How One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, Changed Three Lives
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How One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, Changed Three Lives

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October 27, 2016

Written by: Kristy Knipple, Emerging Reader volunteer

Volunteering and giving back to the community has always been an important part of my life. As a Milwaukee Public Schools alum, I have a passion for helping Milwaukee students reach their full potential. As a professional with a busy and sometimes hectic work schedule, very few volunteer opportunities work for me. Luckily, I found United Way’s Emerging Readers program. I am participating in the program for my third year, and it’s just so easy!

In the Emerging Readers program, I am able to stay involved and make a difference within my own time constraints. After signing up, I was matched with a student - actually three, I mean how can you say no to helping kids? After receiving their names, genders, and ages I picked out books for them throughout the school year.  Since we receive the book drop off dates at the beginning of the program, I can buy things at my own leisure or well in advance.

Every year, I choose to be matched with students who speak Spanish in their homes. Shopping for bilingual books has been such a treat! My favorite Dr. Seuss book “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” also has the corresponding “Un Pez, Dos Peces, Pez Rojo, Pez Azul”. In my kids’ gift packages I also like to include notes in both English and Spanish - all those classes of high school Spanish are finally paying off. Google’s translate feature also helps.

Personally, I think the Emerging Readers program is such a great way to get books into the homes of our community’s young readers and make them feel special at the same time. I also like that the program lets the kids know people in our community really do care about them. 

I love this program so much, I have shared my experience with colleagues at work and friends on social media. Several of them are participating in the program for the first time this year. A few of my friends are parents with young children and say the program is great for getting the kids involved in giving back. They also say their kids have a blast picking out books for their peers!

If you have a passion for education or are looking for an easy way to give back, consider joining United Way’s Emerging Readers program with me!

Learn more about the Emerging Readers program.

Hear what others in the Emerging Readers program had to say.

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