#REAL HAPPY NEW YEAR

          #REAL 
                    
                 HAPPY  
                            
                           NEW 
                                  
                                   YEAR!!!!!!!

#REAL #Book Enthusiasts Dedicate Donation to Lalie Clayman

Jan Plourde of The REAL Program and Pam Price of Book Shop of Beverly Farms

This blog post and this season is dedicated to fellow #book enthusiast #LalieClayman. Thank you in behalf of the children of The REAL Program. 

#Community Helping #Community for #REAL

This is The REAL Program. This is about helping people with literacy, support, care and friendship. This is about #community helping #community. 

Jan ask to write a few words that stated why do I send my kids to real?

REAL have many meaning to my family, means hope, future, foundation, and caring. I have been sending my Daughter for the pass few years and this year my son also started to attend. Real is  were the family hope is created. Real created hope for a family that could not even image that could be possible. Real makes the future seems reachable and not impossible. Real create the foundation for my family to stand on for the rest of their   life also and change their destination to a better life. Real inspirers your children in learning and develop a love for reading.  Real cares in the community that every individual child can be or want to be anybody or anything with out any limitation no matter whom or what you are and look like.

A REAL Parent

#REAL Board of Directors and Vision Planning for #REAL

This is a blog post written for other founders of programs or businesses where folks have literally jumped on board your dream to help you achieve. This is #REAL! This is powerful stuff. This is unbelievable. 

The Board of Directors of The REAL Program is a highly successful, highly educated group of professionals from many different fields, backgrounds and communities who give time, expertise, funding, social capital and care to help make The REAL Program REALIZE its potential!

Thank you Betsy Brown, Kevin Carey, Charlie Juliand, Mary Kiene-Gualtieri, Fred Mathieu, Kelsey McNiff, Dinorah Mendez, Kitty Mullen, Judith O'Hare, Darryl Ruffen, Liz Yanishevsky.

THANK YOU CLARKE SCHOOL, SWAMPSCOTT

Words are important!

Vocabulary is important! 

Reading is important! 

Communication is important! 

Community is important!

Joined by #REAL volunteer #Sophiakennedy, #swampscotthighschoolsenior, I had the distinct pleasure of reading "Whoever You Are" by Mem Fox to a very engaged audience of fourth graders today. These children feel and know how lucky they are to have #books, library visits with family, opportunities to learn and play and build community. They want to help others and they want to make a difference! 

Well, fourth graders! You made a difference in my day today for #REAL! THANK YOU!

REAL Opportunities are Here! Use this Code until 12/4 GG-5?JUD

REAL kids need #books, help with vocabulary and learning opportunities and educated adults to help them learn!
It is FUN!

The REAL Program is doing an online fundraiser with Barnes and Noble from now through December 4th. If you use this code  GG-5?JUD in your check out of purchases online at www.barnesandnoble.com a portion of the proceeds goes to help us get more books for our REAL kids!

THANK YOU!

Important components of The REAL Program

 The following is one volunteer's view of what are the  Important Components of the REAL Program

1.     The REAL Program stresses the importance of reading to academic success and sends the message to the student that he/she is capable of of achieving great things.  This is accomplished through an atmosphere that gives positive feedback and stresses the message that each child is valued and capable of accomplishing  great success in their pursuit of education.

2.      The Real Program provides opportunity for the student to have a great deal of one on one time with a caring adult .  The one on one interaction of the student with a caring adult as they read ,do homework ,play games or engage in meaningful conversation together is invaluable to the development of the student.

3.     The Real Program fosters a love and interest in Reading and the written word through Reading aloud to the students , listening to the students read to the adults and by providing the student with high quality books to take home for their personal library at each and every session.

4.       The Real Program stresses the importance of healthy eating by providing the students with healthy and nutritious snacks as well as the option to take home a family meal to share at home together and enjoy family time around the table .

5.        The Real Program provides a safe and happy environment for the student to enjoy that provides them with a home-like comfortable atmosphere after a long school day , staffed by adults who are always happy to see them and are interested and concerned about their welfare and their happiness and success.

