NOVA RIF YOUNG AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
RIF of NOVA's Young Ambassador Volunteer Program is continuing into its third academic year -- 2023-2024 (though the application process for the 2023-2024 academic year has closed). The idea is to encourage young people in our community to provide other youngsters with books and to encourage the love of reading.
New Young Ambassadors
Three new Young Ambassadors from the 2023-2024 "class" of Young Ambassadors are listed below. We are delighted to welcome them to help with the work of putting books into children's hands and to share their short essays on why they wanted to join the YA team! As you will read, they are all stellar leaders...and then some!
Avery Cañedo
"The good news," wrote this rising high school senior, "is that I have already contributed to RIF Northern Virginia, and I would be excited to continue and increase that support! Last year, I interacted with kids as Clifford at Culmore Community Day and the John Adams Elementary School Book Bash. I also volunteered at the RIF of NOVA Golden Gala at Westwood Country Club. I particularly enjoyed interacting with kids, and it was great to see how excited they got about receiving books. "Additionally, I have held collection drives in the past, both for disposable diapers for a food pantry, and to collect reusable diapers to share with my target audience as part of my Girl Scout gold award project, Happy Nappies. Both of these drives were very successful. Additionally, as part of my gold award project, I designed brochures and posters and created an Instagram account for the project, which are also skills I could offer. The Book It For Books 5K race/walk has similar elements to many of the Special Olympics events for which I have volunteered. I have plenty of relevant experience with all of the aspects of preparing for the race and volunteering on race day! I feel that being a Young Ambassador would combine my love for books and reading with my love for volunteer service, and I would be honored to be a Young Ambassador." |
Michelle Liu (and her dog Milky)
"I believe that an NOVA RIF Youth Ambassador embodies the qualities of being kind-hearted, caring, and committed, not only for books but also the community. I am an avid reader, frequently visiting my library to check out new books and to revisit old favorites. In the fall of 2022, I founded the Class of 2026 newsletter at my school. As over half of the student body in my grade are boarding students, the newsletter strives to better connect families to the school community through art, writing, and photos. Through leading the newsletter, I have grown and become more passionate about community service. "During my time as a Young Ambassador, I would hope to collaborate efficiently and effectively with my other fellow Ambassadors as well as with NOVA RIF as a whole. I will bring a positive and open mindset to all projects and events from fundraisers and presentations to interviews and research. I want to help serve the greater NOVA community to its full potential through books and to continue the mission of NOVA RIF to support local schools, communities, and beyond. Thank you so much for the opportunity! |
Noah Isirimah
"Ever since I was young, I have had a great appreciation for books. Books have helped me to stay focused, make use of idle time, and to be honest, delve into another world while reading fantasy books. The thought of a child not being able to escape with a good book saddens me, and if I have the opportunity to create a love of reading in another student then that is an opportunity I will take advantage of. Authors like Rick Riordan and J.K. Rowling have inspired me through the fantastical worlds they fabricate and as a result I am a true believer that, "Books are a uniquely portable magic,” as quoted by Stephen King. |
"If selected to serve as an Ambassador, I would be honored and eager to use my resources to help children in Northern Virginia. As a teen in Jack and Jill of America, Inc., the largest organization for black mothers working to bring together and create opportunities for their children, I was recently appointed to serve as the chair of the teen’s Community Service Committee. As an ambassador, I would create a community service drive within my local chapter that has around two hundred mothers, fathers, and children as well as partner with area chapters to collect books and fundraise. I would even look into having all of the Northern Virginia chapters of Jack and Jill of America support this effort since this is our community. That would mean thousands of mothers, fathers, and children working together to donate books and fundraise for Reading is Fundamental Northern Virginia. "Additionally, as a rising sophomore at Lake Braddock Secondary School, the largest high school in Northern Virginia, I can present the idea to collect gently used and new books to the Student Government Association. The SGA is always looking to take on a yearly community service project. As a member of the basketball team, I can present the Book It for Books 5K Race/Walk to the athletic department for all student athletes to participate and have fun while raising money for an important cause. Serving as an Ambassador is a great way for me to combine my passion for books and desire to participate in community service. If I am selected, you will not be disappointed." |
Continuing Young Ambassadors
When McKenzie Watt learned that many children in our community do not have books in their homes, she was surprised -- and concerned. Not one to sit still, this lover of books and reading decided to turn her concern into action. The eighth grader (in fall 2023) set up an organization, Kenzie’s Kids, to collect new and gently used children’s books to distribute to children in the NOVA community. So far, she has collected over 4,300 books, with over 1,200 donated to NOVA RIF! Young Ambassador McKenzie Watt received a commendation RIF of NOVA bookmark for her wonderful efforts.
