Not to worry. As educators, we look out for each other – so we won’t leave you in the lurch. We’ve curated a list of our favorite resources you can tap into in the coming year!

Meet Your Read To Lead Substitutes

1.Literacy Skill development: Provide opportunities for students to practice targeted literacy skills aligned to Common Core Standards

ReadTheory 

Improve your students’ reading comprehension once and for all. ReadTheory’s adaptive technology adjusts to assign passages at each student’s “just-right” level. With thousands of standards-aligned formative assessments and real-time reporting, students get routine practice, and teachers know exactly what to teach next. The best part? Teachers can sign up for free!

Read&Write 

Finding support solutions for struggling learners is always a challenge, but Read&Write could be the answer. With useful features that help with everyday tasks like reading text out loud, understanding unfamiliar words, researching assignments, and proofing written work, Read&Write is an excellent tool for students at all levels. An additional plus point – it’s free for educators!

ReadWorks

If you are looking for access to thousands of high-quality, free K-12 articles, ReadWorks may have the answer. Content, curriculum, and tools that give educators the flexibility to create digital classes, distribute printed materials, and even fuel classroom instruction – ReadWorks has it all.

2. Engagement through Literacy: Help students understand the value of reading

iCivics 

Looking for high-quality resources to engage students in meaningful civic learning? iCivics offers well-written and inventive games, lesson plans, and more that help teachers nurture the next generation of civic-minded students and build the foundation of democracy.

BrainPOP

Boost achievement for grades K-8 in math, language arts, science, social studies, and more with BrainPOP. Featuring everything from lesson planning resources to scaffolded lessons that train grammar and vocabulary skills, BrainPOP promotes curiosity-driven learning through educational tools that challenge students.

PBS Learning Media 

Well-known among educators, PBS Learning Media, is a treasure trove of free, standards-aligned videos, interactive resources, lesson plans, and more. Look no further than PBS Learning Media for timely, topical collections designed around learning objectives and tailored to students’ needs!

Newsela

Media literacy is an important skill for students to have in the 21st century. With Newsela, teachers can access real-world content that is adapted to their students’ levels to bring context and relevance to any ELA classroom. Drive engagement through literacy with amazing instructional content and support tools on Newsela.

3. SEL Skills: Nurture students’ SEL skills aligned to the CASEL framework

Emozi 

Created to address the unique challenges and teaching needs of middle and high school students, Emozi focuses on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum. It helps educators with middle school classroom management, behavior problems, emotional regulation, peer pressure, bullying, and more – setting students up for success both academically and socially.

Peekapak

Support your students in their Social Emotional Learning (SEL) with Peekapak. With a wealth of CASEL-aligned stories, lessons and learning games to choose from, you can easily integrate SEL objectives into any ELA lesson and equip your students with the tools they need to navigate the real world, middle school and beyond!

4. Real World Learning: Expose students to career exploration opportunities and engaging PBL curricula.

Beable 

Close the gap and accelerate literacy and learning with Beable. Offering a multi-dimensional approach, Beable incorporates differentiation, individualization, and personalization to meet the multiple needs of different students and strengthen the literacy-to-career connection.

Educurious 

Project-based learning is fast becoming a staple in educators’ toolboxes and Educurious makes it that much easier to implement in your classroom. By connecting students to the world through a global network of subject matter experts and mentors, this project-based learning curriculum empowers youth to take charge of their learning. Featuring customizable tools and resources, immersive professional development opportunities, and a vibrant learning community, Educurious is sure to be a hit among teachers and students alike.

5. Marketplace: Search for programs that can be a better fit for your classroom needs

Clever 

An integrated digital learning platform for K12 schools, Clever boasts one friendly interface for single sign-on, messaging, analytics, and more. Keep track of student progress, organize your classroom, and share updates with parents – all within the same platform.

Edcuration  

With so many products, resources, and tools available for educators these days, making decisions about which to purchase can be challenging! Edcuration is a marketplace for PreK-12 educators to discover, compare, evaluate and purchase from a variety of high-quality, cutting-edge offers.

EdSurge

EdTech (education technology) is a fast growing industry but educators are often not in the know about the best and latest products that will ease their classroom woes. EdSurge aims to bridge the gap between educators and innovators in the education space by providing insightful reports on people, ideas and tools shaping the future of learning.

