The Annual Literacy Leaders (ALL) Awards Nominations Committee is seeking nominations for the 2017 awards program and for the Peggy Parish Prize.

The ALL Awards

The ALL Awards are presented by the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina in the fall of each year to individuals and groups that have had a statewide impact on literacy in South Carolina. Their contributions can include the following kinds of activities:

• Developing and implementing innovative and creative approaches to all forms of literacy.
• Establishing models of best practices in literacy education.
• Providing service to underserved groups and communities.
• Providing funding and support for these kinds of programs.
• Making other statewide contributions deemed appropriate by the Committee.

Recipients can be any individuals, agencies, organizations or corporations with a local presence in South Carolina, regardless of their primary place of residence or corporate headquarters.

Nominations: Please submit a one-page letter summarizing the statewide impact of the nominee with respect to the award criteria to Kim Jeffcoat at kimj@sc.edu. Nominations should be received no later than May 5, 2017.

The Peggy Parish Prizes

"I hate to read, but you are changing my mind.”

A little boy wrote that to Peggy Parish affer reading one of her books. It was her favorite fan letter. Peggy loved writing stories that children loved to read. She believed that when children read what they liked to read, then they would like to read for the rest of their lives.

The Peggy Parish Prizes honor her legacy as the author of the beloved Amelia Bedelia series. Peggy was born and raised in South Carolina, graduated from USC and taught in elementary schools before devoting herself to writing books for children.

Peggy’s experience taught her that there is a tiny window of time when a child is most receptive to reading. She believed that if good books and encouragement are given at the right time, any child could become a life-long reader. When books or inspiration are lacking or given too late, then reading becomes a life-long struggle.

The Peggy Parish Prizes honor individuals who have made a personal impact that increases child literacy in South Carolina. Two prizes of $500 each will be awarded — one to a public librarian and one to a public school educator. Successful recipients will demonstrate their impact through activities such as:

• Implementing or expanding innovative programs or approaches to increase literacy in children.
• Encouraging a child’s love of reading through the involvement of a parent or caregiver.
• Establishing or expanding programs for under-served community groups to increase child literacy.
• Creating programs that successfully use Peggy Parish’s notion of an “open window” time frame to encourage reading in children.

Nominations: Please submit a one-page letter summarizing the statewide impact of the nominee with respect to the award criteria to Kim Jeffcoat at kimj@sc.edu. Nominations should be received no later than May 5, 2017.