World read aloud day
The goal of World Read Aloud Day is to strengthen kids and communities through the power of stories. Throughout the day students will be exposed to a diverse collection of local authors and books, and help them to expand their love for reading.
February 1, 2023
9 am - 3:00 pm
See locations below
In Partnership With
A CLOSER LOOK AT
World Read Aloud Day
For the last 13 years, World Read Aloud Day has highlighted the importance of community leaders sharing stories with young learners. Reading aloud helps students learn how to use language that helps them make sense of the world. Hearing these stories inspires our kids to dream big. Read-aloud opportunities are critical to helping our children become better communicators so they can achieve their goals as they grow older.
If you’d like to volunteer for a future read-aloud event, please click here to contact our early education team.
Promote Literacy
Reading is a gateway to opportunity but reading proficiency among young learners in Delaware is not where it needs to be. We are working to change this.
Increase Book Ownership
Research shows that children who have their own books are more likely to read outside of school, enjoy reading, and do better in school.
Introduce Local Authors
Delaware is home to dozens of authors who write for young learners, especially. Some of these authors will share their books with students on Feb 1st.
Create Read Aloud Opportunities
Reading aloud helps students improve information processing, vocabulary, and comprehension. It’s also a great tool that’s used to help motivate kids to read.
Starting February 1st, local authors, athletes, and law enforcement officers will visit Delaware schools for World Read Aloud Day. Here’s the list of elementary schools and volunteers that will be participating throughout the state.
Read more about Dr. Keith Pettiford
Dr. Keith Pettiford is a community service advocate and children’s author. Professionally, he has been a leader in the financial services sector for over 30 years and is also an Adjunct Professor of Business. Keith has written many research and analytical papers that have detailed problems and provided resolutions. As an inspired author, Keith looks to highlight specific issues children face and help them establish confidence and successfully deal with their concerns.
Read more about Lenny Williams
Lenny Williams was born on April 9, 1994. He grew up in Wilmington, Delaware and still resides there today. In 2014 he started working on his first writing project, setting up a plan to become an author and a director. In 2015 he released his very first book titled Dreaming Their Way Out. That same year he directed & released his very first film titled What Is Life? Today Lenny is the author of several books and the CEO of Lenny’s Imagination. Studying the beauty of science, nature, and spirituality inspires him to write the magical stories he comes up with. In the future, Lenny eventually plans to create the following: animation films, comedy films, horror films, video games, and a theme park for millions to enjoy!
Read more about Dwight BoNey
For more information about Dwight, please click here to visit his LinkedIn page.
Read more about Shawn Gaines
Shawn Gaines is a military veteran from Newark, DE with a strong passion for encouraging the youth to exercise their creative thinking abilities. Shawn is a self taught author and Illustrator. In 2019, he debuted an independent children’s book titled “The Finger Trap.” Since then, he has illustrated three other children’s books, and has co-authored an Amazon best selling self help book titled “Happy Hamster.”
Read more about John Miklos
John Micklos, Jr. is the author of more than 50 books for children and young adult readers. His books include picture books, poetry books, and nonfiction titles spanning a wide range of topics and age ranges.
John has done K-12 school and library visits (live or via Zoom) in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Texas, New Jersey, Indiana, Maryland, Virginia, and Maine, speaking on topics ranging from poetry writing to crafting nonfiction to principles of journalism. He has spoken at the national conferences of the International Literacy Association and the National Council of Teachers of English, as well as state conferences in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware.
Read more about Enrique Moras
Enrique is the founder and Managing Editor of Syncretic Press, an independent publishing company from Wilmington, Delaware. His company focuses on publishing Latin American authors and illustrators, with particular emphasis on children’s literature, although it also ventures into genres such as poetry and current affairs.
Enrique was born in Uruguay. He came to the United States to finish high school and then moved to Spain, where he studied History at the University of Granada. Back in the US, he started a career in finance. He obtained a degree in Business Administration at Georgia State University. He held multiple management and executive positions at the regional and national levels for various banks on the East Coast. During this period, he also began to develop the business plan that would ultimately result in the founding of Syncretic Press in 2016.
