Since 1993, SAG Foundation has been committed to championing children’s literacy. Through our many diverse and innovative programs we continue to inspire children to read and write. With unique partnerships and collaborations and support from thousands of actors across the country, we are able to make our programs a reality.
BookPALS
BookPALS is founded on a clear premise: children must be exposed to the magic of books in order to develop a love of reading. The world of literacy and literature is then opened to these children by the very people who make books come alive through their talent and training. Who better to instill that love than actors, gifted in the art of storytelling?
Through our more than a decade long focus on early literacy we have identified several key obstacles that many children, especially those for whom English is a second language, face in their developmental process. In addition to our core reading aloud program, we have expanded the BookPALS program to address these primary obstacles through innovative programming that reinforces the BookPALS mission.
In 2001, the SAG Foundation was given a generous grant by Verizon to create five digital videos featuring professional actors reading quality children’s books. These imaginatively produced videos fully captured the intricate illustrations, colors and textures of each book. Those initial 5 stories turned into an internationally recognized website that currently streams 19 stories featuring celebrities including Jane Kaczmarek, Bradley Whitford, Sean Astin, Esai Morales, Amber Tamblyn, Eric Close, and Elijah Wood.
Storyline Online also features supplemental activities for each book developed by an early literacy specialist. Together, the videos and related curriculum strengthen comprehension, verbal and written skills of English language learners worldwide. Available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, free of charge, Storyline Online ensures that every child who has access to an Internet connection can be exposed to a story.
PencilPALS makes reading and writing a first-person experience for children in elementary and middle schools. Each child involved in this program has an opportunity to write and illustrate his/her own letters and stories, which are then mailed to corresponding PALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools), volunteer performers from the BookPALS program with whom the children can share their thoughts and experiences. PALS write response letters to the children, and before long, inter-generational relationships prosper between the children and their PALS.
