See Post-Conference Highlights on pages 10-14!

Literacy Leaders

the Newsletter of the Kentucky Reading Association
Winter 2013
Post-Conference Issue!
KRA Mission
The Kentucky Reading
Association is a professional
organization of educators
and individuals actively engaged
in the development of
literacy throughout the
Commonwealth. KRA’s mission
is to be a voice for literacy.
We are committed to
encouraging lifelong reading for
pleasure and learning, providing
information related to literacy,
increasing opportunities for
professional growth, and
promoting research-based
instructional practices.
Lots of Good
Stuff Inside!

What are PALS?
 See pages 13-14

What’s a Popplet?
 See page 6

Need to know more
about the Four Cs?
 See pages 8-9

www.kyreading.org

Literacy Leaders
The Newsletter of the Kentucky Reading Association
KRA Pre sid en t ’s M e ss a ge
Dear KRA Members and Friends,
This November, I have so many things to be thankful for. I’m thankful for a
mom, Rita Franklin, who read great books with me from birth. I’m thankful for a
good teacher, Mrs. Easton, who introduced me to the Beverly Cleary Ribsy series,
and another, Mrs. Jennings, who taught me the power and process of clear
expression through written and spoken words. I’m thankful for Dr. Kaiser, my
English methods professor, who prepared me for the delights and challenges of my
first classroom. I’m thankful for a teacher mentor like Marlene Bruce who taught me
that teaching is always about more than covering content. I’m sure you have your
own laundry list of people who have filled important gaps in your life and career;
those who have served you unselfishly for your benefit and growth. These are
servant leaders, a group I wish to celebrate today.
Robin Hebert
At the KRA Conference in October, I added many more names to my “Thankful” list. In case you
haven’t heard, organizing a conference is a lot of work, especially for an all-volunteer army such as
KRA. Looking back, I am thankful to all the servant leaders of KRA who contributed so much to our
50th Anniversary celebration. Servant-leadership, says M. Scott Peck, is “more than a concept, it is a
fact. Any great leader…will see herself or himself as a servant of that group and will act accordingly.”
Through many years of experience, one important lesson I’ve learned is that positive leadership
and accordant actions flow from personal investment in that which one is serving. During a time of
competing loyalties in schools, educational organizations, and global literacy think tanks, it has been
steadying to me to reevaluate what I serve and why. When it comes to KRA, the answers come easily.
During the conference, it was easy to see “why we do what we do.”
Looking ahead, I’d like to challenge each of you to a new level of service to your local reading
council and to the state reading association. All around, we see great things happening in literacy, but it
seems that so much remains undone. Too many of the children, adults and elderly of our
Commonwealth lack access to the books and learning communities that others among us take for
granted. Our communities benefit when we devote energy, attention, resources, and instruction to
encouraging lifelong reading for pleasure and learning. Our local reading councils continue to show
persistence, creativity and resourcefulness in pursuit of this goal, but they need your committed servant
leadership. The wisdom of John Quincy Adams still rings true: “If your actions inspire others to dream
more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
I hope you’ll take time to read through the entire newsletter and reflect on what has been, and
look ahead to what will be in literacy in the coming weeks and months all around Kentucky. Contact
your local or state KRA leaders, and find a way to get involved and serve. Our communities and KRA
will benefit, and I know you’ll be glad you did.
Robin Hebert
KRA President 2013-2014
KRA’s mission is to be a voice for literacy.

Literacy Leaders

the Newsletter of the Kentucky Reading Association

www.kyreading.org

In this issue of Literacy Leaders
Click
on the graphic to get to the KRA
Facebook page.
KRA on Twitter:
twitter.com/KyReadingAssoc or
tweet @KyReadingAssoc
KRA Bulletin Board
Spotlight on Local Councils
KRA BookLook
Literacy Tech Talk
KRA Up Close: Appointed Board Members
Best Practices: 21st-Century Assignments
KRA Annual Conference Highlights
KRJ: Call for Manuscripts
3
4
5
6
7
8
10
15
See Post-Conference Highlights on pages 10-14!
Kentucky Reading Association Board 2013-2014
KRA Executive Board Members
President: Robin Hebert: [email protected]
Immediate Past President/Parliamentarian:
Diana Porter: [email protected]
President-Elect/Conference Chair: Laurie Henry:
[email protected]
Vice President: Peggy Stirsman: [email protected]
Recording Secretary: Angela Ballinger: [email protected]
Treasurer: Angie Madden: [email protected]
KRA State Coordinator: Laura Crafton: [email protected]
Membership Co-Directors: Keith Lyons: [email protected] and
Thelma Hawkins: [email protected]
Literacy Leaders Newsletter Editor:
Roxanne Spencer: [email protected]
Kentucky Reading Journal Editor: Ginni Fair: [email protected]
KRA General Board Members
Cherry Boyles: [email protected]
Cris Cowley: [email protected]
Christina Grace: [email protected]
Kelly Philbeck: [email protected]
Paul Prater: [email protected]
Paige Sexton: [email protected]
Christine Sherretz; [email protected]
Tiffany Wheeler: [email protected]
Rebecca Woosley: [email protected]
Literacy Partner from the National Center for Family Literacy
(one-year rotation): Bonnie Lash Freeman: [email protected]
You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes,
you can steer yourself any direction you choose.
Dr. Seuss, Oh , The Places You’ll Go
KRA’s mission is to be a voice for literacy.
2
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Literacy Leaders
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the Newsletter of the Kentucky Reading Association
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www.kyreading.org

