Project Cornerstone ABC Readers

An interview with GiGi G., program leader at Village and mom to California King Snake Ben and Courageous Cub Zoe

What is the ABC Reader program and when did it become part of Village curriculum?
The Asset Building Champion (ABC) Program is part of YMCA’s Project Cornerstone, whose mission it is to build positive relationships, opportunities, values, and skills— known collectively as “developmental assets”—that provide the foundation for a healthy, successful future for our youth. Each month, an adult ABC Reader comes into the classroom, reads a book and engages students in asset building activities.

Each ABC book has been chosen for a specific purpose and has been thoroughly researched regarding content, link to specific asset or asset category, applicability across grade levels, diversity of school populations in the Bay Area, as well as the ease of engaging students in meaningful discussions and activities.

Also taken into account with book selection and lesson plan development are the results of the Search Institute survey designed for upper grade elementary school students, Me and My World. This survey was utilized countywide in 2004/2005 and again in 2010/2011 with 4th and 5th grade students. The curriculum continues to be updated on a regular basis to keep current with the latest research from a variety of fields including resiliency, peer abuse, social emotional learning, digital citizenship, and 21st Century learning. The guidelines of the Common Core Standards have been incorporated into the lesson plans as well.

Specific goals of the ABC program are to:

1. Increase the number of developmental assets in all children and adults
2. Increase the number of caring adults that students interact with at school to enable them to feel increased levels of support and value
3. Create a common language and vocabulary about respect in each school community
4. Use children’s literature to share concepts of caring, interpersonal competence, personal power, empathy, integrity, equality and social justice, honesty, and responsibility
5. Increase student life skills in decision making, planning, goal setting, building friendships, identification of feelings, taking care of health (physical and emotional), responding to bully behaviors, and peaceful conflict resolution
6. Increase student achievement and learning engagement by creating a more caring, positive school climate where all students belong and feel safe

Village School has been an active Project Cornerstone ABC school for 11 years and, since the program started in 2004, we were one of the first schools to participate in the program.

What attracted you to leading the ABC Readers as your school job?
We didn’t get into Village for kinder so I became an ABC Reader at Blackford as a way of being involved in the classroom. When we got into Village for first grade, I had enjoyed being a reader so much at Blackford that I wanted to continue being an ABC Reader at Village.

What is unique about how Village participates in this program?
I think Village is unique because of the insights and relationships the ABC readers have with the students in class. Every ABC Reader has a weekly shift in the class they read in so they have an ongoing relationship with the students and an insider’s knowledge of what is happening in the classroom. This allows the reader to customize the lesson and/or activities to that class and make connections that are meaningful for the students and will reinforce the lesson.

For example, one year I was the reader in a class that took a field trip to Montalvo to learn about dance styles.  That month’s book happened to be “Giraffe’s Can’t Dance” and it was a wonderful opportunity to connect what we had learned about hip hop’s history to the lesson in the book.

Another ongoing example is the tie in between the first grade Cooking with Character series and ABC Reading.  The ABC readings and first grade cooking lessons are closely tied together so they complement and reinforce each other.

What recognition did Village recently receive from Project Cornerstone Silicon Valley?
Village School has been named a Project Cornerstone Asset Building Champion and winner of the 2016 Caring School Climate Award. Asset Champions are individuals or organizations that make extraordinary efforts to build developmental assets, create positive connections with young people, and inspire others to do the same.

Village School was selected from Elementary School nominees across the entire Silicon Valley. Project Cornerstone Silicon Valley serves students and adults in 17 cities from as far south as Morgan Hill to as far north as Palo Alto. This honor, coming on the year of our 20th Anniversary is particularly fitting. Founded on the belief that schools are responsible for more than academic achievement, the Village Learning Community has worked tirelessly to ensure that we develop children with strong moral character and habits of mind that include service to others and empathy. Village School consistently creates an environment that promotes real world, contextual learning opportunities that foster both academic and social emotional health. Read the entire nomination form.

How many Village parents are involved in sharing the ABC Reader program with our students?
This year, there are nine Asset Building Champion volunteers. The following is a list of the volunteers and the classes that they read to each month:

• Dorothy A. (reader for Roberta’s and Gretchen’s classes)
• Alexis D. (reader for Aline’s class)
• Bev F. and Talia S. (readers for Andy/Gina’s class)
• GiGi G. (coordinator and reader for Chris’ and Michele’s classes)
• Mary I. (reader for Elizabeth’s class)
• Angel D. (reader for Sherry’s class)
• Ehsaneh S. (reader for Jill’s class)
• Brett S. (reader for Lori’s and Aisling’s classes)

What are some of the books that will be read to the students this year?
The 2015/2016 “Asset” year books are:

• Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud (September)
• Simon’s Hook by Karen Gedig Burnett (October)
• Say Something by Peggy Moss (November)
• Mr. Peabody’s Apples by Madonna (January)
• Nobody Knew What to Do by Becky Ray McCain (February)
• The Empty Pot by Demi (March)
• One by Kathryn Otoshi (April)
• Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill (May)

Where can parents find out more information about the 41 developmental assets?
Developmental assets are the positive experiences, values, behaviors, and relationships that enable young people to thrive. Young people with high asset levels are most likely to make healthy choices, while those with lower asset levels are more likely to get involved with negative or risky behaviors like violence, trouble in school, drug and alcohol use and more. Project Cornerstone has identified 41 Developmental Assets that are critical to our youth.

The best way of really getting to know the 41 developmental assets is by completing the Project Cornerstone classes offered at Village by our Parent Education Team. In addition to getting to know all about the 41 assets and why they are important, the classes really have very meaningful activities and give you great perspective on yourself and your child.

If you need a refresher or can’t make the class anytime soon, you can find more information online.

To learn more about how to get involved with Project Cornerstone and ABC Reading contact our Positive School Climate Chair at positiveschoolclimatechair [at] villagehub.org.