In December the local American Association of University Women chapter did double duty in its mission to promote education.
The week before Christmas, supplies including paper, pens, rulers, post-it notes, staples, and more — totaling close to 300 pounds — were delivered to Healdsburg Elementary School, West Side School and Fitch Mountain Elementary School. Principals Stephanie Feith, Rhonda Bellmer and Erika McGuire were delighted when they received even more than they had requested.
In addition, the organization delivered books for each first grader to pick and take home as a special gift. As members were told by the students, this was sometimes the first book the child had ever owned.
The book gift is in conjunction with the “Reading Rocks” program; a number of AAUW members commit to an hour a week to help first grade students with their reading. This one-on-one program has proven to dramatically increase a student’s reading ability and comprehension at a time when it is most needed.
AAUW is a national organization founded in 1881 to promote education and educational parity for women. The Healdsburg branch now numbers over 200 members, and encompasses Cloverdale, Windsor and Geyserville, in addition to Healdsburg.
— submitted by Mary Fitzgerald
