Why was this website created?

Dear Bookworms,                                                               January 6th, 2021

The urgent global challenge that concerns me most is the global education crisis borne out of the pandemic. According to the World Bank: “The COVID-19 pandemic is causing more than 1.6 billion children and youth to be out of school in 161 countries. This is close to 80% of the world’s enrolled students.”  

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I have always believed that if students were able to retain their kindergarten enthusiasm and have resources to build their passion for reading and learning, the world would be a better place. So I launched Stories with Kylie, an initiative that I began last March when the state of New Jersey shut down. Stories With Kylie is a website I designed where I share clips of myself and others reading picture books in an effort to alleviate the pressures off of parents and teachers balancing their careers and teaching at home. Stories With Kylie has also allowed me to tap into my own child-like creativity and connect with different communities online. The kids who have logged on to my storytime represent a fraction of the children who have missed out on those quiet moments - especially this fall - when a teacher reads to them on a donated shag rug in the classroom’s corner.  

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Through my experiences leading Stories with Kylie, I have developed my ability to grow as an empathetic and understanding community member. I strive to continue expanding Stories with Kylie as I enter college so that I can connect my love for helping others to my academic and extracurricular pursuits. 

It’s my great hope that Stories with Kylie - and friends - can finally become accessible in-person.

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Never Stop Learning, 

Kylie Glodek