featured Read for a cause literacy champions

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Name: Sara Wolosiansky

Hometown: Green, Ohio

Nominator: Jillian Boone

What Makes Her a Literacy Champion: 

It was important that I honor my mom, Sara Wolosiansky, as Read for a Cause's first Literacy Champion.  From the time I could misspell words and draw stick figures, she has encouraged me to read, write, and create. And as a speech therapist, her hard work and generous heart at Community Speech Services has made an impact on thousands of children and adults. Finally, she never, ever, denies her grandchildren 'one more story!' despite exasperated it's-way-past-bedtime sighs from those grandchildren's parents.

Love you, Mom.

Name: Natalie Tannehill

Hometown: Akron, Ohio

Nominator: Michele Whitmer

What Makes Her a Literacy Champion:  As a high school language arts teacher, Natalie balances a rigorous course schedule, teaching classes such as AP Language and Composition, Contemporary English, and Journalism. In Natalie's view, "encouraging young people to read helps them develop a view of the world beyond what they see and experience each day. Reading inspires imaginations, develops ideas, broadens our horizons, and creates an enthusiasm for life. As a teacher, I’m blessed to have the opportunity to connect young people with books, and to watch them develop what hopefully becomes a lifelong love of reading."  

 Name: Noreen Rohda

Hometown: Powell, Ohio

Nominator: Kara Gray

What Makes Her a Literacy Champion:  As a preschool interventionist specialist for the special needs preschool program with Olentangy Local Schools, Noreen's love for a good story is infectious.  As her nominator wrote, "You can see the joy of reading in her students faces every day."  For Noreen, childhood literacy sets children up for long-term success: "Encouraging young people to read is important to me because if they have a love for reading it will become a life long love. It will also make all the other subjects easier as they move through school."   

 Name: Emily Kridel

Nominator: BBBS Staff

Camp Location: South Bloomingville, Ohio

What Makes Her a Literacy Champion:  As the Education Director at Camp Oty'Okwa, Emily has shared her love for reading with countless campers, knowing that books can be a way for children to connect with themselves and others.  

"The three pillars of Camp Oty'Okwa are Esteem, Empathy, and Example. I think reading helps kids grow in all these areas; they can be empowered to access information for themselves, they can learn more about the experiences of others, and they can see examples of all kinds of people in books. . . .  I want to our campers, and all kids, learn to love reading because I know it will expand their world and improve their lives."

 Name: WAGS

Founder: Trudy Debolt

Location: Mt. Vernon, Ohio

What Makes WAGS a Literacy Champion: 

  WAGS (Working Dog Awareness Group) is an organization that is transforming students and shelter dogs one book at a time. Founded by Trudy Debolt, a 6th grade English teacher,  WAGS aims to honor the military dogs of the Vietnam War while helping shelter dogs become more adoptable. Every Saturday, WAGS students visit the Knox County Animal Shelter to read to its K9 residents. 

 WAGS fulfills its motto, “Keeping hope alive” by teaching students that through reading and spending time with a shelter animal, they save a life and foster hope for a better future.

 Name: Dr. Philip TK Daniel

Title: Professor Emeritus of Educational Administration, The Ohio State University

What Makes Dr. Daniel a Literacy Champion:    Mid-way through his 48th year of teaching,  Dr. Daniel has dedicated nearly half a century to educating the next generation of educators.  His commitment to his students and the pursuit of education reform has earned him countless accolades, including OSU's prestigious Distinguished Service Award and a spot within the College of Education and Human Ecology's Hall of Fame.  

But the true source of Dr. Daniel's motivation is not an award; it is the opportunity to effect meaningful change in his students and their work.  "The quality and understanding of good teachers will impact the quality and understanding of their students," he explained.  "Not just what they learn, but what they value." 

 Name: Betsey Hines

Hometown: Upper Arlington, Ohio

Nominator: HFF Staff

What Makes Her a Literacy Champion:      

As a long-time volunteer reading mentor at the Homeless Families Foundation, Betsey Hines has built mutual relationships based on trust, value, and love with her mentees. But Betsey believes she has learned more from the children than they have learned from her. “[T]he real learning has been what [my mentees] have taught me in our weekly talks. I see what systemic racism is. I have seen why poverty and education by zip code can lead to a future of frustration with a world that does not treat all equally,” she explains.  That understanding has fueled Betsey’s commitment to be the change she wants to see in the world: “I will continue to volunteer, not for what I can do for others, but because of what doing for others has brought to my life.” 

 Name: Corinne "Renee" Blackford

Hometown: Medina & Hilliard, Ohio

Nominator: CND Staff

What Makes Her a Literacy Champion:        

Renee’s passion as a Certified Prevention Specialist for Community for New Direction is evident. Over the past 21 years, Renee has committed to exemplifying “intentional integrity” and building positive relationships with youth, families, and schools in Central Ohio.  To Renee, promoting literacy through CND’s in-school, after-school, and summer camp programs is important on a variety of levels: “Access to literacy enables people to keep up with current events, communicate effectively and understand world issues,” she explains.  “Improved access results in improved literacy rates that can help reduce poverty and crime, help prevent the spread of some diseases through gaining information, and enhance cultural diversity.”   

Know of someone deserving of recognition?  Nominating someone is easy!

Just send us a message! Include (1) Your Name; (2) Your Nominee's Name; (3) Your Nominee's Hometown; and (4) a few reasons why your Nominee deserves to be featured as a Literacy Champion!