KRA Bulletin Board
N e w s & Vi e w s f r o m t h e K R A B o a r d
From the Desk of Laura Crafton
T
KRA State Coordinator
he International Reading Association was established in 1956. Within a number of years,
local and special interest councils were established across North America. The first local
council chartered in Kentucky was the Kentuckiana Council of the International Reading
Association in August, 1960. It included Jefferson County, Kentucky as well as Floyd and Clark
Counties in Indiana. Soon after, Murray Kentucky Area Council of the International Reading
Association received its charter in March, 1962. Dr. Mary Elizabeth Bell had played a key role in
chartering the Kentuckiana Council. A job change took her to Murray State College. Under her leadership, an
organizational meeting was held at Murray State College with ninety-three members present. They decided to apply
for a state council charter. In March 1963, the charter was granted and the Kentucky Intermediate Council of the
International Reading Association was a reality with Dr. Mary Elizabeth Bell elected as the first president. On May 18,
1963, the State Council held a conference in Louisville, Kentucky. The title of the featured speaker’s talk was
“Improving Reading in the Social Studies Area.”
Within the next few years, more councils received charters: Bluegrass Area Council (May 1963), Lincoln Heritage
(Dec 1967), Jesse Stuart (Aug 1967), and Western Kentucky Council (Jan 1969). During the 1970s and 1980s there
were 20-24 local councils promoting literacy throughout the state of Kentucky. The 1990s saw a decline to 11
councils. We began this century, the 2000s, with eight active councils.
A lot has happened in the past 50 years! I have been honored to be assigned to a task force that has been reviewing
our history. I have had the opportunity to hold in my hands papers and documents that were held by every past
president of the Kentucky Reading Association. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for their service that has brought
our organization to where it is today. Along with that gratitude, I feel an intense obligation to honor their legacy by
striving a little harder to better serve our organization and to work as diligently as they did.
The local councils, the Kentucky Reading Association, and the International Reading Association need YOU! Each
level—local, state, national—share common goals: to provide evidence-based professional development; to support
excellent teaching in schools, at home, and in the community; and to promote lifetime reading habits. Consider being
a member at each level and lending your support in being a voice for literacy! 
Listen to the mustn’ts, child.
Listen to the don’ts.
Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts.
Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me…
Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.
Shel Silverstein, Where the Sidewalk Ends
KRA’s mission is to be a voice for literacy.
3

Literacy Leaders

the Newsletter of the Kentucky Reading Association

www.kyreading.org

Spotlight on Local Councils
Bluegrass Council Hosts Mini -Conference
Left to right: Jim Woosley,
Catherine Rush, Erin Wobbekind, Christina Grace
Montgomery County literacy team signs
in mini-conference participants.
On Thursday November 14th Montgomery County Schools teamed with the Bluegrass Council of the Kentucky
Reading Association to host a mini-conference night at McNabb Middle School. Teachers from Montgomery County
and surrounding counties came out on a Thursday evening to enhance their skills in the area of literacy. The miniconference featured presenters from the Kentucky Department of Education, Midway College, KET, and Central
Kentucky Education Cooperative. Participants (teachers from preschool to high school), were able to choose from
sessions that featured the use of technology in literacy instruction to developing basic understanding. Teachers
attended the sessions free of charge and received professional credit for attending.
Western Kentucky Reading Council: “Realities of War” Picture Books
Also on November 14th, three of Western Kentucky University’s College of Education and Behavioral Science’s
School of Teacher Education faculty did a shortened version of their thought-provoking KRA Annual Conference
picture book presentation, “Realities of War.” At the Western Kentucky Reading Council meeting, Dr. Barbara
Fiehn, Dr. Jeanine Huss, and Dr. Tadayuki Suzuki shared more than a dozen picture books that can be used with
elementary students to explore issues and controversies surrounding armed conflicts. Among the titles discussed
were Yukio Tsuchiya’s Faithful Elephants: A True Story of Animals, People, and War; Alice Walker’s Why War Is Never a
Good Idea; Deborah Hopkinson’s Knit Your Bit: A World War I Story; and Mary Hoffman’s The Colour of Home.
KRA’s mission is to be a voice for literacy.
4

