» BRAVO replaces SMART

By Amy Moss Strong
Editor
Thursday, September 04, 2008 | No comments posted. Ocean Crest Elementary School will replace its Start Making a Reader Today program this year with a newly formed nonprofit, Bandon Readers And Volunteers Organization.

The BRAVO program will be much like SMART, but it will be run locally rather than by a CEO located in Portland. The focus is to give children extra confidence and an opportunity to read aloud or be read to by adult volunteers, and to “encourage the joy of reading.”

Last spring, when SMART announced it no longer would pay its volunteer coordinators, outraged volunteers decided they wanted to do something.

“We feel the program cannot run without a volunteer coordinator,” said Tami Bolduc, one of several former SMART volunteers who have spearheaded BRAVO.

Bolduc said the coordinator needs to be paid to recruit and keep track of volunteers, arrange for substitutes, pull children out of class and keep track of each child’s reading record.

Volunteers approached the Bandon School Board, asking it to approve the idea. At the August School Board meeting, the board gave its blessing and said the final decision and details would be up to Ocean Crest Principal Liz Olive, Bolduc said. A board has been formed for BRAVO that includes Bolduc as chairwoman; longtime teacher Anne Goddard as vice chairwoman; former SMART volunteers Julie Ledig and Cindy Hay as treasurer and secretary; and City Manager Matt Winkel, former Port Director Alex Linke and Olive as directors. The board also includes local attorney Robert Miller III as an adviser.

About 70 students at Ocean Crest were read to twice weekly by volunteers last year. This year, the goal is to serve as many, if not more, Bolduc said. BRAVO also is going to hire former SMART coordinator Debbie Martin through an employment service in Coos Bay, at a cost of $9,000 per year for 20-plus hours per week. Martin will receive 70 percent of that amount, with 30 percent going to the service, Bolduc said.

BRAVO will pay for new background checks for all volunteers and for new books, most of which were reclaimed by SMART. BRAVO will be partially funded by a $6,940 grant from the city of Bandon’s state revenue sharing fund. The money was earmarked for SMART or BRAVO during the city’s budgeting process, but has been held in an account until the details of the new nonprofit were worked out.

In addition, BRAVO will receive the first $7,000 in proceeds from the second annual Ocean Crest Jog-athon, to be held on Thursday, Oct. 9, at the district track. Students will collect pledges in the coming weeks. Last year, the event raised $16,000 for the Bandon Community Swimming Pool. This year, after the first $7,000, the remainder will be used to pay for a new sound system in the school gym and software for the new computer lab, according to Olive.

In addition, Chetco Federal Credit Union will host a booth at the Cranberry Festival, with all the money going to BRAVO. The local Lions Club and Rotary Club also have committed either money or donated books to help the program.

Bolduc said the goal is to get BRAVO started by Oct. 1. Volunteers are still needed; those interested can call Bolduc at 260-0477. “We’re just really grateful for all the community support,” Bolduc said. “The enthusiasm that’s been shared has been both appreciated and encouraging.”