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BooksPlus Committee
Debra Cen
Co-Chair
Sasha Madison
Co-Chair
“Give a Book. Be a Pal. Change the World.”
The BooksPlus Committee of the Palo Alto University Rotary Club (PAUR) is dedicated to improving literacy in reading and math for Pre-K through middle school students in under-resourced communities across Rotary District 5170. Using evidence-based strategies, we work to narrow the achievement gap and open doors to brighter futures.
The Need
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Only 35% of 4th graders in the US read at or above a “proficient” level. In California, only 32% of 4th graders can do so. [1]
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Only 35.5 % of K-12 students in California met or exceeded standards for math education. In the country’s low-income schools, scores can sit in the single digits.
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Analysis of 100,000 US school children found that access to books made a difference in levels of reading proficiency. [2]
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Having as few as 20 books in the home has a significant impact on propelling a child to a higher level of education. [3]
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Low-income children have limited access to books.
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61% of children in low-income neighborhoods have NO books at home [4].
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There is 1 book per 300 children in low-income neighborhoods [5]
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Sources
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National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2019
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McQuillan, J. The Literacy Crisis: False Claims, Real Solutions. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1996
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Evans, M., Kelley, J., Sikora, J., Treiman, D. Family Scholarly Culture and Educational Success: Books
and Schooling in 27 Nations. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 2010 -
Literacy in the United States: Findings from the IEA Reading Literacy Study, 1996
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Neuman, S. and D. Dickinson, ed. Handbook of Early Literacy Research, Volume 2. New York, NY: 2006, p. 31
What We Do
Our work focuses on two interconnected goals: increasing access to books and providing direct, personalized support in reading and math.
Most young children from low-income families do not have access to books and lack 1:1 attention from adults. Often, they do not have a reading space at home. We distribute age-appropriate, high-quality, curated, and self-selected books to children. Books of interest get read! We support book access through partnerships with schools, low-income clinics , and community-based family resource centers. We partner with literacy foundations and other like-minded corporate entities.
We also partner with local schools to provide weekly 1:1 tutoring time with students from low-income families through our Reading and Math Pals program. In addition, we work with teachers in those schools to identify and adapt best practice of math teaching.
Our Programs
📚 Give a Book
📦 Book Access Program
We provide curated children’s books to students, parents, grandparents, and caregivers through school networks and federally designated low-income medical clinics. We’ve also expanded our reach to serve families of caregivers working in large retirement communities—ensuring children in their care also benefit from access to books.
🖊️ Speaker Appreciation
Each week, we invite our guest speaker to sign a children’s book. These books are donated to one of our partner schools and added to classroom libraries or school collections. It’s a unique way to honor our speakers while fostering literacy in the community. In our featured video above, you can see how these books are creating an opportunity for students to learn and bond.
📦 Book Cubbies
Each year, we hold our Book Cubby Project at and for St. Elizabeth Seton (SES) School. Around 30 personalized book cubbies are assembled for Pre-K and kindergarten students. Each child decorates their own cubby and takes it home - creating a special, personal space for reading and storing books at home.
✏️ Be a PAL
✏️ Reading and Math Pals
Our volunteers, Rotarians and community members, meet weekly with students in person to provide one-on-one tutoring in reading or math, helping them build foundational skills, confidence, and motivation. Through trusted relationships, our volunteers create a supportive environment where students can thrive. We currently partner with three schools in Palo Alto and one in East Palo Alto.
📐 Math Literacy Special Project
Through our Math Pals program in East Palo Alto, we found that low math performance is largely due to students’ lack of engagement, motivation, and confidence. Our search for a solution led to a retired master teacher who has consistently helped high-needs students succeed, with nearly all passing state math standards. We are now working to share his effective teaching methods with current educators.
Who Benefits
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Pre-K through middle school students, in under-resourced communities of Rotary District 5170, get access to books and other resources that can help them read and learn math better.
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Club members get opportunities to volunteer and contribute towards this worthy cause.
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Our committee learns and adopts best practices which can then be shared with the larger Rotary community
How To Get Involved
Please fill out an interest form and one of our committee members will be in touch.
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Individuals: If you are interested in improving reading and/or math literacy in an under-resourced community, please reach out to learn about the opportunities.
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Rotary Club: We can share our practices and lessons learned. We may also partner together to bring books to the students in an under-resourced community near you.
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A Title One School or an After-School Program: If you work with Pre-K through middle school students in our community, we can explore opportunities to help with their reading and math skills.
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A Corporate Organization interested in promoting Literacy: We can provide volunteering and collaboration opportunities.