Literacy Leaders
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the Newsletter of the Kentucky Reading Association
KRA BookLook:

www.kyreading.org

Read any good books lately?
Reviewed by Dr. Diana Porter, Eastern Kentucky University
As I finished unpacking and sorting the 699 titles that were
submitted as candidates for IRA’s 2014 Children’s Choice Award, I
kept wondering what it was that would cause a particular book to
be chosen for this award. After all, there is not a certain set of
criteria to meet. The winners are simply whichever books get the
most unsolicited votes from children in the three leveled
categories: K-2, 3-4, and 5-6.
Two of the books that caused me to stop my work and take a
few minutes to read were Peck, Peck, Peck by Lucy Cousins and
Open Very Carefully: A Book with Bite by Nick Bromley and Nicola
O’Bryne. The element that drew me to these books was that each
of them had holes in their covers!
Peck, Peck, Peck
by Lucy Cousins
Candlewick. 2013. 32pp.
ISBN: 978-0-76366-621-7
In Peck, Peck, Peck, the woodpecker’s
dad teaches him how to peck a hole in a
tree. Thus, one hole. He then encourages
the little woodpecker to go out into the
world and practice this new skill. On each page, the reader can
witness the little woodpecker’s success through rhyming rhythmic
text that reads, “I peck the hat, I peck the mat, the tennis racket,
and the jacket.” With this success comes an increasing amount of
holes before the day is done, and Dad puts the little woodpecker to
bed with a “Kiss, kiss, kiss.”
Open Very Carefully: A Book With Bite
By Nick Bromley and Nicola O’Byrne
Nosy Crown. 2013. 32pp.
ISBN: 978-0-76366-163-2
Open Very Carefully: A Book with Bite
begins with the traditional tale of The Ugly
Duckling. This quiet calm story is quickly
interrupted when the ugly duckling discovers
there’s a crocodile in the story that does not
belong! The rest of the story shares the
adventure of the hungry crocodile as he begins eating letters, and
the duckling begs, “St p Cr c dile!” (One of his favorite letters is
“o.”) It takes audience participation to first try rocking the
crocodile to sleep and then try shaking him out of the story. The
crocodile eventually escapes by eating a hole in the back cover!
This book begs to be read aloud!
Obviously, I have no idea if these will be Children’s Choice
winners, but I can attest that they are winners in my library of
books! I can hardly wait until I get the opportunity to share them
with children and watch the little ones giggle as they try to poke
their fingers through the holes. Just as kids love pop ups and other
moveable parts, the holes in these books are certain to provide
intrigue—while being much more durable!
Keeping with the theme of “pairings,” I turn now to two books
for adolescent readers: The Lions of Little Rock (2012) by Kristin
Levine and Remember Little Rock (2009) by Paul Robert Walker.
To replay the historical event that these two books capture in
chronological order, this review begins with the
nonfiction title.
Remember Little Rock: The Time, the
People, the Stories
by Paul Robert Walker
National Geographic Children’s Books. 2009. 64pp.
ISBN: 978-1-42630-402-6
Remember Little Rock chronicles the story of
the nine brave African American students who
suffered abuse and hatred in 1957 when they dared to attend an
all-white school in Little Rock, Arkansas, after federal integration
laws had been passed. This book weaves together eyewitness
accounts, photography, and interviews to present the story from
the perspectives of both the segregationists and the
integrationists. At the end of this powerful book, readers are
encouraged to ponder how they might have acted if they had been
a student in Central High School during this momentous civil
rights event. A civil rights timeline along with an updated account
of the current lives of the “Little Rock Nine” can be found in the
back matter of this book and provide the perfect finishing touches!
The Lions of Little Rock
By Kristin Levine
Puffin Books. 2012. 320pp.
ISBN: 978-0-14242-435-3
The Lions of Little Rock, a grades 6-8 nominee
for the 2014 Kentucky Bluegrass Award, takes
place in 1958, one year after the Little Rock Nine
integrated Central High School. This fictionalized
account allows the reader to feel the emotional division that
continued segregation, despite the new integration laws, had on two
seventh grade girls, their families, and the community of Little Rock.
The story begins with Marlee meeting and befriending Liz, an
outgoing new girl in school. Liz helps Marlee gain confidence,
overcome her extreme shyness, and gain the courage to speak.
Understandingly, Marlee is crushed when Liz suddenly disappears,
and she learns that Liz is no longer allowed to attend her school
because authorities have discovered that she is “really a colored girl
passing for white.” Determined to hold onto their friendship and to
speak out for what is right at all costs, the girls meet in secret and
engage in dangerous schemes that put their safety, as well as the
safety of their families, at risk. In the author note, Levine states, “My
hope is that The Lions of Little Rock will allow a more complete view
of what happened in Little Rock during those years.”
I feel confident that Levin’s hope will be realized, and students
will indeed remember Little Rock. This pair of books is crafted to
speak to both the mind and the heart of adolescent readers.
KRA’s mission is to be a voice for literacy.
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Literacy Leaders
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the Newsletter of the Kentucky Reading Association
Literacy TechTalk:

www.kyreading.org

A new column focused on technology
tools that support literacy
Literacy Tech Talk is a recurring feature of the KRA newsletter with the intent
of sharing useful technology tools with literacy applications. Please feel free
to share YOUR tools and discoveries with us so we may be a greater collective
“voice for literacy!”
Popplet
Popplet is a concept mapping tool available as an
app for IOS and on the web. Students can use
Popplet to record thoughts and ideas, plan steps in an
assignment, and collect images. Each category can be
differentiated by a different colored “popple” box.
Popple can be used collaboratively for group research
projects* or as an individual productivity tool. See
Popplet.com to learn more about this versatile app.
Google Literary Trips
by Dr. Laurie A. Henry, University of Kentucky
Are you looking for a great way to integrate your
literacy and social studies curriculum? If so, check out
Google Lit Trips, a perfect marriage between great
literature and Google Earth. In a nutshell, Google Lit
Trips “mark the journeys of characters from famous
literature on the surface of Google Earth.” Follow the
Watsons on their historic drive from Flint, Michigan, to
Birmingham, Alabama, while learning about historic
events central to the Civil Rights Movement along the
way. Help students explore the Boston Public Garden
as they read the classic tale Make Way for Ducklings.
Google Lit Trips will delight you and your students. The
free downloadable files are available for more than 50
texts ranging from kindergarten through high school
and beyond. What’s more, you can customize all of the
Google Lit Trips to include additional information,
landmarks, historical content, and even assessment
guideposts along the way. For more information about
Google Lit Trips, check out the “About GLT” page
here: www.googlelittrips.com/GoogleLit/
Getting_Started.html.
*Park, S. (2013). TILE-SIG feature: Digital recursive writing with
mobile apps on the iPad. International Reading
Association’s Technology in Literacy Education Special
Interest Group (TILE-SIG). Retrieved from http://
www.reading.org/general/Publications/blog/
BlogSinglePost/reading-today-online/2013/09/27/tile-sig
-feature-digital-recursive-writing-with-mobile-apps-onthe-ipad.
KRA’s mission is to be a voice for literacy.
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
Literacy Leaders

the Newsletter of the Kentucky Reading Association

www.kyreading.org

KRA Up Close : Appointed Board Members
In recent months, quite a number of changes have been necessary to the Appointed Board
of the Kentucky Reading Association. During this term, seven new members have been
appointed. As we welcome our newest members, we also extend sincere thanks to those we
bid farewell for their valuable service to KRA: Rebecca Woosley, Tadayuki Suzuki, and
Angela Ballinger (expiration of term); Colleen Walker, Brenda Overturf and Larry Murphy
(resignation); and Peggy Stirsman (election to Executive Board).
~Robin Hebert, KRA President, 2013-2014
Paul Prater
Kelly Philbeck
Christine Sherretz
Cherry Boyles
Rebecca Woolsey
New Appointments to KRA Board
We’re excited to introduce the following new members to the appointed board. All are accomplished educators or
advocates on behalf of literacy in Kentucky.
For term expiring 2013-2014:

Paul Prater, Principal, Bath County High School
For term expiring 2014-2015:


Kelly Philbeck, Instructional Specialist, Kentucky Department of Education

Cherry Boyles, Instructional Supervisor, Washington County Schools; ELA Methods Instructor, St. Catharine
College. Cherry’s favorite quote: “He who dares to teach must never cease to learn.” ~John Cotton Dana
Christine Sherretz, Assistant Professor of Literacy, University of Louisville. Christine’s favorite quote:
“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse
you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you
find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten
tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best
anyway.” ~Mother Teresa
For term expiring 2015-2016:

Paige Sexton, Kentucky Department of Library and Archives, original partner of Kentucky Literacy
Celebration group. Paige says, “I am very excited about working with a group of people who care so deeply
about literacy in Kentucky.”