6. Curriculum: Find complete lesson plans to complement your ELA lessons

ClassHook

Videos are a powerful educational tool kids love but finding appropriate ones that don’t have ads is hard. ClassHook solves this problem by playing videos without ads, and detecting and automatically skipping inappropriate language! With this curated video library, you’ll never have to worry about embarrassing moments in class, and increase student engagement, retention, and relevance!

Brain Waves Instruction

Could do with some free lesson plans and teaching tips to make your daily life easier? Brain Waves Instruction delivers all that and more! With lesson plans organized into categories like Literature & Reading, Poetry, and Writing, you’ll be spoiled for choice for your next ELA lesson.

With so many free and paid resources available, we are sure that you will find the perfect substitute(s) for Read to Lead that will make your classroom experience that much better in the new year!

The post Read To Lead Is Out Sick: Here Are Some Great Substitute Programs appeared first on Read to Lead.

Summer is just around the corner, and with it comes the dreaded summer slide. Reading lists are a great way to help students stay on top of their reading, and allow them to explore diverse themes and areas of interest. But what should our 6th graders be reading this summer?

We believe belonging is the missing piece in the fight for diversity and inclusion. We know that research shows that students who report high levels of sense of belonging to the school environment experience positive educational outcomes. This means elevating Black and Brown voices, teaching culturally relevant content, and allowing students to see themselves in their learning is more important than ever. That’s why this summer, our favorite summer reading picks for 6th grade features authors of different backgrounds, books that explore relevant social issues, and tackle challenges that middle schoolers may face in their lives.

While we would love for our students to read all the books on this list, we recommend letting students choose a few that pique their interest. Why? Because book choice is key to student agency and motivation.

Now, let’s get to our recommendations for multicultural books for 6th grade summer reading!

Class Act by Jerry Craft

It’s never easy to be the new kid in school but what about one of the few kids of color in a prestigious private school?  Follow Drew in this laugh-out-loud funny and important coming of age story from New York Times bestselling author Jerry Craft. Bonus – this book follows Jerry Craft’s first book, New Kid, which follows Jordan around through similar struggles as a new kid at a private school. 

Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros

Students may be aware of the issue of undocumented immigrants in the US, but in Efrén Divided, they see the reality that American-born children may face when someone in their family is deported. Giving readers insights about the many struggles Mexican-American families face in a way that is heartfelt and moving, this book is sure to spark many important and meaningful conversations among middle schoolers. Bonus – The author’s website includes a free comprehensive resource guide for Efrén Divided.

Kira-Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata

Kira-Kira tells the story of Katie’s experiences as a Japanese-American growing up in a small town in rural Georgia in the 1950s, where looking different comes with very real consequences. In this touching tale, author Cynthia Kadohata expertly explores themes such as racism, grief, prejudice through the lens of a young girl. This book can also serve as a launchpad for discussions around anti-Asian hate, workplace discrimination, and other similar contemporary issues.

Brown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson

A beautifully written memoir in verse form, Brown Girl Dreaming tells the story of Jacqueline Woodson growing up as a Black American in the 1960s. Through compelling poems, Jacqueline recounts grappling with the remnants of the Jim Crow laws and the impacts of the Civil Rights Movement. This book is both an excellent way to introduce students to poetry as a form of story-telling and dig into discussions around current social movements such as Black Lives Matter and social justice issues.

Greta’s Story: The Schoolgirl Who Went on Strike to Save the Planet, by Valentina Camerini (Author), and Veronica Carratello (Illustrator)

You are never too young to make a difference. That’s the main message in Greta’s Story: The Schoolgirl Who Went on Strike to Save the Planet, an unofficial biography of Greta Thunberg, a 15-year-old climate activist. An easy and inspiring read that will encourage young readers to start taking action to address climate change, this book includes a glossary of important dates in history related to environmental issues and a section on how students can get involved to save the planet.

