother Goose nursery rhymes such as Jack and the Beanstalk, Jumping Jacks, Jacks-O-Hearts, and Jack-O-Lanterns. (Credit: Joyce M. Cox. Images of Sparks, NV)