Cris Crowley, Director of Adult Education, Madisonville Community College
Rebecca Woosley, Effectiveness Coach, Kentucky Department of Education. Becky’s favorite quote:
“Generous amounts of close, purposeful reading, rereading, writing, and talking…are the essence of authentic
literacy. They are the way up and out—of boredom, poverty, and intellectual inadequacy.” ~Mike Schmoker
from Results Now
These board members join the following continuing members of the appointed board: Christina Grace; Tiffany Wheeler;
Bonnie Lash Freeman, KRA’s literacy partner from the National Center for Family Literacy; Keith Lyons and Thelma
Hawkins, Co-Directors of Membership Development; Laura S. Crafton, State Coordinator; Ginni Fair, Editor of the Kentucky
Reading Journal; and Roxanne Spencer, Editor of the Literacy Leaders newsletter.
KRA’s mission is to be a voice for literacy.
7

Literacy Leaders

the Newsletter of the Kentucky Reading Association

www.kyreading.org

Everyday Best: Best Practices in Literacy:
Creating 21st-Century Assignments
Contributed by Robin Hebert, KRA President
W
hen you assign class presentations, are you
disappointed in the results? Do you notice that
students are proficient with technology use, while their
skills in literacy – such as telling a compelling story,
synthesizing information, engaging the audience – are
lacking? I recently observed a high school teacher and
technology integrator grapple with this dilemma. Here’s
some of what they (and I) learned from the experience .
Above & Beyond: A video story about how the Four Cs
can transform learning opportunities.
Let’s start with a given: As teachers, we all want our
students to be ready for the “real world” when they enter
it. But how do we prepare them effectively? One way is
to design assignments that imitate the challenges they
will face in the contemporary workforce. Unfortunately,
many school assignments remain trapped in the time
warp where individual students write and present “for
teachers only” using antiquated media such as paper and
pen/pencil to produce word-processed, printed
products. Trust me, this is not the world they are headed
for when they leave our schools.
In 2002, The Partnership for 21st Century Skills
(P21), a coalition comprised of members from the
business community, education leaders, and
policymakers, was formed to apply national attention to
the importance of 21st century readiness for students.
From the coalition’s initial work, the Four Cs—the four
essential skills for the 21st century—emerged:
communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical
thinking. An article from Quintessential Careers
confirms the Four Cs, listing communication, analytical
skill, problem solving/creativity, and interpersonal skills
and teamwork among the most sought-after by
employers (Hansen and Hansen). Furthermore, Career
Builder reports the ability to work well with others
(collaboration), creative problem-solving, and a strong
online presence (because it has become the “primary
way that people communicate”) among the top 10
reasons employers hire employees (Zupek, 2011). If
readiness for this demanding work environment is our
common goal, it seems that the best assignments would
require students to blend foundational content
understanding with 21st century competencies in
tangible, compelling ways.
The Four Cs: Making 21st Century Learning Happen
focuses on how 21st century learning is taking hold in
three US schools.
An Educator’s Guide to the Four Cs includes ideas and
resources (such as practical techniques, tools, methods
and suggestions) that will help advance communication,
collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity in education.
To be fair, we are making progress; trends for more
integration of content and technological skill are
promising, but can be isolated and sporadic in
classrooms. Certainly, the effort is a classic work in
progress. Dr. Allison Boye of Texas Tech
University’s Teaching, Learning, and Professional
Center offers sound advice. When teachers design
KRA’s mission is to be a voice for literacy.
continued on page 9
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Literacy Leaders
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the Newsletter of the Kentucky Reading Association
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www.kyreading.org
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Everyday Best: Best Practices in Literacy:
Creating 21st-Century Assignments (cont’d)
course work, she suggests they continue to ask important
questions:




What are the goals for the assignment?
Are the goals purely about content or also about
process?
What do the students already know?
What skills do they have when they enter your
classroom for the first time? (Boye, 2010).
Consider this: when asked to create “presentations,” do
students really have the literacy and technology skills to
accomplish the task effectively? In the case of my
colleagues, the overwhelming conclusion was that the
students’ technology skills had outpaced their Four Cs
literacy skills, particularly in communication. In fact,
students were overheard remarking, “It’s just a
PowerPoint; it won’t take long,” in reference to a literacy
-intensive project. They had obviously missed the point
and would (likely) miss the subsequent learning targets.
Specifically, students do not necessarily intuit what Steve
Jobs demonstrated so well: powerful presentations must
be built upon a captivating message, then delivered with
expert story-telling, powerful visual images, and short,
memorable statements (Creating Effective Presentation
Visuals). Certainly, the most meaningful, motivational,
and transformational assignments will engage students in
the creation and practice of such.
For ideas and resources on creating effective
presentations, see How to Create an Effective
Presentation, Twelve Tips for Creating Effective
Presentations, or this video, How to give an awesome
(PowerPoint) presentation.
References
Boye, A. (2010, May). How do I create meaningful and effective
assignments? Teaching, Learning, and Professional
Development Center, Texas Tech University. Retrieved
from http://www.tlpd.ttu.edu/teach/TLTC%20Teaching%
20Resources/CreatingEffectiveAssignments.asp
EdLeader21 & Pearson Foundation. (2012, February). The four
C's: Making 21st century education happen. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghx0vd1oEzM.
Hansen, R. S., & Hansen, K. (n.d.). Quintessential careers: What do
employers really want? Top skills and values employers seek
from job-seekers. QuintCareers.com. Retrieved from http://
www.quintcareers.com/job_skills_values.html
Harrington, M. & Carr, R. (2010). Twelve tips for creating an
effective presentation. Retrieved from http://aaude.org/
system/files/documents/public/air2010.pdf
Mind Tools. (1996-2013). Creating effective presentation visuals.
Mind Tools. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/
pages/article/creating-presentation-visuals.htm.
National Education Association. (n.d.). Preparing 21st century
students for a global society: An educator’s guide to the “four
Cs”. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/AGuide-to-Four-Cs.pdf.
Partnership for 21st Century Skills and Fablevision. (2011, July).
Above and Beyond. Retrieved from http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KMM387HNQk
Wired.com. (2011, March). Create an effective presentation.
Wired.com: How-to Wiki. Retrieved from http://
howto.wired.com/wiki/Create_an_Effective_Presentation.
Wienot Films. (2011, May). How to give an awesome
(PowerPoint) presentation. (Whiteboard animation
explainer video). Retrieved from http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=i68a6M5FFBc
Zupek, R. (2011). Top 10 reasons employers want to hire you. CNN
Living. CareerBuilder.com. Retrieved from http://
www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/11/02/
cb.hire.reasons.job/.
Resources
Haiku Deck: http://www.haikudeck.com/
You might also explore innovative, user-friendly
formats, such as Powtoons, Haiku Deck, or
Infogr.am infographics.
Infogr.am: http://infogr.am/
Partnership for 21st Century Skills. http://www.p21.org/
Powtoon: http://www.powtoon.com/ 
KRA’s mission is to be a voice for literacy.
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Literacy Leaders
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the Newsletter of the Kentucky Reading Association

www.kyreading.org

KRA Conference Highlights!: Literacy Without Borders:
Honoring KRA’s Past Presidents
Celebrating KRA’s illustrious past presidents!
Back row, left to right: Tammy Board, Robin Hebert, Diana Porter, Emily
Cunningham, Shirley Long, Cindy Parker, Yancey Watkins.
Front row, left to right: Faye Deters, Tiffany Wheeler, Laura Crafton,
Judy Ihrig, Janel DeBoer, and Brenda Overturf
1
3
2
From top left, KRA Past
Presidents:
1 Janel DeBoer and current
4
5
KRA’s mission is to be a voice for literacy.
co-chair, KRA
Membership, Keith Lyons
2 Yancey Watkins and Emily
Cunningham
3 Tiffany Wheeler with
portraits of KRA past
presidents.
4 & 5 Artifacts from KRA
archives at Murray State
University.
10

Literacy Leaders

the Newsletter of the Kentucky Reading Association

www.kyreading.org

KRA Conference Highlights!: Literacy Without Borders:
Author/Illustrator Reception
This year’s Author/Illustrator Reception was a blast! We had eighteen authors and illustrators from
Kentucky and beyond. The new reception-style event, rather than a luncheon, was a
hit with conference attendees and authors and illustrators alike. This format allowed participants the
opportunity to meet and talk with many more people than in the past. Prior to the reception we conducted
two panels where the authors and illustrators shared a little about themselves and their work. It was
amazing to hear all of the interesting paths that have inspired their works. We all left with great ideas and
feeling motivated to read and write even more!
KRA’s mission is to be a voice for literacy.
11

Literacy Leaders

the Newsletter of the Kentucky Reading Association

www.kyreading.org

KRA Conference Highlights!: Literacy Without Borders:
Kentucky Bluegrass Award Luncheon
Beloved Kentucky author George Ella
Lyon regales attendees at
the KBA Luncheon with tales of
her creative journeys.
George Ella Lyon signs copies of
her books for KRA attendees
Featured Guest: George Ella Lyon
The Kentucky Bluegrass Award, the state’s K-12 student choice program of
quality literature, continued its 30th anniversary celebration during the 2013
Kentucky Reading Association Conference on Saturday, October 19, 2013.
Two-time KBA winning author George Ella Lyon was the featured speaker
during the lunch. Although she ties with several other authors in winning
the KBA more than once, George Ella holds the title of having the most books
nominated for the award. All in attendance were moved by the poetry George
Ella shared from her latest book, Many-Storied House.
KRA’s mission is to be a voice for literacy.
12

