JetBlue Is Taking Reading and Literacy to New Heights

This month, Brightly is teaming up with JetBlue to give away a fantastic family vacation. We couldn’t be more pleased to be collaborating with JetBlue, a company that’s working hard to bring great books to deserving kids through their Soar with Reading summer literacy program. We had the opportunity to chat with Icema Gibbs, JetBlue’s Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, to learn more about Soar with Reading and find out how all of us can get involved with this worthwhile initiative.

Read on to learn more about Soar with Reading and keep an eye out for details on how you and your family can enter to win a great vacation to the Caribbean.

Tell us a bit about Soar with Reading.
Soar with Reading is JetBlue’s annual summer literacy program, designed to encourage children’s imaginations to take flight through reading and to put age-appropriate books into the hands of youth in underserved communities. Since launching Soar with Reading in 2011, JetBlue has donated more than $1,250,000 worth of books to communities across the country.

This year, we’re excited to launch the first-ever national #BookBattle. In honor of our five-year anniversary, five cities — Detroit, Houston, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, and New York City — will compete to receive 100,000 books for their community in late 2016. The city with the most votes will win. In partnership with Random House Children’s Books and Mary Pope Osborne, we will also be hosting local reading events across the country. More information about all of our ongoing initiatives is available at www.SoarWithReading.com or via the Soar with Reading app.

We’re also piloting a new book vending machine concept in the Southeast neighborhood of Washington, D.C., allowing children to receive free books throughout the summer and encouraging the next generation to continue reading. Children in low-income areas have fewer resources than those in wealthier communities — this is our attempt to help increase access to books through the summer months.

How did the program start?
Our customers and crewmembers expressed to us that education and children in-need are two of the causes that are most important to them. With this as our motivation, we launched Soar with Reading in 2011 to provide children in underserved areas better access to age-appropriate books. I have been involved with the program since its inception, and while I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished in the last five years, I know there is still much more work to be done to combat the national literacy crisis.

What are the goals for the kids and communities participating in Soar with Reading?
It is our hope that providing free access to books in fun and convenient ways will encourage reading in communities across the country. We’ve put hundreds of thousands of books into the hands of children nationwide, and as a result, have invigorated their imaginations and supported their educational development. We’re excited to continue to host reading events this summer and hopefully encourage more kids and families to read throughout the summer months! Our goal is to share the gift of reading with youth across the country, and to activate consumers to do more in their neighborhoods to provide children age-appropriate access to books.

What insights about how to improve literacy rates and access to books have been incorporated into the program?
When we originally started the Soar With Reading program, we were inspired by a 2001 study, conducted by former assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Education and early child education expert, Dr. Susan Neuman, that illustrated there is access to only 1 age-appropriate book for every 300 children in underserved communities.

As we entered the fifth year of Soar with Reading, it was important to us to learn more about how the landscape and scope of the education epidemic in America — especially in underserved and low-income areas — has changed. An expansion of Dr. Neuman’s original 2001 study, the new research we’ve forged ahead with has initially found that book deserts exist in low-income communities across the country and that children in these poorer neighborhoods have little or no access to purchase age-appropriate books.

The results of the study were devastating (for example, the study found that in Anacostia, there is only 1 age-appropriate book for every 830 children) and we hope that our program will inspire communities to develop innovative solutions to eliminate book deserts and help children get the access and exposure to literature that will put them on a path to academic success. It has become clear that innovative solutions that engage the community are necessary to combat the national book desert epidemic.

Tell us about the vending machines!
One of the most staggering book deserts that stood out in our research was the Anacostia section of Washington, D.C. In an effort to quench this community’s dire need for age appropriate books, we unveiled a pilot book vending machine program in the neighborhood. The vending machines are placed in select locations in the community and allow children to receive a book, free of cost. Children and parents will be able to sign up to receive text updates when the new books are restocked and to learn about reading events throughout the summer. Based on the success of this pilot program, we hope to roll out even more in the future.

What’s next for Soar with Reading?
This year, we will be hosting local events — in partnership with Random House Children’s Books and Mary Pope Osborne — across the country. This year’s program features Osborne’s latest Magic Tree House #53: Shadow of the Shark, so our all of our reading events will take place in local aquariums and feature book readings, a performance from Magic Tree House’s Jack & Annie, and shark-themed adventures. Throughout the summer, we anticipate giving out approximately 100,000 books to kids!

Soar with Reading has also launched a national #BookBattle! Social fans are encouraged to go online to SoarwithReading.com to determine which city will receive the next 100,000 books, which we will announce in September.

How can Brightly readers participate in this summer’s Soar With Reading program?
Readers are encouraged to visit SoarWithReading.com to vote for their favorite city competing in the #BookBattle. They can select one of five cities — Detroit, Houston, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles and New York City — for the chance to win 100,000 children’s books. They can rally support and join the conversation on social media with the hashtag #BookBattle.

SoarWithReading.com and the Soar with Reading app also feature shark-themed activities, reading resources for families, and more.

Most importantly, readers can get involved by inspiring, encouraging, and sharing the gift of reading with little ones in their communities, by volunteering, donating or spreading the love of the written word!

Be sure to head on over to SoarWithReading.com to vote for your favorite city! And don’t forget to enter for your chance to win a family vacation to the Caribbean!