About Us
What We Do
Literacy initiative to help prepare children for kindergarten and schooling beyond in the Charleston, SC area.
Program that builds language knowledge and increased vocabulary
Provides an opportunity for children to explore and better understand the people, places and things they encounter in everyday life
This leads to better outcomes in school and life, increased opportunities for good jobs
Why We Do It
South Carolina’s economy is booming. Advanced global manufacturing companies have brought new jobs to South Carolina that require deeper reading and analytical skills.
The single most significant factor influencing a child’s early educational success is an introduction to books and being read to at home prior to beginning school (National Commission on Reading, 1985).
Children who are routinely read to day in and out thrive. Those with less exposure to books face tougher learning challenges in school and beyond (Campbell et al, 2002).
The brain develops faster than any other time between birth and 3. Critical to foster literacy during the early stages.
Our program enables every child to have the best start in life. Nothing helps a baby’s brain develop more than exposure to books in the home and being read to beginning at birth (or before).
How We Do It
Children in the literacy program receive bookstore-quality, age-specific books and resources mailed to them at home every month until their fifth birthday.
With each book, parents receive a newsletter with literacy information related to the child’s development, and a book guide with an activity page specific to the book they receive.
If the family is transient, books can be sent to the child at their daycare center or other care provider.
With hospital agreement, books will be sent home in a cloth bag with every newborn including a newsletter with guides on how to start reading with the child.
Every month after birth the child receives an age-appropriate book until their fifth birthday to prepare them for kindergarten, schooling, and a successful life ahead.
Board of Directors
Crystal Campbell, Honorary PhD
Dr. Crystal Campbell is a retired educator from the State of South Carolina School System, retired in 2011 from School District 5 of Lexington/Richland Counties where she was the EC Coordinator. She has held numerous teaching and supervisory positions within school districts all over the State, including being a Teacher Specialist with the State Department of Education, Early Childhood Specialist in Dorchester District Two, Senior Instructor at the College of Charleston, and an Adjunct Professor at Midlands and Trident Technical College. She received an Honorary Doctorate degree from Caanan Bible College in Charleston, SC, and is also “ABD” at the University of South Carolina, majoring in Early Childhood. She has her own consulting business (CYC Educational Consulting, LLC) where she provides DSS training hours for child care providers and teachers and presents at conferences around the State. Currently, she serves as the Executive Director of Dorchester County First Steps in Summerville, SC. Crystal loves all things early childhood and is currently honored to serve as the President of the Southern Early Childhood Association (SECA).
Eileen Chepenik
Eileen Chepenik, retired, has been the Executive Director of Trident Literacy Association for the past 19 years, capping more than 40 years of involvement as both a professional and a volunteer in the nonprofit world. Graduate of the University of Florida with a BS in Journalism, and Project Coordinator, Greater Charleston Naval Base Memorial.
Robie Scott
Robie Scott is an experienced media professional and brand ambassador with three decades of distinctive, progressive success in communications, community relations, negotiation, event planning, project development, public speaking (national and international), writing, editing, and fundraising. Deadline driven with an ability to pinpoint and seize opportunity with diplomacy and grace, working collaboratively or individually.
Competencies:
Published writer and editor
Convenor
International public speaker and lecturer
Media Relations
Community Outreach and Engagement
Marketing and Brand Strategy
Event Planning and Management
Training and onboarding
Management
Speech Writer
Clara Heinsohn
Clara Heinsohn’s career consists of teaching elementary school for 25 years, serving as K-12 Research Director for the South Carolina Senate Education Committee, Director of Public Affairs and Volunteers and lobbyist for the Charleston County School District. She is currently a lobbyist for Reading Partners, consultant for the South Carolina Virtual Charter School, and consultant for the Charleston County School District.
Previously served on the College of Charleston Teacher Roundtable, Commission on Women Board, First Tee of Charleston Board, Fort Sumter Fort Moultrie Trust Board, Foundation for Education Excellence Board, Chair of the Lowcountry Literacy Roundtable, Chair of the Lowcountry Orphan Relief Board, Reading Partners Board, South Carolina Virtual Charter School Board, South Carolina Performance and State Standards Board , South Carolina Education Oversight Committee Board, Writing Improvement Board, and Youth Arts Board.
In 1999 Governor Beasley awarded her the Order of the Palmetto for work in public education.
Phyllis Martin
Phyllis is currently the Executive Director of the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Greater Charleston. She is a native of New York and spent her formative years in the Catskill Mountain region. Graduate of The Florida State University where she received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science. Phyllis is a graduate of Leadership Jacksonville, Furman University’s Liberal Arts Leadership program, Clemson University’s Leadership program, and the Governor Richard W. Riley Institute’s Diversity Leadership Initiative. She was selected as one of Greenville, South Carolina’s 50 Most Influential People is a recipient of Governor Richard W. Riley Diversity Leadership Institute’s Diversity Leadership Award for non-profit organizations and is a recipient of the Soroptimist International Women Making a Difference Award.
In her free time, Phyllis loves to patronize the arts, unwind at the gym and the beach, and take her four-legged baby Finn on adventures.
Emily Skinner
Dr. Skinner earned her doctorate at Columbia University and has been a literacy education professor at the College of Charleston where she taught teacher education courses addressing birth-12th grade for the last 18 years. Her academic research has focused on writing, pop culture, digital literacies and disciplinary literacies and her personal research has been on the close-up study of the literacy practices of her own two now grown children. She co-edited the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy for five years and has done professional development in NYC and CCSD schools. In addition to literacy education, Dr. Skinner has a passion for helping rescue puppies and has fostered 79 puppies over the past five years.
Alexandra “Alex” Tumbleston
Alex graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1984, with a BS in Business Administration. During her career she worked for organizations of various sizes, from a small intellectual property start-up to a large service management conglomerate, holding positions in sales, sales support and administration. She was born and raised in Delaware and Ohio and now resides with her husband and their dog, Jake, outside of Charleston, SC.
Barnie G. Howell
Graduate of the University of Wisconsin Cum Laude with BS in Education and Psychology. Earned MEd from College of Charleston with a focus on Teaching, Learning, and Advocacy.
Career in Business Development and Marketing with Xerox, US Surgical, and retired from Philips Medical as Senior Director of Business Development for the U.S. Military. Founded Books in Every Bag to promote and enable literacy in children of the Low Country to provide literacy tools for success in kindergarten and life beyond. The mission is fulfilled through the provision of free age-specific books, with parental newsletter and reading guide for parents, to all children from birth through age of five. Through collaboration with local birthing centers, free books with newsletters are provided to parents leaving the hospital and each month after until their child’s fifth birthday.