By: Anastasia Gruper
With innocence we arrived at O’Hare airport at four am, a large bag and teaching supply bin to check and a carry-on bag in tow. At six am we embarked on our journey to Zambia, Africa as our first leg of plane rides began. Our trip to Washington DC was pleasant and we arrived in good spirits. We had one hour to roam the Dulles airport before boarding for our second leg to Ethiopia, a 12 hour trek. We each said a little prayer in DC for our bags to transfer with us and we were delighted to see our teacher bins, wrapped in differing colors of duct tape, rolling towards our plane as we boarded in Ethiopia for what we thought was our last leg of the trip, a three hour flight to Zambia. After traveling for thirty hours exhaustion was eating our insides, we were disappointed when the pilot announced we were landing in Zimbabwe; this was not on our itinerary. As we waited for an hour for some passengers to exit the plane and others to join the ride, we walked the aisles to gain sanity. When the plane took off again, we were anxious to reach Zambia. Waiting in line for customs to check our passports was grueling. However, as we crossed the turnstile we were relieved and sighed in relief when we saw our teaching bins had made it on every flight we did. We had arrived with supplies and excitement to begin our Zambian adventure.

Today I had the priveledge to hear author Joan Bauer speak passionately about her books, writing, and reaching the vulnerable children in our lives. She spoke of the gifts our students possess and how we as teachers cannot fail them. What really grabbed a hold of me was when Mrs. Bauer talked about humor and despair sitting on the same couch in life.  And who’s sitting in the middle? Hope.

Next week I will be working in Zambia at Shine Reading Academy, filled with hope, determined to reach the resilient children sitting before me. As I try to understand the despair in their lives, I’ll bring humor and joy into the classrooms. We will laugh together as we read and write. What will I be looking for in the middle of it all? Hope.

By: Anastasia Gruper

As I try to plan for what literacy knowledge to share in Zambia, I am humbled when Kalan tells me I will not be able to target my instruction until I know my students. Kalan and Mal have the advantage of background knowledge to draw upon while planning and sharing ideas.  The excitement in their eyes intensifies my desire to get to Zambia as a new adventure calls my name. As Kalan and Mal have expressed, the experiences Ann, Mariann, Kalan, Mal, and I will share will far surpass anything we teach. With an anxious stomach, the days of departure dwindle as the yearning to learn from others grows. Incredible support, such as donations, well wishes, and conversations, from colleagues and loved ones creates a feeling of gratitude.  This trip would not be possible for me without the generosity from so many. For this, I am truly thankful.

By: Ann Yanchura

Thrilled. Challenged. Honored. Scared. These emotions cycle through my mind as I prepare to travel to Zambia. Our Summer 2012 team is busy planning, preparing lessons, gathering materials and supplies, and making our packing lists. I can’t believe I have the opportunity to share my love of teaching, learning, reading and writing with schools in the Third World…and to do it alongside four other women whom I admire and who feel the same way I do. Can’t wait to see what Zambia has in store for us.

A few months ago the team of educators planning to go to Zambia had our first meeting. At that meeting Ann Yanchura handed each of us a journal with a piece of the famous Mahatma Gandi, “Be the Change” quote on the cover. The journal brought tears to my eyes then and inspiration to my heart now. On this Memorial Day Monday I am diligently working in my journal. Brainstorming plans, creating lists of supplies, asking questions, and organizing lessons.
I am honored to have this time to remember our fallen soldiers who fought so hard for democracy and freedom. I am honored to remember them by continuing to fight for the same reasons that they gave their lives. Through literacy, the boys and girls of Zambia will know their rights, work towards equality, and help each other experience the freedom that comes with reading, writing, and education.

Blog post by: Kalan Gott

I have previously written about what the name of this organization means to me, but recently I have realized a new meaning. ‘A’ and ‘Z’ mark the beginning and end of the alphabet, but it takes all of the letters together to make the alphabet. When those letters join up they make words, which make sentences that turn into paragraphs and books. The A to Z Movement works the same way. It takes each and every volunteer pulling together to make the movement move! As volunteers come together, united under a common cause, creativity reins. From fundraisers and book sorting to lesson plans and professional development, each volunteer fuels the movement and helps A to Z reach more people from the U.S to Zambia.

Special thanks to Pat Kelly for writing this post for A to Z.

Sorting- it’s a never ending job what with the books that come in to A to Z regularly. Our volunteers have taken the many donations and sorted them according to suitability for Zambian children, first and foremost. Next, reading level is considered and books are boxed in several categories- picture books, chapter books, etcetera.
There are always unexpected surprises when we sort. Sometimes we find a bookmark or a sales receipt left in a book. We have turned up a 1945 Dick and Jane primer and many precious favorites from our childhoods or those of our children. Sorters typically run into the familiar classics- Dr. Seuss, Winnie the Pooh, Goodnight Moon, assuring us that another generation has had the opportunity to bond with them. One box is filled with books for our local outreach missions; these are the books which aren’t appropriate for children in Zambia.
When we look through personal collections of donors, we feel personal connections to donors. Thank you for sharing with us!

One of my favorite things about Shine Reading Academy is the plentiful garden. It’s filled with tomatoes, cabbage, onions, and greens. To me, the garden symbolizes new growth and new life.

Along with the garden, grow the students of Shine Reading Academy. The school is producing readers and writers – students motivated to learn and extend their thinking. Students who are carefully tended to by thoughtful and caring teachers. The children are encouraged to go beyond the poverty surrounding them, to see the brighter possibilities of reaching up and out like the plants in the garden moving toward the sun.