Accidental Trouble Magnet: Book 1 (Planet Omar Series), by Zanib Mian

Approaching sensitive topics such as change and bullying with humor and innocence, Accidental Trouble Magnet is the first book in the Planet Omar Series. Featuring a young Muslim protagonist, this book takes readers on the ups and downs of navigating a new school, making friends, and more, all while sharing snippets of life as a Muslim. With superb illustrations that keep the story moving forward, this is a great option for reluctant readers. Bonus – Follow Omar on other adventures through the rest of the Planet Omar series.

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes – Police Brutality

What happens when a 12-year-old Black boy is killed by a police officer for playing with a toy gun? Ghost Boys explores difficult but timely themes like racism, police brutality, and gun violence in a way that is honest yet age-appropriate for middle schoolers. This book is a poignant read that will prompt students to delve further into social justice issues. Bonus: This book included discussion questions for students to reflect on the story and relate it to their own lives.

Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets, by Gayle E Pitman

The Stonewall Riots are an important part of LGBTQIA+ activism, and this gorgeously illustrated book explores some of the events before, during, and after the riots. Presented in a unique way that features newspaper reports, objects, and pictures from the time, Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets shares information about the LGBTQIA+ movement in an easy-to-digest and informative way. A great introductory read for students which showcases an often marginalized community, this book is a must if you are looking for diverse books for middle school.

Community in Crisis, Read to Lead

For students who are struggling to even pick up a book during summer, Read to Lead: Community in Crisis is an excellent way for students to keep reading while playing games. Designed to meet anchor standards and supporting Lexile range for 6th grade, Community in Crisis is the first series on the Read to Lead game-based learning platform. Students read 5,000 words and interact with diverse characters in each game in the series (there are 12 games in all!). Game-based learning is also a great way to drive student interest and motivation, especially during summertime. Sign up for a free account and get your students started with their summer reading program.

We hope that these diverse books for middle schoolers will allow your students to see themselves in their learning and inspire what is possible.

Have a book you love recommending to 6th graders? We’d love to hear from you! Share your top picks below – we plan on making a list of the top picks from our community!

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New York, NY (March 10, 2022) – Read to Lead announced new support from the New York Life Foundation that will help the edtech nonprofit engage and empower middle school youth nationwide to build their literacy, life, and career skills. 

The New York Life Foundation’s latest grant of $1.5 million over the next two years will enable Read to Lead to expand its community of educators and youth, ensuring that even more young leaders have free access to Read to Lead’s suite of online learning games, curriculum, and resources. 

The contribution continues the Foundation’s legacy of more than a decade of leadership support, including nearly $5 million of philanthropic grants and hundreds of volunteer hours. New York Life employees have engaged in a range of volunteer activities that have advanced Read to Lead’s mission, from building a new and expanded data warehouse to providing notes of encouragement to students learning from home. Likewise, Read to Lead has supported New York Life employees by providing interactive webinars on virtual learning best practices and trends in education that resulted from COVID-19.

“Read to Lead is providing academic and social-emotional support to middle school students nationwide, ensuring they can transition to 9th-grade on-time and on-track in spite of the changing circumstances they continue to face at school and in their communities,” said Marlyn Torres, Senior Program Officer, New York Life Foundation.  “As a longtime partner, we are proud to help the organization leverage its experience in the education technology space to scale its impact at this unique moment.”

The New York Life Foundation’s support comes at a critical time. As the pandemic continues to affect the lives and learning opportunities of middle school youth, Read to Lead will be able to design and deliver learning experiences, features, and solutions that meet the needs of educators and students across the country more quickly and effectively. This includes introducing students to new workplace scenarios where they can apply their literacy and social-emotional learning (SEL) skills and providing teachers with greater insight into their students’ progress and development. 

Read to Lead Board Chair Lewis W. Bernard shared, “The New York Life Foundation’s generous support has made it possible for Read to Lead to expand its reach and work with middle school youth on a national scale. We are especially appreciative of the many ways in which the Foundation has stepped forward to provide additional support at a time when educators and students are facing such significant challenges.”

About Read to Lead  

Read to Lead’s mission is to empower middle school students to develop their literacy, life, and career skills. Our unique model combines scenario-based learning games where students get to “be the boss” in an immersive professional workplace with research-based curriculum. Since our founding in 1992, we have impacted more than one million students nationwide. Learn more at: https://readtolead.org/.