McKenzie has also written three book reviews for NOVA RIF's website. One focused on a favorite book: Charlie Hernández & The League of Shadows. Another reviewed A Long Walk to Water about a "Lost Boy" from Sudan and his efforts to bring water to his home country. The most recent (June 2023) was a review of the Newbery Award winning fantasy book The Last Cuentista. Find all three reviews here. |
Rising 10th grader Camille Fallen fell in love with books when she was in kindergarten, and, since then, her personal library has grown exponentially. Her early collection of Magic Tree House books rapidly expanded to include The Land of Stories and The School of Good and Evil series. Through reading, Camille developed a curiosity that has served her well in both her academics, in fostering an interest in music and dance, and in broadening her knowledge of the wider world.
Before being selected as a Youth Ambassador for Reading is Fundamental of NOVA, Camille was chosen as a Kid Reporter for Scholastic. As part of a team of Kid Reporters, she had the privilege of interviewing President and Mrs. Obama and also conducted solo interviews with Emmy Award winning journalist Lillian Cunningham, renowned textile artist Bisa Butler, and several others. Camille has participated in several RIF of NOVA book distribution events, advising children on good book picks based on her own wide range of reading. |
Graduating Young Ambassadors
Two of our Young Ambassadors graduated from high school in June 2023 and are moving on to college. We are grateful to both of them for their contributions to RIF of NOVA to provide books and encourage reading for children in the Northern Virginia community.
Two of our Young Ambassadors graduated from high school in June 2023 and are moving on to college. We are grateful to both of them for their contributions to RIF of NOVA to provide books and encourage reading for children in the Northern Virginia community.
Young Ambassador Addison Clift shows the commendation bookmark she received for collecting over 1,600 gently used books for NOVA RIF during the pandemic. She got the word out by posting her appeal on social media, writing an article for her high school weekly newspaper, and reaching out to her younger sister and young cousins to alert elementary school families in her community. In 2019, she and several friends set up a GoFundMe appeal for NOVA RIF, and she donned the Clifford costume for our 2019 Book It for Books 5-K Race, to the delight of the children who attended the event. Addison made a video in English and Spanish encouraging parents to read to their children. She also translated the NOVA RIF photo release form into Spanish.
|
Alex Pomper started a book drive in his neighborhood in November 2021 after learning that 61 percent of low-income children don't have any books in their homes and that 50 percent of adults can't read at an 8th grade level. In January 2022, he launched his website, Giveakidabook.org because of the tremendous response he received from his initial "ask" for donations. Since then, he has collected thousands of books and has donated to multiple nonprofit organizations in the D.C, metro area including Second Story in Fairfax, Community Family Life Services in D.C., and the Latin American Youth Center in D.C. and in Prince George's County. At least once a month, he hosted book distributions for clients of the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), co-branding the AFAC distributions with RIF of NOVA.
|
|
Young Ambassador Volunteer Program Details
What is it? It's a chance for you to help us do what we do, based on your interests and time available. Each year, NOVA RIF plans to solicit applications for up to three young people who will then serve during the following academic year in the program. What might you do? Help us with... Book collections: Interested in helping collect gently used books and/or distributing them, along with new books, at book donation events? If so, come join us. Wait until you see the joy on a child's face when receiving a book to own! Fundraising: Fundraising is our most pressing need; all of our funding needs to be raised locally. Might you organize and launch a fundraiser? Event help and participation: RIF of NOVA hosts a biannual Book It for Books 5K Race/Walk. The next one is in the early planning stages for October 2023. How might you help before the event? Form a team to walk or run. Make signs and posters. Distribute fliers to local businesses. Spread the word on social media. On race day? Sign in runners. Direct runners/walkers where to go on the running/walking path. Put up signs and balloons. Staff the food or book table, serve water, take photos, and even be Clifford!!! That is a big job, for sure because everyone LOVES Clifford! Social media expertise: Do you have social media skills? If so, we would use your help to spread the word about RIF of NOVA's many activities! Create a photo slideshow or movie: Such material would be geared to generate interest and donations via our website and social media. Author a blog or children's book review: If accepted, your blog, review, or even a regular "column" about children's books could be published on our website and in our newsletter, the RIF RAP. Other ideas/proposals: Welcome! |
Addie Clift volunteered as Clifford at the 2019 Book It For Books 5K -- to the delight of the children who took part!
What's in this for you?
It's a chance to develop skills to note on a high school or college application or resume, not to mention an opportunity to provide a service to our community and make a difference in the lives of NOVA children. In addition, your participation may qualify for school service hours. Please check with your counselor/advisor. If you would like to volunteer to help NOVA RIF outside of the Young Ambassador program, please contact us at: rifnova@gmail.com. |
