Chairmen: Ellen Burns/Elaine Mellen
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Click here for the GFWC Education Community Service Program from the 2012-2014 GFWC Club Manual.
Click here for the Education Information Please pages.
Click here for the Education Report Cover Sheet.

Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.

Marian Wright Edelman, American activist for the rights of children.

This quote exemplifies what the Education Community Service Program is all about.  Though each junior club may take a different route toward improving the lives of others and leaving their community and world better than they found it, our ultimate goals are just the same.  The Education Program is broken down into two areas – Community Service Projects and Partnerships.  Listed below are some ideas, websites and links to get you started or, by all means, pave your own way toward reaching your Education Program goals. 

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs of Massachusetts has chosen to emphasize “Literacy” and “Education Awareness” as part of its 2012-2014 commitment to Education.  Each junior club may approach these two highlighted areas in a number of ways.  We encourage you to be creative, thoughtful and practical in your approach toward your club’s education goals.  Let’s get you started:

“READ IT FORWARD”

    On President’s Day, gently used paperback books were handed out to all in attendance as an incentive to develop an idea about how to give out books to your community.  These books could be new or gently-used; paperbacks or hard covers; adult, children or young adult books – just think of ideas to “Read It Forward”.  The books could go to nursing homes, school libraries or public libraries, hospital waiting rooms, pre-schools, teen centers, to name a few ideas.  A bookplate in each book with your Club’s name would also be appropriate. 

We would like each Club to email us with at least one idea (more would be great), before Fall Conference.  At Fall Conference we will have a list of all of your ideas for the other Clubs to share.  The challenge will then be to implement one of these ideas.  This would be a win-win for everyone. 

• Maintain a room or separate area of your local library that has been earmarked for a specific purpose.
• Reach out to elementary, middle and high school librarians to see what their needs and wants might be for the up-coming two years.
• Hold a program in your club about national literacy levels.  Literacy club grants of up to $150 are available to GFWC clubs and funds may be used for purchasing books for tutors to use, providing books to children and/or a variety of other literacy needs.  Go to www.GFWC.org for more
• Hold a “How to Use the Library” program in conjunction with your local library and public schools.  Celebrate library card sign-up month annually in September.
• Start a book club within your club.  Donate the books read to your library, a woman’s shelter, veteran’s organization or nursing homes.  
• Apply for a GFWC Focus on Literacy Grant to fund a literacy program in your community.  
• Partner with your local Welcome Wagon to see that every visit to a new household includes a book for the children in the home.  
• Partner with a local hospital to supply children’s books for their waiting rooms.
• Partner with a local women’s shelter to supply books for both children and women in the shelters.
• Scholarships – Offer scholarships to local high school students.  Also visit www.gfwcmajuniors.org/scholarships for links to other applications for scholarships.
• Support ESO (Epsilon Sigma Omicron is an honorary educational society open to all per-capita paying GFWC members.  ESO provides clubwomen with a structured reading program that is educational and stimulates a desire for self-improvement.  ESO materials are available online at www.GFWC.org/ESO.) 
  

Some Useful Websites:

American Library Association                              (www.ALA.org)
The American Library Association is the voice of America’s libraries and the millions of people who depend on them.  Adopt a library.  Clubs can donate books to their local libraries, volunteer at their library and recognize librarians during National Library Week, the second week in April.  Participate in Adopt-A-Library program.  Obtain an entry form from GFWC headquarters to receive a certificate.  Deadline March 15th.

Mentoring USA                     (www.mentoringusa.org)
Become a mentor or donate to the organization.  Use their mentoring materials and techniques to mentor people in your community from ages 7-21.

Reading Rockets, WETA Public Television    (www.ReadingRockets.org)
Your club can put together the Family Literacy Bags developed by Reading Rockets, order their free toolkits for your library, download their free print guides for parents, teachers or librarians and celebrate Read Across America Day with their resources. (Visit www.nea.org for more information)

Room to Read    (www.RoomtoRead.org)
Room to Read partners with communities across the developing world to promote literacy and gender equality in education by establishing libraries, constructing classrooms, publishing local-language children’s books, training educators and supporting girls’ education. We believe all children deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential, and that investing in education now will pay dividends for generations to come.

Educate a boy, and you educate an individual. Educate a girl,
and you educate a community.

                            African proverb