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Read to Lead submitted evidence to Digital Promise confirming a link between research on how students learn and the product’s design. “We’re looking at quantitative data holistically to understand organizational learning at a higher level,” shared Juliana Hess, Director of Research and Learning Design at Read to Lead. 

Hess described the building process at Read to Lead as a “backwards-facing investigation,” where the end result is determined first and the steps to get there are found in reverse: “What outcomes do we want for students? How are we measuring those outcomes? What tools do we use to make those measurements?” Meaningful answers to these questions would be impossible to find without diving into the existing research on learning. Doing so gives confidence to all stakeholders—developers, educators, and investors alike—that the product is both relevant to student needs and at the forefront of educational innovation.

“Educators and researchers continue to uncover important insights about how people learn,” said Christina Luke Luna, senior director of lifelong learning pathways at Digital Promise. “Digital Promise’s Research-Based Design Product Certification recognizes the edtech products that incorporate research about learning into their design and development. Congratulations to the Read to Lead team for demonstrating that research informs product design!” 

Through Product Certifications, consumers can narrow their options as they select products based on research about learning before trying it out in their classrooms. Digital Promise launched the Research-Based Design Product Certification in February 2020 and has certified over 50 products to date. 

The Research-Based Design Product Certification uses a competency-based learning framework, developed in consultation with Digital Promise’s Learner Variability Project advisory board, expert researchers in the Learning Sciences field, and nearly 50 educators across the United States. Further detail about its development can be found in Digital Promise’s report, “Designing Edtech that Matters for Learning: Research-Based Design Product Certifications.” 

All developers, educators, edtech investors, and families are also encouraged to sign the Research-Based Product Promise and demand high-quality, research-driven products that support each unique learner. More information on Digital Promise’s Product Certifications can be found at productcertifications.digitalpromise.org.

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December 13, 2021 – Read to Lead, an ed-tech nonprofit that empowers middle school students to develop their literacy, life, and career skills through game-based learning, was recently announced as the winner of AT&T’s “Pitches With Purpose” Audience Choice Award. In the all-virtual “Shark Tank” style competition, AT&T invited the eight organizations from its 2021 graduating Accelerator class to pitch their business plans for a chance to win one of two $50,000 prizes. 

During the competition, Read to Lead secured the most votes for best pitch from AT&T employees, who recognized the nonprofit for its ability to create engaging and inclusive digital learning experiences that help narrow the homework gap and prepare students to thrive within and beyond the classroom.

Executive Director Christina Oliver’s winning pitch highlighted Read to Lead’s innovative approach to developing the next generation of readers and leaders through a suite of online learning games and experiences that combine reading, critical thinking, and career exploration. Read to Lead’s unique approach invites middle school students to become “the boss” in over 30 virtual workplaces, where they must read closely, think critically, and solve authentic workplace challenges. 

Throughout the 2021 AT&T Accelerator program, Read to Lead continued to scale its impact on the lives of middle school students and teachers nationwide, delivering diverse and culturally relevant learning experiences and stemming the tide of learning loss caused by the pandemic.

In reflecting on the program, Oliver shared, “The AT&T Accelerator has been an incredible learning experience. We are honored that our pitch was chosen among a cohort of amazing ed-tech leaders, and I am especially grateful for the relationships we have developed among the network of experts and founders. Their mentorship and support is making it possible to create a new generation of learning games and experiences that will ensure even more students nationwide build the literacy and social-emotional skills to succeed.” 

About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T

We’re committed to advancing education, creating opportunities, strengthening communities and improving lives. AT&T Connected Learning is a multi-year commitment to bridge the digital divide and narrow the homework gap, so today’s learners are connected with skills, resources, and opportunities for success in school and in life. Since 2008, we’ve committed over $600 million to programs that help millions of students across all 50 states and around the world, particularly those in underserved communities.

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It’s December! Winter is kicking in, the holiday decorations are up, and it’s time for some cheer. But with the winter break just around the corner, veteran teachers will know that keeping students engaged in reading (or really anything) through this month can be a challenge!

That’s why we’ve put together five ELA Activities to keep kids engaged this season!

Read Chicken Soup for the Soul!

