Summer Reading Program Participants Off to a Great School Year

The foundation's Summer Reading & Literacy Program helped students enhance their reading and math skills over the summer, giving them momentum going into the new school year! In checking with the parents of those who attended the programs, they are doing great and some of their early test of the school year is reflecting it.

Partnership With SMILE's Stem Camp Over The Summer

The foundation would like to thank SMILE Community Action Agency for bringing us in to their summer camp to speak to their kids about the importance of reading, test preparation, techniques on improving comprehension, and literacy building!

Week Two of the Summer Reading Program Underway!

Week One of The Summer Reading & Tutoring Program

Week One of the Youth Literacy Foundation of Acadiana's Summer Reding program was a success and the kids are having a great time attending!

SMILE Community Action Partnership

The Youth Literacy Foundation was glad to assist SMILE Community Action Agency with their Youth Library Day earlier this month by donating books to give to the kids in attendance.
Pictured below: Corey Jack, Executive Director of Youth Literacy Foundation of Acadiana, and Hilda Wiltz, Resource Program Developer for SMILE Community Action Agency.

Franklin Senior High Summer Youth Football

Members of the foundation attended the Franklin Senior High Summer Youth Camp 2006 as speakers to talk to the kids about the importance of education and academics.

Morgan City Youth Activity Day

The foundation had a presence in St. Mary Parish earlier this month at The Morgan City Youth Activity Day to promote reading and education. We handed out books and gift cars to local book stores to the kids that attended the event.

Louisiana Board of Education's Teachers & Leaders Conference

Members of the Youth Literacy Foundation of Acadiana attended the Teachers & Leaders 2016 Conference on June 3, 2016 to take part in sessions that discussed topics in youth education that the foundation is involved in. These topics include poverty, household resources, and the belief gap in many communities.

YLFA to Attend Teacher Leaders Conderence this Summer

Members of the Youth Literacy Foundation will be attending the 2016 Louisiana Teacher Leader Summit, hosted by the Louisiana Department of Education this summer. The summit will bring together more than 4,000 educators and content experts from across the state to share their knowledge, learn new skills, and prepare for the upcoming 2016-17 school! The Youth Literacy Foundation will be attending as part of the "Believe & Prepare Partners" team to more closely align the objectives and strategies of the foundation with those of the school system.

Donation Presentation at Wine & Dine 2016

I would like to give a huge Thank You to Mr. Rudy Macklin of the Department of Health & Hospitals and Ed "Tiger" Verdin of Teche Action Clinic for their $2000 donation to the foundation! What a blessing!

Wine & Dine 2016 Fundraiser

Wine & Dine 2016: Wine Tasting & Dine-In Fundraiser was a huge success. We had a tremendous turnout! Thanks to everyone who attended and a huge thanks to the management at Rodizio Grill for providing the venue and the delicious food! The foundation is in a much stronger position to carry out its purpose because of the contributions from the fundraiser! Proceeds raised from the event are going toward supplies and materials for the first tutoring location here in Acadiana, which will be up and running in a few weeks!

Corey Jack, Executive Director, sharing the vision of the Youth Literacy Foundation of Acadiana with the guest that attended!

Images of some of our guests that attended the event!

A look at the venue!

Wine & Dine 2016: Dine-In & Wine Tasting Fundraiser

Join us on April 7th for our Wine & Dine 2016: Wine Tasting Fundraiser for the Youth Literacy Foundation of Acadiana. 



Tickets are $45 and include:

Dine-In Dinner (6:30pm to 7:30pm)
1) Four Meats (All You Can Eat)
-Top Sirloin 
-Sweet & Sour Chicken
-Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
-Sway Fish w/ Red Peppers

2) Full Access to Salad Bar
-Crabmeat Salad
-Shrimp Pasta Salad
-Fresh Mozzarella Salad
-Chicken Salad
-Potato Salad
-Pot Roast
-And more!

3) Two Glasses of Wine w/ Dinner

Wine Tasting & Silent Auction (7:30pm to 9pm)
1) Wide Selection of South American Wines
-Provide by Glazier's Distributors

Advance ticket purchase encouraged to gain head count.
For tickets,
email: coreyjack@acadianaliteracy.org
or
call: 337-466-6832
or
visit: http://youthliteracyfoundation.blogspot.com/p/wine-dine-2016.html


If you cannot attend, but would like to give a general donation to the foundation,
click here: http://youthliteracyfoundation.blogspot.com/p/donate.html

 

YLFA Classroom Grant Program

The YLFA Grant Program will provide financial assistance to K-5th grade teachers. We realize that many classroom supplies are funded by classroom teachers, from their own pockets. These grants serve two purposes:
  
1) To assist the teacher to implement classroom activities and projects that support and build literacy.
  
2) To provide funds for classroom materials and supplies needed throughout the school year.

Educators that teach K-5th grade in Lafayette Parish Schools who are interested in applying for the grant, please click the link below and complete the form. Recipients will be chosen during the summer of 2016, approximately one month before the 2016-2017 school year begins. 

Click here to apply:

https://classroomliteracygrant.wufoo.com/forms/z10ts3tv16nccz3/

Wine & Dine 2016 Fundraiser

Join us on April 7, 2016 for our first annual wine-tasting fundraiser at Rodizio Grill in Lafayette, LA! Those who attend will be able to enjoy a fine selection of wines and access to the Rodizio salad bar and hot dishes! Tickets are $45 per person. Supporting a cause never tasted so good! 

The dining part of the event will take place from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm

The menu will consist of:

1) Full access to the salad bar

2) Selection of meats

          -Sweet & Sour Chicken                 

          -Bacon Wrapped Shrimp      

          -Beef

          -Brazilian Fish

The wine tasting part of the event will take place from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm and will feature a fine selection of wines.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Message From The Founder

My name is Corey Jack and I recently founded the Youth Literacy Foundation of Acadiana. I have a very strong determination and passion to help the youth, especially in the area of literacy. I believe that every child has the potential to become whatever they aspire to be and to grow into key members of the community. They have natural abilities, gifts, and talents that they are born with, that if sharpened, could lead to fascinating careers and an enhanced quality of life. I am uncomfortable with the idea of some of our young people, especially those growing up in impoverished communities, not reaching their full potential because of a lack of resources and guidance. This led me to creating a foundation to provide funds and resources to communities to reach the youth. Literacy is very important because not only does it contribute to better academic performance, but it also gives children the necessary tools to effectively express themselves. I am very committed to this venture and eager to make a mark on the community and the lives of the youth in it!

About The Foundation

ABOUT THE FOUNDATION:

The Youth Literacy Foundation of Acadiana was formed to help improve literacy rates among youth living in the impoverished areas of Acadiana. YLFA does this by raising funds, hosting a variety of activities, and providing resources to the communities, schools, and households in these areas. Low income communities are full of children that are full of gifts and talents that often go unnoticed. 

True education makes for inequality; the inequality of individuality, the inequality of success, the glorious inequality of talent, of genius; for inequality, not mediocrity, individual superiority, not standardization, is the measure of the progress of the world- Felix E. Schelling

It is a known fact that families from low SES communities are less likely to have the financial resources or time availability to provide children with academic support and research indicates that children from low SES communities develop academic skills more slowly than children from higher SES groups (American Psychological Association 2012).

A child’s initial reading competency is in direct correlation to their home literacy environment. Parents from low SES do not have the financial resources to give their children access to tutors, books and computers to contribute to a positive literacy environment. 

YLFA focuses on bridging this gap! The Youth Literacy Foundation is committed to helping helping youth in need of these academic resources, enhance their literacy and reach their full potential!