Reading as a community is a powerful thing

This event was born back in May 2017, when now Bayside Academy parent and former six-year foundation board member Liz Yeager launched the inaugural Readathon with a threefold vision of building community, fostering a love of reading, and raising funds to support important educational programs for our public schools. 

Why reading, you ask? It’s long been referenced through decades of longitudinal research that having reading proficiency by the third grade is linked to high school graduation rates and post-secondary education completion. And wouldn’t you know it, reading proficiency is also linked to math proficiency as so much of math involves both actual reading and a lot of reading skills like cause and effect, comparing and contrasting, predicting, inferring and sequencing. 

The program’s first year participation was voluntary and 11 schools joined in the fun, together raising $48,500. After five years under Liz’s caring watch, the Readathon became an annual event that many families looked forward to — and one where many people in our community saved their donation dollars to encourage the community’s children to read more. This year, in addition to 1.5 million minutes read, “the goal is to raise $150,000 to fund educational programming for all students in the district such as music and STEAM programs,” say event Readathon co-chairs Elizabeth Colglazier and Colleen Sullivan. 

For district students, the Readathon is an incredible opportunity to visibly take learning beyond the walls of the classroom. In recent years, Readathon kickoff events have been held at both the San Mateo and Foster City main libraries in collaboration with our community’s incredible librarians and staff.

Last Friday night, I was standing in the back of the San Mateo Main Public Library’s large event room as some of our public schools’ principals read their favorite books to a packed room of 175 attendees. Closing out a set of inspiring stories from Fiesta Gardens Elementary Director Daniel Robles, Lead Elementary Principal Natalie Delahunt, and Sunnybrae Elementary Principal Cindy Chin was College Park Elementary Principal Angienette Desuyo Estonina’s book which ended with “Because one is all it takes to start something beautiful.” 

And then, something I have never in my life seen before happened — I was in complete awe watching Librarians Mary Alexander, Heather Douglas, and Madison Reece led what must have been at least 50 children ages 4-10 through three rounds of … snowball fights. I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid, libraries were not places to have snowball fights. Or squeal in joy. Or high five your librarian. For these kids, libraries and the books living there will be where the best adventures start. And that is the power of reading together.

At the Foster City Library kickoff event the following day, a Llama Llama PJ Party with more than 150 attendees joined in the fun. I think we sometimes forget that people are volunteering their personal time to show up for our community’s children, so please also join me in thanking Foster City Librarian Min-I Chou, Audubon Elementary Principal Doug Garriss, Brewer Island Elementary Principal Dr. Becky Stephan and Foster City Elementary Principal Amanda Goll in taking time over the weekend to come to the library in their pajamas and read to a packed room of kids. Every story, every high five, and every snowball fight inspires.

Learn more about the annual Readathon here: smfcedfund.org/readathon.

Annie Tsai is chief operating officer at Interact (tryinteract.com), early stage investor and advisor with The House Fund (thehouse.fund), and a member of the San Mateo County Housing and Community Development Committee. Find Annie on Twitter @meannie.