Bring the holiday spirit into the classroom with heartwarming stories of joy, kindness, and gratitude from Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Blessings of Christmas with your students! This collection of inspirational, fun, and moving stories is an excellent way to keep students reading through December. 

At the beginning of each class, get students to take turns reading a few stories from this collection out loud to practice their reading and listening skills. Students could even try their hand at writing their own Chicken Soup stories based on their experiences. As a bonus, compile students’ stories into a mini-book as a gift to take home for the holidays!

Answer 12 Days of Literacy Questions with Flipgrid

Put an ELA spin on the traditional 12 Days of Christmas and turn it into 12 days of Literacy Questions! Use Flipgrid to ask students a daily literacy question in the twelve days leading up to the winter break. Some ideas for these questions could be relating them to a novel they are reading, reviewing content covered in class, or around fun holiday themes! The video element of Flipgrid makes it a fun activity for students while keeping them engaged and learning through December!

Start the Million Words Read Challenge

The Read to Lead Million Words Read Challenge officially starts in January, but we’ll let you in on a secret: Words read in the first half of the school year also count toward your class tally! December is the perfect time to get a headstart with your class and see how many words they can read before school closes out for the year!

A game-based reading challenge that turns reluctant readers into budding bookworms, the Million Words Read Challenge introduces an element of friendly competition among students and challenges them to read more. When students become Millionaires by collectively reaching a goal of one million words read, they also receive Read to Lead Student Prize Packs. While the challenge officially kicks off in January, students can get started right away and start reading their way to success. Sign up for a free account and join the Million Words Read Challenge today!

Celebrate Holidays Around the World

We all have Christmas traditions, but did you know that Christmas in the US can look very different from Christmas in Argentina, Russia, Sweden, and Italy? In this fun research project designed by Brain Waves Instruction, students discover how Christmas is celebrated around the world! Through their own research and investigation, they learn more about interesting holiday customs, food and drinks, and fun facts about their country of choice. This lesson plan also includes detailed lesson plans and implementation ideas (including tips on hosting a Christmas around the World Museum Sharing Day to have students share verbally about the country they researched)! Easy to execute, fun for the kids, AND educational – what’s not to like!

Take a Virtual Field Trip to Be The Boss

If your students are feeling antsy from being indoors and in the classroom all day, they’ll LOVE this ELA activity. Take students on a virtual field trip to an authentic workplace and let them become the “boss” for the day! That’s right –  Read to Lead puts students in the driver’s seat and lets them experience first-hand what it’s like to lead a team! 

In Read to Lead games, students adopt the persona of Medical Director, Editor-in-Chief, or Director of a Community Center to analyze and evaluate information, make important decisions, and navigate complex workplace dynamics. Not only will they be reading and developing useful literacy skills, but they will also hone their interpersonal and leadership skills! This immersive day at work is sure to be an experience students adore. Sign up for free today, and empower students to become the next generation of readers and leaders this season!

With these five ELA activities, you are sure to be able to keep your students engaged, interested, and learning through December! Have a favorite ELA activity for December your students really enjoy? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!

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New York City, NY, October 22, 2021

Edtech Non-profit Classroom Inc., Announces Rebrand: Reaffirms Commitment to Innovation

Classroom Inc., an edtech non-profit organization, today announced a rebrand of its name, visual identity, and website to reflect the company’s growth, evolution, and mission. 

As the organization continues to scale its impact and innovate, they have officially changed their name from Classroom, Inc. to Read to Lead. “Read to Lead” has historically been the name of the organization’s suite of learning games while Classroom Inc. represented the nonprofit’s corporate identity.  

“Having one name better encapsulates our mission, vision, and approach to learning and is how educators and students already know us. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and partners, thousands of teachers across the country are using Read to Lead to empower middle school students to develop literacy, life, and career skills,” said Christina Oliver, Executive Director.

When Lewis W. Bernard founded the organization in 1992, he did so with the belief that students would thrive if they were able to make authentic connections between school and career – a belief shared by Read to Lead’s dedicated supporters. The learning model immerses middle school students in virtual workplaces where they become the boss and must apply reading, writing, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills to make real-world decisions. 

