NOVA RIF YOUNG AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
RIF of NOVA's Young Ambassador Volunteer Program is continuing into its fourth academic year -- 2024-2025. The idea is to encourage young people in our community to provide other youngsters with books and to encourage the love of reading. The application period for the next academic year has closed, but please read below to see if you might be interested in volunteering for special activities outside of the program. And please check back in May 2025 if you are interested in applying for the 2025-2026 academic year!
Introducing the 2024-2025 Class of Young Ambassadors
Two new Young Ambassadors applied and have been selected for the 2024-2025 Young Ambassador "class." They are introduced below, along with their short essays on why they wanted to join the YA team. As you will read, they are both stellar leaders...and then some! We are delighted to welcome them to help with the work of putting books into children's hands. They will join five other Young Ambassadors who have signed on for another year of service with RIF of NOVA!
Clelia Benedetti
When I was little, my grandmother read to me every day. When she took me to get my first library card, a whole new world of adventure and stories became available. Often, I would hide books under my blankets to read instead of sleeping. As I continue to read, I realize all the places I have been and all the history and lives I’ve touched just by immersing into a novel or autobiography or nonfiction book. Sometimes, I learn about different cultures or ways of thinking that helps broaden my perspective, and other times I just enjoy being drawn into a story that takes me far away from where I am sitting. I am excited to help Reading is Fundamental of Northern Virginia bring this opportunity to other kids. My family has been collecting books for a children’s shelter in Washington, D.C. as well as for a local book sale for many years. During Covid, we established a Little Free Library so our community could exchange books when libraries were not open. We dedicated the library in honor of my beloved grandmother. My wonderful elementary school librarian, Ms. Warren, introduced our family to Reading is Fundamental of Northern Virginia, and we have been collecting books for NOVA RIF programs over the past several years. I am very much looking forward to having a more integral and active role this year to bring books to more children who can enjoy the thrills and opportunities that reading books provides. Clelia is a rising high school senior. |
Grace Guillory
I would like to serve as a Young Ambassador because I would like to tap into my connections as a coach of a third grade girls recreational basketball team to engage my players, their families, and the league into supporting NOVA RIF by donating, sorting, and distributing books. Some of my players are playing competitive sports for the first time, and they feel outside of their comfort zone. I would like to make them think about kids who are outside of their comfort zone when it comes to reading and how, as a community, we can impact those children by providing them with engaging books. I attend Trinity School at Meadow View, where the mission is to discover truth, practice goodness, and create beauty. My community at TSMV is involved in a lot of outreach including a race I run in for the International Justice Mission for survivors of exploitation. I am excited at the opportunity to bring awareness about RIF NOVA’s mission to my classmates at TSMV and to encourage participation in the next Book It For Books 5K. Finally, I am thinking about ways that NOVA RIF could do outreach with other organizations that make an impact on children reading, like the USO. When my dad was deployed with the military, he participated in the USO’s reading program which involved him going to the USO office and being filmed reading a book to me. Then the USO mailed the book and video to my house, and each night at bedtime, he would read to me. Those videos were so special. I would like to help RIF NOVA research other programs like the USO’s to see what additional outreach they could be doing. Grace is a rising high school sophomore. |
Continuing Young Ambassadors -- at Work!
YA Camille Fallen (shown with mom and NOVA RIF board member Aisha Fallen at left) donned the Clifford costume at the April 20th Fairfax Earth Day 2024 celebration! The kids were over the moon to meet Clifford -- who is never shy about meeting new friends. More about RIF of NOVA's participation in Earth Day event as part of our Books in the Community program is here! Camillie is a rising xxx grader and has volunteered at several book distribution events..
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The Little Free Library (LFL) at Groveton Elementary School -- one of the schools served by RIF of NOVA -- fell apart, and Young Ambassador Marley Clift decided to help! She raised the needed funds and painted the new box, adding a slogan sure to please the Groveton Tigers: “Every Tiger READS Every Day.” After the new LFL was installed, Marley filled the box with books from the NOVA RIF Gently Used Book Program. Find Marley's inspirational story by clicking here! Marley is a rising xxx grader and has helped at several book distribution events.
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What would you do if you suddenly inherited nearly $47 BILLION dollars? That is the question author Jennifer Lynn Barnes explores in her exciting four-book series, The Inheritance Games. Young Ambassador McKenzie Watt has written a review of the series -- her fifth book review for RIF of NOVA! Find McKenzie's review by clicking here. McKenzie has also collected more than 1,500 gently used books for NOVA RIF!!! McKenzie is rising 8th grader.
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The Burke Fairfax Chapter of Jack & Jill of America, Inc collected over 500 books for babies through sixth graders in September 2023. The drive was done In honor of Carole Robertson, who was killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing on September 15, 1963. NOVA RIF Young Ambassador Noah Isirimah led the event with support from other teens in the chapter. Noah is a rising xxx grader.
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Young Ambassador Michelle Liu took a turn in the Clifford costume at the Fairfax Library Foundation's Summer Reading Festival on June 5, 2024, where over a thousand books were distributed to eager young readers. And, of course, Clifford was up to the task of delighting everyone. Find more pics of Michelle in costume at the library event by clicking here. Michelle also curated content for a new Resource page on Olympics/sports books. Find that here.
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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! Book sorting and stickering: When gently used books are delivered to RIF of NOVA, they need to be sorted into various age groupings for distribution to schools and at community events. We also affix a RIF of NOVA sticker to the books we distribute. We'd love your help with the sorting, stickering, and boxing process. Fundraising: Fundraising is our most pressing need; all of our funding needs to be raised by the RIF of NOVA board. Might you organize and launch a fundraiser? Event help and participation: RIF of NOVA participates in a number of community events where books are distributed. How can you help? Pick up books for delivery to the event site. Be Clifford, our mascot, and engage with children attending the event. That is a big job, for sure, because everyone LOVES Clifford! Help give out books to children. RIF of NOVA hosts a biannual Book It for Books 5K Race/Walk (The next race is planned for October 2025.) 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, or be 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! Monitor bookstore websites: Regularly check the websites of local bookstores and other sites for children's book events that can be shared and promoted on RIF of NOVA's social media. Research and develop a Resource page: Our website features several Resource pages listed by theme. Each page contains relevant links to children's books about that theme. We would love to feature additional pages on many more themes. Check the drop-down links under Resources to learn more. Review these and other website pages and suggest updates. Create a photo slideshow or movie: Such material would be geared to generate interest and donations via our website and social media. |
Former YA Addie Clift volunteered as Clifford at the 2019 Book It For Books 5K -- to the delight of the children who took part!
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 monthly newsletter, the RIF RAP.
Interview an author and write a feature: RIF of NOVA has a webpage that celebrates local authors. Interview an author and contribute a story about the author and his or her book(s)! Adopt a Little Free Library: Most RIF of NOVA-supported schools have a Little Free Library in front of the school or nearby. Adopt a LFL for the school year and make sure it is amply supplied with books. (NOVA RIF will supply the books.) 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: [email protected]. |
