Institute for Advanced Learning and Research

Driving Economic Transformation

IALR April 2025 Newsletter

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Books, Activities and Community Fun at Family Literacy Night

Books, Activities and Community Fun at Family Literacy Night

Family Literacy Night occurred on Thursday, March 13, at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR). Organized by IALR, Dan River Year AmeriCorps and REACH AmeriCorps, the event brought in 149 youth and their families.

Participants engaged with 37 interactive activity stations and nine resource stations, many of which were inspired by popular children’s books. A total of 82 volunteers helped make the night possible.

Activities included crafts like bracelet-making, a sack race, Lego and Play-Doh construction projects, book giveaways and more.

Family Literacy Night 2025

Stations were hosted by:

  • Danville Boys & Girls Club
  • Dan River Year AmeriCorps
  • REACH AmeriCorps
  • Book Lady
  • Danville Public Schools
  • Pittsylvania County Public Library
  • United Way
  • United Way / Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
  • Pittsylvania County 4-H
  • URW Community Federal Credit Union
  • Ruby B. Archie Public Library
  • Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM)
  • The Tooth Fairy in Disguise
  • Once Upon a Child

The evening included a concert by a choir of over 25 children from the Boys & Girls Club of the Danville Area.

Each student received a book from the Book Lady, totaling 149 books distributed during the event. Additional books were given away at some of the activity stations.

 

“We’re proud to host Family Literacy Night as part of our ongoing commitment to education and community partnership. We’re excited to bring it back next year.” – Audia Harris, AmeriCorps Program Coordinator

Inside IALR Podcast: A Decade of Service and Impact: Dan River Year AmeriCorps

Inside IALR Podcast: A Decade of Service and Impact: Dan River Year AmeriCorps

The Dan River Year AmeriCorps program celebrates its decade of impact in the community. The episode highlights the evolution of the program and its multifaceted approach to address educational gaps in STEM and literacy.

This episode features Dana Silicki (Director of STEM, Service, and Lifelong Learning at IALR), Audia Harris (Program Coordinator at IALR), and Adam Goebel (Executive Director of the Danville Science Center), each of whom share their unique perspective on the impact of the Dan River Year AmeriCorps program.

Episode highlights include:

  • Overview of the Dan River Year AmeriCorps program
  • The evolution of focus from STEM to include literacy
  • Recruitment processes and member demographics
  • AmeriCorps members’ roles in classrooms and mentoring
  • Success stories demonstrating program impact
  • Future directions for community service and educational efforts
  • Current recruitment opportunities for interested members

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