“As we help middle schoolers connect the dots between school and their future careers, the Read to Lead name will contribute to helping them realize their fullest potential,” said Christina. 

For more information visit www.readtolead.org. Tax deductible contributions and donations can now be made to “Read to Lead, Inc.” rather than “Classroom, Inc.”

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With expertise in strategic planning, public relations, marketing, and digital strategy, teams from Morgan Stanley, NBCUniversal, and PwC have equipped the Read to Lead team with the guidance and tools to help our efforts to scale our impact over the next several years. 

Here is an inside look at how corporate pro bono support has allowed us to strengthen our approach in three vital areas:

Morgan Stanley: A financial modeling framework to support strategic planning

Morgan Stanley volunteers and the Read to Lead team engaged in a half-day ScopeAthon to evaluate our current financial planning process and find ways to align it more deeply with our organizational strategy. As Read to Lead hires a Chief Financial Officer to bring financial expertise in-house, the Morgan Stanley team helped us consider how the new role could effectively facilitate the growth and impact of the organization. With their valuable insights, we also began the process of shaping an internal communications strategy that strengthens the link between increased investment and organizational outcomes. 

NBCUniversal: Impactful storytelling to raise the visibility of Read to Lead 

NBCUniversal invited Read to Lead to participate in a one-day clinic that connected our team with two NBCU experts in marketing and communications. Together, we performed a deep dive into Read to Lead’s rebrand efforts, discussing PR strategies that could help elevate name and organizational recognition among key audiences. Through the brainstorming process, the NBCU team worked with us to create a comprehensive plan that included identifying impactful stories about Read to Lead students and teachers, highlighting engaging infographics and data, and finding opportunities to collaborate with teachers, donors, and other stakeholders. 

“At NBCUniversal, we find skills-based consulting opportunities extremely rewarding for all involved. Not only through the suggestions our skilled employees provide to nonprofit organizations, but through the connections made between our employees and organizations making an impact on their communities. Supporting meaningful causes through skill sharing is a truly collaborative and impactful experience.” – Samantha Cammarata, Sr. Manager, Partnerships & Engagement, Corporate Social Responsibility

PwC: Search engine optimization (SEO) to help teachers discover Read to Lead

During a half-day ScopeAthon, PwC volunteers helped the Read to Lead team tackle the challenge of driving organic search engine traffic to the organization’s website. They worked with us to help outline an action plan, which included identifying external training resources on SEO for staff members, documenting SEO leading practices, and understanding how to improve the user journey for website visitors. With an improved SEO strategy, Read to Lead aims to reach middle school teachers who are looking for an effective literacy tool, but may not be familiar with Read to Lead. 

Read to Lead was able to work with teams from Morgan Stanley and PwC thanks to the Taproot Foundation, a national nonprofit organization that connects social change organizations with passionate business professionals who share their expertise pro bono. Likewise, Read to Lead was a participant in NBCUniversal’s one-day clinic with the support of PYXERA Global, whose mission is to reinvent how public, private, and social interests engage to solve global challenges.

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As one educator puts it: “On Read to Lead: Live! my students have the opportunity to see and hear individuals who look like them, “in-person.” This allows them to connect what they’ve read, seen, or learned in class to the real world.”  – Kimberly 

Misty shared her incredible story as an artist, author, and leader with 15,000 students across the country, including the inspiring message that “everyone has it inside them to be a leader.” 

If you missed the live session, you can catch it on-demand here. After watching the live session with your class, you can use this discussion guide to spark reflection and discussion with your students. 

Here were a few of our favorite mic drop moments captured live. ????

What would you tell your 10-year-old self?

“Be patient and know that your passion, hard work, & belief in wanting a better life for yourselves and your family is enough. Love yourself and allow other people to love you.”

What does leadership mean to you?

“Leadership is really about believing in yourself and others.”

What does it mean to be a good leader?

“We all have it in us to be leaders. It’s not necessarily being the loudest person in the room. Leadership is about being fearless, about having faith in yourself and your abilities, and believing in the things that are important to you.”

Our middle schoolers sent in so many questions for Misty that we couldn’t get to them all during this one session, so she wrote her responses to some of the many unanswered questions.