Today his company has published more than 30 titles, and its books are distributed throughout the United States, Canada, Latin America, and Spain. Syncretic Press also partners with small publishers in Latin America to distribute their titles in the United States.
Read more about Dr. Julius Mullen
Leading, teaching, coaching, and mentoring are among life’s most precious gifts for Dr. Julius Mullen Sr. Julius is the Chief Inclusion Officer for Children & Families First of Delaware, where he was the Chief Clinical Officer for 15 years. Dr. J also had the privilege of serving as the inaugural Executive Director for the Bryan Allen Stevenson School of Excellence. In his executive roles, Julius has helped to spearhead an array of projects, including a Brain Science Training Institute, Trauma Informed Management, Leadership Development Initiative, Equity- Diversity-Inclusion Task Force, Trauma Response Team, Innovation Lab, Parent-Driven
Education Platform, and a Youth Resilience Mentoring Program.
Julius is a proud graduate of the Executive Leadership Institute from the University of Michigan School of Social Work, School of Business, and the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities. He completed his doctoral studies at Wilmington University in Innovation and Leadership in 2004 and earned his master’s degree in counseling in 1998. Being a nationally certified counselor and licensed professional counselor of mental health has given him the pleasure of practicing in the state of Delaware, where he is credentialed in trauma-specific interventions.
He and his wife, Tasha answered to call from the community by publishing three children’s books, Just Love Me, I Got a Big Brain and I Will Man Up which advocates for childhood compassion, resiliency, and diversity. In Julius’ spare time, he loves spending time with his family/friends, enjoying one of his home-cooked special dishes with others, or traveling to the Caribbean islands.
Read more about Enrique Moras
Enrique is the founder and Managing Editor of Syncretic Press, an independent publishing company from Wilmington, Delaware. His company focuses on publishing Latin American authors and illustrators, with particular emphasis on children’s literature, although it also ventures into genres such as poetry and current affairs.
Enrique was born in Uruguay. He came to the United States to finish high school and then moved to Spain, where he studied History at the University of Granada. Back in the US, he started a career in finance. He obtained a degree in Business Administration at Georgia State University. He held multiple management and executive positions at the regional and national levels for various banks on the East Coast. During this period, he also began to develop the business plan that would ultimately result in the founding of Syncretic Press in 2016.
Today his company has published more than 30 titles, and its books are distributed throughout the United States, Canada, Latin America, and Spain. Syncretic Press also partners with small publishers in Latin America to distribute their titles in the United States.
Read more about Keziah A. Finney
Keziah Finney was born in Chester, PA and raised in New Castle, DE. She is a certified middle school math and science teacher. Throughout her 20 years of teaching, she has created stories and songs related to math and science concepts to engage her students further and enhance their learning experience.
In 2015, Mrs. Finney partnered with her husband, James Finney, to turn her songs into a supplemental math curriculum called Lyrical Math which teaches math skills through hip-hop music. In 2020, Mrs. Finney used her gift of storytelling to write her first children’s book “Let’s Glow (A Firefly Story),” through her self-publishing book company Unlimited Light, LLC. To further promote minorities in S.T.E.M. related career fields, she also created artwork for her clothing line “I STEM from GREATNESS.”
Mrs. Finney was the 2020 Teacher of the Year at H.B. duPont Middle School and one of three semifinalists for the 2020 Red Clay School District Teacher of the Year. She has received letters of appreciation for her unique approach to teaching from Delaware’s State Senator, Lieutenant Governor, and New Castle County Executive. Mrs.Finney also received the 2017 KYW News Radio Women’s Achievement Award and the 2021 WILDE Inc Agents of Change Award for her impact in the community.
Watch the Replay
World Read Aloud Day 2023
Here’s your chance to watch the Delaware BlueCoats‘ Ahmad and mascot Coaty as they read “Wonder Woman” to 1st Graders at Wilmington Manor Elementary School. As you’ll see the kids had a wonderful time. We are so grateful for all our volunteers!
Wilmington Manor Elementary School
New Castle, Delaware
Invest in our Young People
Help Improve Literacy Across Delaware
We never work alone because nothing gets done when you work by yourself. We work alongside generous community members, corporations, and other non-profits to help our young people become great readers and life-long lovers of learning.
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