Hungry for Food and Thirsty to Learn for #REAL

Good Morning to All,
November is the month of Thanksgiving in the United States. It is the #REAL end of the harvest season and a time to be with family, community and others to give and share thanks. It is a time to have food together, to forget about all the squabbles and differences we encounter in every day life and to simply enjoy life.

The families and children at The REAL Program are rich in many ways in that they have a sense of family and community even though many of them struggle to have enough food to feed them all. The sense of together is very strong. The sense of love is very strong. We simply give them the academic support and the extension of love and care that their families already provide. The families recognize that The REAL Program provides more than just books, homework help, literacy games and activities and guided play time. Many people are mislead to believe that these can all be provided by computer games and software. The difference is the people who give of themselves to work with the children. The quality of human connection is #REAL. The volunteers are educated, motivated and enthusiastic to help the children and their families.

The children come to The REAL Program with #REAL hunger that we are able to satisfy with food of fresh fruit and healthy snacks provided by #My Brother's Table. We are often able to provide fresh bread and even pies from Traditional Bread who share their understanding of what is feels like to be hungry.

After we have provided food (either for snack or for taking home to their families for family dinner night), the children need a chance to play, to move, to laugh and be free to create. Some of them want to get their homework done and then go to play. Some of them need to play before they can settle down to read, do homework, draw or play a board game. All of the children are thirsty to learn!

Grateful for the opportunity to help. Grateful for the recognition and care.

FUN #REALNIGHTOUT PHOTOS from last week's first REAL FUNDRAISERDon

Don Kelley -auctioneer

Maryann Lemelin -REAL Mentor and FUN person

Freehling, Manganelli FUN table--oops, No table!

SWANKY NANA!!!!

Fabulous live jazz music from #PocketChangeTrio

Larry and Kitty Mullen (REAL Board Member)

#REAL Kevin Carey and #REAL Darryl Ruffen

Fanciful displays put together by Pat Landry!

Mrs. Brown reads for #REAL

This is Mrs. Brown at The REAL Program. REAL is Reading.Educational Assistance. Learning

Swanky Music, Swanky Setting, Swanky Auction? A REAL NIGHT OUT~

Think About It -for REAL!

Children heading into the Boys and Girls Club in Lynn as we arrive to provide The REAL Program on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons to help children with their homework and to read, play literacy games and more.
We provide this for children on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Congregation Ahabat Sholom near the Brickett School. This is #REAL and we need your help to make this work over many years! Think about it.

#REAL NIGHT OUT is Saturday, October 25th

#REAL Night Out is the first fundraiser for The REAL Program whose mission is to improve literacy through collecting and distributing gently used or new children's books to underserved children. REAL (Reading~Educational Assistance~Learning) is a 501c3 organization whose headquarters are in Lynn, MA. People often ask "Why Lynn?" and when they come to see what we do and what the children and families need for help the answers are very clear. The teachers and parents are very dedicated, loving and caring. The children are eager to learn and loved! However, there is a big gap that we, at The REAL Program, are trying to fill in our work with children in the area of the Brickett School and at the Boys and Girls Club. If you are curious, come and see!

#REAL is #933

The REAL Program exists to improve literacy

Retired teachers and other professionals mentor high school and college students who mentor elementary school aged children. We often have younger siblings, parents, grand parents, cousins and more who want to learn English or who want to help in any way they can. We work with the children for 2 hours a day for 2 days a week at the Boys and Girls Club of Lynn from 3:00-5:00 for 20 weeks of the year. We work with the children at Congregation Ahabat Sholom from the nearby Brickett School for 27 weeks of the year for 5-8 hours per week. We give them care, attention, respect, books, homework help, modeling, food, snacks, enrichment opportunities and a sense that we are all one community. This is #REAL. 

Please join us at our first #REAL fundraiser called A REAL NIGHT OUT on Saturday, 10/25 from 6:00-10:00 at Glen Urquhart School, 74 Hart St., Beverly

To learn about The REAL Program and how you can help please visit www.therealprogram.org

THANK YOU

A TASTE OF A REAL NIGHT OUT

A REAL Night Out is the first #REAL fundraiser. Saturday, October 25th at Glen Urquhart School, Beverly. Here is just one of the creative and generous donations made by our own board member, Darryl Ruffen. 