How do you stay so motivated to continue training? – Tahirah

“Seeing how this generation of young people is so invested in making our world a better place is [the] motivation for me to keep striving even on the hardest of days. “

How did you balance ballet and school work? – Kaitlyn 

“Ballet actually pushed me to be better in school. The more responsibility I had, the easier it was for me to add on work. But I definitely had to make sacrifices. I wasn’t hanging out with friends during the week, and I was doing homework any free moment I had between dance classes and rehearsals.”

Do you get nervous before going on stage? And what do you do to calm those butterflies? – Cadence

“I never really got nervous as a child and only started to feel that way as a professional once I started to realize the weight of the roles I was dancing and what it meant to dance them as a Black woman. But when I do start to feel anxious or nervous, I first remind myself why I love to dance and perform. Then I dive deep into the character I’m portraying. It makes things less scary if it’s not you on the stage, but the character you are becoming during the show.”

What would you consider to be the highlight of your career? – Sophie

“I have two highlights for sure. My first NYC performance of the ballet Firebird in 2012 was the first time I saw so many black and brown people come to Lincoln Center to see a ballet. The second would be when I was promoted to Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre in 2015.” 

I am an aspiring ballerina, and I want to know how you got so good at ballet? – Katherine 

“ Twenty-five years of hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and commitment. But what’s been equally necessary and important was having support from those around me.”

When you were in middle school, how many ballet class hours did you take a week? – Ashanti 

“ I was taking two ballet classes a day, and sometimes I would take a modern dance class on those days as well. So some days it was three classes a day, and I was dancing six days a week.”

Why did you want to become a ballerina? – Hannah 

“ Because it was an escape from a lot of hardships in my life, and I loved moving, performing, and expressing myself with my body. I fell in love with classical music, as well as the history and structure of ballet.”

What’s your favorite song and why? – Bryn 

“ There is an old song by Mariah Carey called, Looking In. It has been a favorite of mine since I was about 14 years old because the lyrics resonated with me at the time. It’s about feeling different and trying to get people to understand you and why you are who you are. I felt like she wrote it just for me.” 

And that’s a wrap! Whether you caught this session live or will be watching it on-demand, we hope your students feel inspired by Misty’s story. Sign up to save your seat for the next Read to Lead: Live!

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With the support of the New York Life Foundation, Classroom, Inc. Executive Director Christina M. Oliver joined 38 nonprofit executives from around the country to virtually participate in the New Strategies Symposium conducted by Business for Impact at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.

Founded in 2011, New Strategies is an invitation-only program that brings together nonprofit leaders to help them increase and diversify their revenue streams.

Meeting over four days in fall 2020, Christina and her fellow program participants learned from leaders in nonprofits and philanthropy, from faculty at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business, expert advisors, and each other. The sessions included experts on brand and social media strategy, earned revenue opportunities through strategic partnership development, virtual fundraising, and best practices to engage current and potential supporters. Joe Waters, Founder of Selfish Giving, led an impactful discussion on cause marketing that Christina applied to Read to Lead’s growth and corporate partnership strategies.

Christina noted, “This incredible and actionable opportunity allowed me to assess and reflect on Classroom, Inc.’s existing assets and future opportunities to diversify our revenue. Experts reinforced our key opportunities to engage corporations and their employees in helping us support teachers and students nationwide with Read to Lead, as well as the critical importance of building our brand through targeted marketing approaches.”

A hallmark of New Strategies is to provide its alumni with ongoing access to expert speakers and a national network of nonprofit executives. Since the program, Christina and Classroom, Inc.’s learning opportunities have continued through webinars on impact investing and the New Strategies Impact Consultants Pilot Program.

Christina’s participation in the New Strategies program comes at a critical time as Classroom, Inc. scales its support for teachers and middle school students learning at home, in hybrid settings, and in-person at schools. Through Read to Lead digital learning games and curriculum, Classroom, Inc. is currently helping thousands of teachers improve their middle school students’ literacy, life, and career skills, ensuring a successful transition to high school and beyond.

Christina said, “I am grateful to the New York Life Foundation for supporting my leadership and our efforts to diversify and grow our revenue. Their partnership ensures educators across the United States have the tools they need to empower middle school youth to improve their academic and career skills.”

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