I participated in Blogathon 2006, but things were too crazy last summer for me to try and do it again (moving, applying for grad school, new job, new boyfriend . . .).  I decided I wanted to participate again this year, because I really did enjoy it last time.  I got all excited, I went to the Blogathon website . . . and saw that they’re not doing the Blogathon this year !!!  They’re taking a year off to make 2009 awesome.  I was sad, but then I saw that there’s an “unofficial” Blogathon that will be happening in its place.

So, this year I will be participating the Day of Blogs 2008!  The crowd’s a bit smaller, but it’s still for a great purpose, so I’m in!  This Saturday, July 26 (at 9AM EST) I will begin blogging every half hour for 24 hours.  Bring on the caffeine!

This year, the charity that I have chosen is Children’s Literacy Initiative.  Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE reading (I mean, I double majored in English and theatre - that’s a lot of reading, LOL).  I have hundreds of books at home, and I’m always reading something.  I attribute my passion for reading to my early childhood experiences with books, mostly from my parents and my teachers.  I’ll share more of my personal experiences during Day of Blogs, but know that reading is something I am quite dedicated to, and believe every child should have significant exposure to.  Children’s Literacy Initiative doesn’t just support childhood literacy - it trains the teachers of pre-K through 3rd grade students who will work with these children on ways to effectively reach them and grant them a fulfilling education.

Children’s Literacy Initiative Mission Statement

Children’s Literacy Initiative works with teachers of our youngest children to transform instruction so that all children become powerful readers, writers, and thinkers.

From their profile on Charity Navigator:

Children’s Literacy Initiative (CLI) was founded in 1988 to enhance the opportunity for children from low-income families to enter school ready to learn and, once in school, to be successful in learning to read. CLI works to increase children’s literacy skills and to foster a love of reading by providing professional development for teachers of pre-kindergarten through third grade students. Our programs are designed to provide training in the most effective literacy practices and include quality books and materials for creating a literacy-rich classroom environment. CLI is involved in large projects in the public school systems of Philadelphia, Newark (NJ), Camden, Baltimore, and Boston, as well as training in several school districts in Pennsylvania.

Please consider sponsoring me for Day of Blogs. Donations can be received through Network for Good via the link at the end of each post during Day of Blogs (or by clicking HERE) or you may click through the widget on my sidebar.

There are all sorts of answers that you can find on the Day of Blogs website, but as always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions!

This post is for the Day of Blogs 2008! I am blogging for Children’s Literacy Initiative. For more information about what I am doing, please click here, or you can sponsor me!