Contact jan@therealprogram for tickets, for corporate sponsorship, if you want to make a donation, help organize the event. WE PROMISE IT WILL BE A #REAL NIGHT TO REMEMBER!!!

Isaiah is ready!

Play by the Rules

Hey @#REAL Pick Up Basketball Fans!

Here is your chance to make your game OFFICIAL! REAL Board Member Darryl Ruffen is a REAL basketball official, too. Have a REAL basketball game, where the rules are clear for all the players and even fans, and you might even get the home court advantage because we can provide some REAL fans, too!

Choose a court date; make it official with Darryl and play by the rules.

Donated by:  Darryl Ruffen

Value:  $150

Happy Singing and Stylin Alfred at The REAL Program

'Cause I'm Happeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Bring Your Friends to A #REALNIGHTOUT

Bring your friends and join the fun at our #REALnightout fundraiser
Wonderful food presented by Kelly's Roast Beef
Silent and Live Auction lead by Auctioneer Don Kelley
Smooth Jazz by Pocket Change Trio
at
Glen Urquhart School, 74 Hart St. Beverly Farms
Contact us for sponsorship, tickets or donations
jan@therealprogram.org

The Mission of The REAL Program is to improve #Literacy

The mission of The #REAL Program is to improve #literacy!

#REAL #LIteracy

www.therealprogram.org

Just think that there are children who do not have the experience of #reading; of being #read to, of #sharing #books.
The #REAL Program works to improve #literacy
www.therealprogram.org

#REAL Reading and Literacy Opportunities

Reading for #REAL

This is a future #REAL Little Free Library

Books, Stories, Boxes, Paper, Puddles, Popsicle Sticks, Music, ELL

This is a post about the first two weeks about this summer's fun at The REAL Program. Every day the children select books that they can keep! In addition, they read books or they are read to by a volunteer. The books are donated from all over the region by people who understand the importance of reading to children. The books are good quality and our decision to give these books to the children is simply this:  If you would give this book as a gift, it is suitable for donation. Mrs. Brown is our lead enthusiast!

Our wonderful intern this summer is Sarah Sessa. Sarah is a senior at Gordon College and she is a great asset to The REAL Program. Sarah has creativity, resourcefulness and compassion that we have  adapted for project-based learning in the form of cardboard box construction that become villages, cities, trucks, space ships. ENGLISH descriptions and conversations fill the air while our COMMUNITY BUILDING takes place literally and figuratively.

 The children are given some summer reading as part of their school requirements. We have lots of discussion about reading, nonfiction and fiction material. We have selected a nonfiction book  about a young girl who was an immigrant on the Mayflower named Remember Patience Whipple. This gives lots of discussion, clarification and vocabulary building around the concept of immigration.

Steven examines an insect in our puddle classroom!

Another day's teachable moment  utilizes the giant puddle in our outdoor classroom. The children and volunteers create rafts with colorful popsicle sticks/glue/masking tape and poster board. Older children use the white board to make a graph of the rafts and to record predictions about the number of pebbles each raft would carry before sinking. We even make the puddle bigger with the addition of a hose to create current and make further predictions of where the rafts would go when the wind and current do not flow in the same direction.

 Special guests, children's musician Darren Muise and Lynn teacher/crafter Kim Staples provide developmentally appropriate entertainment and activities for children and adults, too.

Sharon Fosbury provides English classes to a growing number of adults whose children attend The REAL Program. The energy and enthusiasm to learn English is as clear as the children's energy to learn everything!

The #REAL World of Summer

We have started our summer fun at The REAL Program! Children, adults, parents, teens, volunteers, students, board members, friends, neighbors, grandparents and all are enjoying learning and teaching together. The time goes by so quickly and the children do not want to leave. Today's adventures centered around a wonderful puddle with an insect swimming in it. This prompted observation, investigation and, ultimately, raft building with popsicle sticks, glue, tape and markers. Older students documented it all with photography and graphing on a giant white board.
Thanks to all the families, volunteers and the folks at Congregation Ahabat Sholom!