Literacy Leaders

the Newsletter of the Kentucky Reading Association

www.kyreading.org

Meet our New PALS!: Student Assistants at the KRA
Annual Conference: Literacy Without Borders
Submitted by Catherine Rush, Mapleton Elementary, Montgomery County Schools
Korri Hall (left), McDowell, KY, Senior, Morehead Caitlin Ring (right), Mt. Sterling, KY, Junior,
State University, Major: P-5 Education
I come from a big family of eight in a small town in
eastern Kentucky, but I am currently a senior attending
Morehead State University to become an elementary
teacher. I graduated high school in 2011 and have worked
hard to graduate early from college in 2014. I’m a very
organized person who works hard toward my goals. I like
volunteering my time to help out the educational
community and also helping out with KEA-SP.
I chose to become a teacher because I once heard a
quote that said something along the lines of, “Be the
change you want to see in the world,” and this stuck with
me. I knew the education system wasn’t the best where
I’m from and that the children weren’t receiving the best
education that they deserved to get. I couldn’t just sit
around and hope that things would get better for the
students, I had to make the change that I wanted to see
for those students. And so, I made it my goal to become
the best teacher I could, so that I can make a difference
for all my future students and to make sure every student
gets the best education they deserve.
Morehead State University, Major: P-5 and LBD
Education
I am a fulltime student at Morehead State University
to become an elementary school teacher. I graduated high
school in 2011 and have been working hard to get ahead
of the game. This spring I will be taking graduate classes as
an undergraduate. This is a great opportunity for me to
expand my knowledge. I work very hard to put forth my
best effort, I don’t like to halfway do things. As a teacher I
feel this is a very important skill. I want my students to
receive the best education possible and it is my
responsibility to provide that for them.
I didn’t always want to be a teacher since several of
my family members, including my mom, were teachers. I
wanted to do something different until an employer told
me I was a great trainer, and I would be a great teacher.
That moment inspired me to do what I was already good
at, I just didn’t have any specific training. Going to
Morehead State University helped me develop my love for
teaching and being involved in the school system. Teaching
is for me, and I can say that without a doubt now.
continued page 14
KRA’s mission is to be a voice for literacy.
13

Literacy Leaders

the Newsletter of the Kentucky Reading Association

www.kyreading.org

Meet Our New KRA PALS!: Student Assistants (cont’d)
Left to right: Christine Sherretz, Assistant Professor, Literacy, at the University of Louisville,
with three of her students Erin Ledene, Yesenia Ochoa, and Megan Gilligan, serving as PALs.
Erin Ledene, Senior, University of Yesenia Ochoa, Junior, University of
Louisville, Major: Elementary Education
with Mathematics concentration
After exploring different avenues of
nursing and pharmacology careers, I spent a
year teaching health and fitness classes at
preschools across Jefferson, Oldham and
surrounding areas. This experience led me to
the college of Education at U of L and I am
thrilled! The program has provided extensive
observations and field work in elementary
schools. These opportunities have
encouraged my involvement in tutoring
programs, organizations with U of L, and now
KRA. The vast amount of knowledge and
insight I have gained has exceeded my
expectations and prepared me for a lifetime
in this amazing, rewarding career.
Much of my decision to become an
elementary educator is based on my dream
of providing a compassionate support system
for my students that I was so blessed to have
growing up. My inspiration regarding formal
education is also driven by a famous quote
from Gandhi which tells us to, “Be the
change you wish to see in the world.” I plan
to facilitate this change in every student’s
outlook by advocating the importance of
education and emphasizing that it is the key
to a successful future.
Louisville, Major: P-5 and LBD Education
I am currently a full time student at the
University of Louisville and pursuing a degree in
Elementary and LBD Special Education. I
graduated in 2010 from a Chicago suburb high
school. I am currently the only one to graduate
from high school and attend college from my
family. I plan to be a better example for my
younger siblings. The education program at U of
L is intense but also extremely rewarding. I have
learned so much from my first semester in the
program. I am very hard working and
responsible with my education. I am serious
because I will be teaching the future of our
nation. I also want to break the Hispanic
stereotype and show other fellow Hispanics that
if I could do it, then so can they.
Miranda Geyer, Junior,
University of Louisville, Major:
Elementary Education with MSD
I started collage after graduating high
school at Bullitt East in 2010. I started at
JCTC to get my Gen Ed classes taken care of
and then transferred to UofL for the school
of Education. I love the program even though
it is very hard and can seem overwhelming.
All my teachers are great and willing to help.
The other students in the program are fun to
talk to and bounce ideas off each other and
overall it is a very rewarding program. I love
working with elementary school students in
my placements.
I have wanted to be a teacher for as long
as I can remember. There were teachers of
mine in elementary school that meant a lot to
me and I want to be just like them. I want to
be the kind of teacher that you can talk to if
you need help and the kind that will push you
to do your best and go for your dreams. I
always imagined myself as an elementary
school teacher but when I was placed in a
MSD room one day I fell in love with the
classroom. I like the idea of working with
students one on one and giving them the
support they need in all subjects. Ever since
that class I have wanted to be a MSD teacher.
To be completely honest, I had no desire
to continue my education after high school. I did
not even believe that I would graduate from high
school. I had the mentality that Hispanics did not
go on to college because it was hardly seen or
heard. During my junior year of high school I had
a teacher named Mrs. Galat. She pushed me and
would not leave me alone. She kept telling me
that I had so much potential and that I was doing
amazing in my honors and AP classes. Despite
her positivity, I would just shake her off. She
never gave up, ever. Finally one day it just

