In early March, community and corporate volunteer readers gathered in person and virtually to share the joy of reading with elementary school students at Pleviak in Lake Villa, Little Fort in Waukegan and East in Zion. Throughout the week, 62 volunteers read to more than 1,050 pre-K to third-grade students.
Teachers love this interaction because it helps to provide a model of reading fluency, introduces new vocabulary, and helps to increase attention spans in our young learners. Our readers also help children see themselves in books, feel validated and confident, and have pride in their experiences and cultures.
Thank you to all our incredible volunteer readers for sharing their love of reading with these students! We created a video slideshow with photos from all three locations. Check it out below.
Thank you to Internet Essentials for sponsoring this event!
UWLC Receives Community Service Award
The Waukegan Park District recently presented United Way of Lake County with a Community Service Award for our support of their Before & After School Experience (B.A.S.E.) Program for elementary school students. Our funding helped keep the cost of the program affordable for local families.
Thank you, Waukegan Park District! We appreciate your wonderful partnership and recognition of our impact on children in the Waukegan community.
Watch the award presentation in the video below.
Read Across America Book Drive
In February, we partnered with the 19th Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois, the Lake County Bar Association and the Association of Women Attorneys of Lake County (AWALC) to conduct a book drive that aimed to increase local elementary school children’s access to books promoting a positive equity message.
Many community members contributed to our online fund and both the Lake County Bar Association and the AWALC presented us with $1,000 checks. We are proud to announce that we were able to raise $3,117!
A huge thank you to our partners and everyone who contributed! Now more children will have access to books by diverse authors and that feature diverse characters. We will soon be dropping off 856 books in English and Spanish for grades K-5 at North Elementary in Waukegan. Keep an eye on our social media pages because we plan to share photos from the drop-off soon.
Breakfast Club Sessions Back In Person
Leaders United members have returned to Robert Abbott Middle School to start up their Breakfast Club sessions with a select group of 8th-grade students. This program offers before-school mentorship and tutoring. Through bi-monthly engagement, RAMS Scholars are provided support to help them prepare for the transition from middle school to high school and build skills that will lead to lifelong, healthy habits.
Register for Kindergarten Countdown Camp
Kindergarten Countdown Camp (KCC) is our free summer learning program for children entering kindergarten this fall who have little to no preschool experience. Children who attend KCC will adjust to the classroom setting, practice following directions and rules, and practice key kindergarten skills. KCC is a great opportunity to get your child prepared to succeed in kindergarten.
Registration is now open for students in the Gurnee, North Chicago, Round Lake and Waukegan school districts. KCC in Gurnee runs from June 13–July 8, North Chicago runs from June 21–July 28, Round Lake runs from June 7–June 30, and Waukegan runs from June 6–June 30.
Interested? Fill out the registration form for your school district at the link below.
Company Spotlight: Medline
Medline, based in Northfield, Illinois, has supported and partnered with United Way of Lake County for many years. Most recently, Medline provided its annual donation to UWLC, which helps support vital programs right here in our community. Medline employees also volunteer their time, providing additional and personal support for these programs.
Medline volunteers support many UWLC initiatives, including community events, collection drives and our Leaders United group. During this past fall, Medline volunteers collected over four pallets of essentials for A Safe Place, including diapers, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste. During the winter, over 20 Medline employees fulfilled community wish lists by donating items such as winter clothing, books and toys.
Medline sponsors young leaders in their organization to participate in our Leaders United group, which enables long-term growth and professional development. Adding three new members in 2022, the eight Medline mentors will assist in developing young leaders in the community. They do this through the following Leaders United initiatives:
Waukegan to College events: Medline leaders support first-generation high school students from Waukegan, helping them to uncover and showcase their leadership skills.
Breakfast Club: Medline leaders support this mentoring program in partnership with Robert Abbott Middle School in Waukegan.
Read Across America: Medline leaders read virtually to students at East Elementary School in Zion.
“Volunteering is one of the greatest ways we have been able to support United Way of Lake County as their programs and initiatives continue to provide essential and emergency resources needed by the community,” said Karen Frey, philanthropy manager at Medline.
We are grateful for our partnership with Medline and look forward to many more years of collaboration. Thank you for helping us build a stronger Lake County for everyone who lives and works here!
Follow Leaders United on Instagram
Leaders United has joined Instagram to further connect with new members and keep the community up-to-date on their great work in the community. Check out their profile below!