#REAL Literacy Grows

WE ARE EXCITED! #REAL books, #REAL gardens, #REAL fun starts next week.

#REAL Happy Summer Kids and Teachers, Too!

#REAL Happy Summer to ALL

The winter was long. 

The challenges were great! 

Summer is here for #REAL! 

Please Save This Date!

for A #REAL Night Out

October 25, 2014

Longest Day of the YEAR HAPPY SUMMER!

REAL parent and drummer Hughe Traore performs for children on the lawn at Ahabat Sholom
#SAVE THE DATE for #A #REAL #NIGHT #OUT
10/25/2014

A REAL Night Out

You are cordially invited to come to our first fundraiser at Glen Urquhart School, Beverly Farms

World Cup Soccer and Nearly Summer Vacation!

World Cup Soccer and It is Nearly Summer Vacation!
#REAL cool!

#REAL Thanks to Harborlight-Stoneridge Montessori of Beverly

#REAL thanks to Harborlight-Stoneridge Montessori School in Beverly for donating children's books and learning materials to The REAL Program! #REAL stands for Reading~Educational Assistance~Learning. 
Our mission is to improve #literacy!

REAL TABLE AT Youth at Risk Conference

#REAL happens to be at an exhibit table at the Youth At Risk Conference tomorrow morning at Endicott College! This is a great day organized by Essex County Community Foundation!

Summer registrations are pouring in for #REAL and board meeting is tomorrow night! It is good to get some time off to do #REAL stuff.

#REAL #Puppets at the Lynn Public Library with #Judith #O'Hare

Judith O'Hare, a board member of The REAL Program, will present a puppet show on Saturday morning, 5/31, at 10:00 at the Lynn Public Library as part of the celebration of reading in the month of May. This event is offered as a collaborative of Lynn READS and the Lynn Public Library. 

JESSICA’S FRIENDS is a participatory puppet play presented by Judith O’Hare of the YOU AND ME PUPPETS and your children.  It is a full theater production that includes children from the audience who manipulate rod puppets and marionettes within the context of the story.  It is designed for young children aged 3-9 and presents ideas and concepts that are part of the early childhood and early primary experience.

     The story is about a princess who wants a friend. She “wishes" for a friend and her mother tells her that she will “command" someone to be her friend. BUT when her toys come to life, she learns from them that “ You gotta be a friend to get a friend". You can’t just “ wish" for a friend or “ command" a friend. You have to care and you have to share.

All kinds of activities, books and fun will be available for children in addition to the puppet show:  West African Drumming and Singing will give "reading a voice" in the city this Saturday..HOPE YOU CAN JOIN US!

#Maya Angelou- #REAL #THANKS

With great respect for Dr. Maya Angelou who died today at age 86 years..."you can't use up creativity..."; artist Lisa Congdon.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend Everyone!

The REAL Program wishes to remind you to  enjoy time with your families and friends in this season of graduations, celebrations and remembrances of important people!
The REAL Program is committed to helping more enjoy that graduation experience!

#REAL

The #REAL summer program is posted at www.therealprogram.org

Save the date:  The REAL Event is our first fundraiser

Saturday, 10/18/2014, at Glen Urquhart School, Beverly Farms

Litzy is a great student. She is a great friend; sister; cousin; #REAL helper!

#REAL Students Help Each Other

Sampierre and Manny are #REAL ushers for our play that was written, directed by and acted by elementary students.

Congratulations to the #REAL Student Director

Third grader, Sydney Porter, co-wrote, directed, and MC'd The REAL Program's play performed yesterday for the last day of the semester's event. The #REAL students work hard at school and they have fun and learn together at The REAL Program.

#REAL Presents The Puppy Tale (Honesty is the Best Policy)

Invitation to come and see young students of The REAL Program to view the play they wrote; they directed; they produced; they will share!

When:  Wednesday, 5/14/2014 from 3:30-4:30

Where: The REAL Program at Congregation Ahabat Sholom
151 Ocean Street
Lynn, MA 01902



Please dress up to attend our debut!

Sharon Fosbury helping out with some of our #REAL stars!