Here's How You Can Make a Real Difference
Help Brilliant Detroit succeed at getting kids to read
As I recently discussed and most news outlets have reported, Michigan schools are mainly failing abysmally at teaching kids to read. But there is a private, nonprofit program which has been spectacularly successful at it: Brilliant Cities, formerly Brilliant Detroit, has established a network of 18 homes across the city, which provide a sense of community for both kids and their families to learn to read and succeed together. (See my May 9 column, “Meet an Inner-City Reading Program that Really Works”) for more information.
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Cindy Eggleton, one of my personal heroes, got Brilliant Detroit going less than nine years ago. She’d had a long and successful career as Educational Services Director for United Way, but decided to take a vast pay cut to start Brilliant Detroit nearly a decade ago, and the idea just took off. Last year I talked with Jasmine Malone, who took her four kids to Brilliant Detroit, and found it not only did wonders for them, it gave her the skills and confidence she needed to get first a GED, then a professional job. “I found love, knowledge, understanding and the opportunity to make a difference in my community,” she said.
I don’t know of a more inspiring nonprofit venture anywhere, and now you have an opportunity to help that doesn’t involve giving money, though they’d be grateful for that too. From now till mid-December, they need volunteers for their Reading is Fundamental program, in which young readers, kids age 5 to 8, meet once a week in sort of a book club style setting. They discuss a different book each time, as well as come up with activities focused on the book. Brilliant Cities/Detroit needs volunteers to help run these sessions at three of their hubs: Cody Rouge, Martin Park. and the Dexter-Linwood house.
Never did anything like this before? Don’t worry — they will be happy to train potential volunteers. Have questions about any aspect of this? Send an email to info@brilliantcities.org. Know already that you want to volunteer?
Go to https://brilliantcities.org/volunteer/ (Sorry I can’t give you a link to just click on.)
That’s not all. For those who want to work with even younger potential readers, Brilliant Detroit needs volunteers for their Raising a Reader program, which works with parents and children from birth to age four. Volunteers read to the kids themselves; engage in creative play with everyone, and lead activities to encourage the children and their families.
Finally, if you are tied up through the holidays, Brilliant Detroit is starting a new program in January called City Sprouts, which is designed to cultivate curiosity and wonder in students through hands-on science learning in their own schoolyard gardens. The goal, which will be achieved by building and maintaining such gardens, is to nurture a passion for science and an attachment to the natural world, teach students how to grow and prepare healthy fresh foods and inspire them to pursue relevant further education and careers. Additionally, it aims to create experiences that promote social and emotional learning, and to do so in partnership with the Belle Isle Nature Center, Detroit Institute of Arts, Michigan Science Center, and Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
This too will require some training, which Brilliant Detroit will provide, training that seems to me well worth it. Again, you can find out more or volunteer at info@brilliantcities.org.
By the way, they are changing their name to Brilliant Cities, because in January, they plan to open a hub in Philadelphia, the first one outside Michigan. From what I’ve seen, we should hope they expand to every major community in the country.
In times like ours, we desperately need organizations and people like these who can inspire and give us hope.
