Type Of Business:
Nonprofit Educational Organization
Expertise:
Ms. Ball's expertise includes reading instruction and family literacy.
Major Product/SVS:
Collection of New Books from Schools and Communities, Distribution to Needy Children and Families through The
Salvation Army
Hobbies/Sports:
Building a Wildlife Refuge and Passive Solar Home for Field Trips with Science Alive!, Reading, Birdwatching, Walking, Ceramics
Education Degrees:
Master of Arts in Reading Education, Plus 30, Boise State University (1977); Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education, Boise State College
Affiliations Awards:
Co-President, Friends of the Library, Boise Public Library; Former President, Omicron Chapter, Delta Kappa Gamma-Honorary Teachers Society; Former President, Local and State Councils, International Reading Association
Expanded Biography:
Ms. Ball used her programs to encompass the actual dreams of a teacher. DREAMS ARE A BOOK AWAY, or the Idaho Literacy Project consisted of 12 projects seminal in family literacy encouraging children to read, and parents to read to their children to obtain success in their lives for the celebration of Idaho's Centennial in 1990.The Idaho Literacy Project was initiated through the Boise Reading Council, International Reading Association (IRA). Inspiration for the projects came from the pivotal experience of attending George W. Bush's Inauguration and being encouraged to become a ‘point of light’ in our communities. Also Jim Trelease, author, spoke at an Idaho IRA meeting and pleaded for teachers to emphasize to parents the importance of family literacy in their homes.
Ms. Ball states that ‘The joy of reading comes from the ownership of books.’ Heartbreakingly, many parents stated that they could not read to their children because they had no books in their home. OPERATION WISH BOOK was initiated, passionately, to fill homes with books. The local school district, NBC-KTVB, and the McDonald's Restaurants granted sponsorship from day one. Participating book stores gave a 20% discount for books purchased. Collection boxes were placed in all schools and businesses in the state. Over 317,927 books have been collected during the last 19 years. The NEW books were lovingly selected at holiday time by parents and they were encouraged to read to their children. Books not gifted during distribution were donated to agencies serving the same and other needy families-every book found its way into the hands, minds and hearts of children. It's true, ‘Books are gifts that can be opened again and again’ St. Louis Left Bank Bookshop. Ms. Ball encourages others to remember her program’s motto too, ‘When you believe in literacy, give books to children and then read to them.’
Throughout the duration of your career, what was the one highlight that stood out the most?:
The most gratifying aspect of her career is seeing the delight and excitement of parents choosing several books for each child.
Charity:
Chairwoman, Neighborhood Watch; Child Mentor; Volunteer, Boise Police Department
Number Of Years In Profession:
28
Number Of Years In Current Position:
19
What Does He/She Attribute Success To:
She attributes her success to her hard work, dedication and enthusiasm.
Extended Bio Profile:
Ms. Ball previously worked as a reading teacher of first and second-grade students for 28 years. She is one of the founders of Operation Wish Book, along with a group of Boise teachers. The program was formed after she discovered that some parents were not reading to their children at home due to a lack of resources to obtain reading materials for their children. The project was featured in the February/March 1999 issue of the International Reading Association’s 'Reading Today.' OPERATION WISH BOOK was one of the 12 reading projects that evolved from The Idaho Literacy Project in 1991, where Ms. Ball served as a co-chairperson. Although she formulated the idea for OPERATION WISH BOOK, many volunteers helped to bring the project to fruition by collecting donations. The most rewarding aspect of the project to her was that the majority of donations came from students themselves. Ms. Ball was one of two teachers selected from the state to attend the inauguration of President George W. Bush.
Awards/Honors:
Red Apple Award, Boise School District; Grants and Sponsorships for OPERATION WISH BOOK; Chairperson of the Month, Neighborhood Watch