S.P.A.R.K. PROJECT
S.P.A.R.K.
Super Powers for At-Risk Kids
Just the facts!
Title I serves more than 50 million children. Of these students, approximately 59 percent were in kindergarten through fifth grade, 21 percent in grades 6–8, 17 percent in grades 9–12, 3 percent in preschool, and less than 1 percent ungraded. (NCES 2018 statistics for years 2015-16)
According to the Department of Education, an At-Risk Kid is one who is “more likely to fail or drop out.” Most often these are the kids in Title 1 schools. Title 1 schools are schools with large concentrations of low-income students that receive additional funding to support student needs. Unfortunately, food is one of those great needs and the food programs eat up the lion’s share of the funding leaving little to feed their minds and nourish their curious natures. That leads to serious emotional and behavioral issues because these kids get so far behind the educational standards they lose hope, they get angry, they give up.
What if there was a magic tool that could fix this problem? A special way to propel these challenged and lost kids back into the place where they could prosper and succeed? What if we could give them Super Powers?!
Well, all of that is possible and it starts with a book. One book can change a child’s life. A set of classroom books can change a generation of culture, economy, and innovation by S.P.A.R.K.’ing a developmental revolution. But not just any books can accomplish this with At-Risk Kids, it takes books with an imagination that engages them and turns curiosity into critical thinking. It takes foundational books that engage them to learn grammar, culture, and other language arts. It takes books that teach them the inane skills to become leaders instead of followers. Books that engage them while developing their communication and language skills, their curiosity and critical thinking. Books that give them Super Powers!
We’re still building and growing!
Soon you’ll be able to choose your schools or counties to donate, write in an individual school, or simply donate what you can to the fund for S.P.A.R.K. classroom sets to be distributed to requesting classes.
Meanwhile…meet the S.P.A.R.K. PROJECT TEAM!
Jane R. Wood
Jane R. Wood is the author of five award-winning juvenile fiction books and owner of Florida Kids Press. A former teacher, newspaper reporter, and television producer, Wood weaves history and information about the environment into stories filled with mystery, adventure, and humor for young readers ages 8-14. Students like her books because they’re fun; teachers like them for their educational value. All five of her chapter books have received the Mom’s Choice Award® which recognizes “quality family-friendly” products.
Because Wood’s books are compatible with most schools’ curricula, she is invited to speak to students in schools across the country and frequently does Skype author visits with schools in other countries. She is often asked to present at book festivals, conferences for writers and publishers, at education conferences, and to parent groups where she emphasizes the importance of students reading in school and at home. Many teachers use her books to encourage reading and to stimulate an interest in history and science, and teachers have told her that her books are good “boy books.”
Wood has a B.A. from the University of Florida and an M.Ed from the University of North Florida. She is the past-president of the Florida Authors and Publishers Association, is the past-Chairperson for the Duval County Public Education Foundation and served on several school advisory councils. Wood taught middle school and high school English in both Brevard County and Orange County. She currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida, with her husband Terry. You can learn more about Jane R. Wood and her books on her website at www.janewoodbooks.com.
Jennifer L. Smith
Jennifer L. Smith is the Editor in Chief and owner of Glass Onion Publishing, a support and services company for independent authors and publishers. Her company also is the home to the Happy Dolphin Press imprint which publishes fun educational children’s books. Since 2014 Jennifer has used her technical and business expertise to build the first small press publishing company in Florida to become a Lexile Framework for Reading Partner. This partnership has aided teachers and parents to put creative educational books in children’s hands that are matched precisely to levels that challenge and build their reading skills.
Outside of the office, Jennifer is well known by children throughout SWFL as Ms. Rainbow. Donning a multi-colored wig she performs with her husband as the duo of The Zaniacs from their early reader series Zaniac Books. Their lively and engaging readings and appearances for children’s charity events have continued to break attendance records year after year.
In 2019 Jennifer developed a flex-funding crowdfunding site for ‘Authors and Publishers Only,’ MyPubFund.com, a first in its industry. That in turn “sparked” the idea of creating a crowdsourced platform to aid children in disadvantaged systems to obtain books. And S.P.A.R.K. was born! Jennifer currently sits on the Board of Directors with Florida Authors and Publishers Association, is a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association, and heads the author resource center and workshop MyPubLab. You can find out more about Jennifer Smith and her works at www.GlassOnionPublishing.com
Ready to make a difference?
Benefits:
- You make a difference
Choose Your County
Donate collections or classroom sets (25) to the County of your choice!
Check back soon and feel free to contact us if you’d like a school added or to get more information!
Benefits:
- Children learn
Choose Your School
Donate collections or classroom sets (25) to the County of your choice!
Check back soon and feel free to contact us if you’d like a school added or to get more information!
Benefits:
- The world is a better place
Be a village contributor
Pledge just what you can and the dollars stack up to provide books to our list of schools in need!
Check back soon and feel free to contact us if you’d like a school added or to get more information!
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Benefits:
- You make a difference
Support The SPARK Project By Making A Donation!
Are you excited about helping kids read? Make a Charitable Donation today to the school of your choice, or donate directly to the entire project.