For the past 40 years, Booksource founder Sandy Jaffe has been committed to getting books into the hands of students of all ages, and helping teachers across the country build classrooms libraries. On behalf of Sandy, we are proud to award two scholarships every year to educators who share his passion for reading and literacy education so that they can attend a Teachers College Summer Institute. These TCRWP Scholarships are for $1,250 each (one for a Reading Institute and one for a Writing Institute), and each winner is also awarded a 50-book, grade-level appropriate classroom library to help pass the love of reading on to his or her students.

Congratulations to the Winners of This Year’s TCRWP Scholarships…

…Nadya Bailey-Perez! 

Nadya teaches fourth grade dual language at Perez Elementary in Austin, TX. Here is an excerpt from her application:

“We must commit to ignite a love of reading from within, not an artificial fix to get students to reach a certain grade, earn points through a reading program or pass a standardized test. We must commit to making them not want to stop turning the pages of an interesting book because then, and only then will the rest organically follow.

My main objective as a reading teacher is to make my students lifelong readers–to ignite a passion and thirst for reading that goes beyond the 180 days I have with them. Students need to read books that stimulate their mind, question the author, empathize with the characters and truly take them to places they’ve never been. My classroom should be an additional library for them–a place that is a continuous book club meeting, has a multitude of book recommendations from peers and where they have access to numerous books.”

…Erica Diamond 

Erica teaches primary multiage at San Diego Cooperative Charter School. Here is an excerpt from her application:

“As a teacher, in order to give my students the richest, happiest, most powerful literacy education that I can give them, I also need the richest, happiest, most powerful professional education I can get. The best thing I can do for my learners is to create a vibrant environment of learning. I whole-heartedly believe that attending the Reading Institute this summer will provide me with the experiences to make this a reality in my classroom.

I want my students to be flexible, imaginative readers who read just as much for pleasure as they do for purpose and academics. But above all, I want the students in front of me to be able to read anything they want, any time they want. I want them to see themselves as readers that are not defined by a level, but who feel they can conquer any text with confidence and expertise. I want them to learn to read, but more than that, I want them to learn to love reading.” 

What Past TCRWP Scholarship Winners Are Saying… 

Cristy Rauseo attends a Teachers College Summer Reading Institute in 2015

Interested in attending a Teachers College Summer Institute next year and want to learn more about what the experience is like? See what past Booksource TCRWP scholarship winners have to say about attending a Teachers College Summer Reading Institute and a Teachers College Summer Writing Institute. And congratulations again to this year’s winners!