randomly hit me that I wanted to be someone’s
Mrs. Galat! I wanted to motivate someone and
make them believe in themselves the way she
made me believe. Only a year and a half to go!
KRA’s mission is to be a voice for literacy.
14

Literacy Leaders

the Newsletter of the Kentucky Reading Association

www.kyreading.org


The Kentucky Reading Journal: CALL FOR MANUSCRIPTS

The Kentucky Reading Journal welcomes articles that are both scholarly and practitioner-focused as well as other
original contributions addressing literacy and/or literature across all grades and content areas. Classroom teachers, reading
specialists, and other reading professionals are encouraged to submit manuscripts according to the guidelines indicated
below.
TYPES OF SUBMISSIONS: Submissions may fall under the following categories:
Feature articles should be approximately 10-15 pages (2500-3500 words), including references, and may include
original research in literacy and/or literature, reflect the current research interests of Kentucky educators, or
review best practices for multiple literacies (i.e., visual, digital, textual, or technological).
Teaching Tips for engaging readers and writers should be approximately 3-5 pages and may include practical ideas
for teaching literacy and/or literature. These also may include teaching vignettes that describe especially poignant
or humorous classroom moments. While not required, such submissions are strengthened by the inclusion of
digital components that demonstrate students’ success and engagement with the teaching tips.
Kids’ Korner submissions may be much shorter. These submissions come from things that students have written,
created, or reviewed. Audio submissions of kids reviewing literature or promoting technology tools are ideas to
consider.
GUIDELINES FOR MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION: Submissions must apply the following:
Submit the manuscript/video electronically. Please use separate email attachments for text and each digital, audio,
or video file.
Include a cover page with the following information: the title of the article; the author’s full name, position, school/
library affiliation, phone number, fax number, e-mail address, complete mailing address; and a 50-100 word
abstract for the article. Please include the title on the first page of the manuscript text; however, the author's
name should not appear anywhere else in the manuscript to insure impartial review.
Use Microsoft Word and double space in 12 point font with 1-inch margins.
Include charts, graphs, bulleted points, and/or figures wherever possible to vary the format and enhance the
content of the article.
Prepare reference lists and text citations according to the style specified in the most recent edition of the
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.
Submit digital images as separate email attachments in .jpg format. Notations should appear in the text for proper
placement of digital images (e.g., “insert photo 1 here”). Include captions or bylines for each image.
Submit audio/video files with captions or bylines and include a written summary of the audio/video. Audio/video
files should be no longer than 5 minutes but may be as brief as 1-2 minutes.
MANUSCRIPT REVIEW: Manuscripts are evaluated on the basis of content, interest, organization, clarity, and style. If
accepted, revisions may be requested. Manuscripts must be original works, should not have been previously published, and
should not be undergoing simultaneous review for another journal. Preference is given to Kentucky authors. If an article is
accepted, the editor reserves the right to make appropriate stylistic editorial changes. Authors wishing to use substantive
portions of their articles accepted for publication in KRJ must give credit to KRJ for original publication.
Submit all manuscripts by February 15, 2014, to:
Ginni Fair, Editor
Kentucky Reading Journal
Eastern Kentucky University
[email protected]
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
KRA’s mission is to be a voice for literacy.
15

Literacy Leaders

the Newsletter of the Kentucky Reading Association

www.kyreading.org

Visit the Kentucky Reading Association website for more information: www.kyreading.org
KRA’s mission is to be a voice for literacy.
16