Fond du Lac Morning Rotary Advances Literacy for All Students

For more than 20 years, the Fond du Lac Morning Rotary Club has played a leading role in promoting literacy for all students in the Fond du Lac School District, investing in programs that build reading skills, expand access to books, and inspire a lifelong love of learning.

One of Morning Rotary’s literacy efforts is the “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors” initiative, a seven‑year partnership with district elementary schools. The program provides classroom library books that help students see themselves reflected in stories (Mirrors), learn about others’ experiences (Windows), and explore new perspectives (Sliding Glass Doors).

At a rate of approximately one school per year, Morning Rotary has funded 450–500 books per school, investing nearly $25,000 since the program began. Rotary members distribute the books directly to classrooms.

This year, Waters School received new books, joining Pier, Chegwin, Parkside, Riverside, Rosenow, Evans, and Roberts as program recipients. The goal is to serve every elementary school in the district.

Teachers report that the program not only enriches classroom libraries with diverse titles, but also encourages meaningful reading experiences through paired reading, bilingual books, group discussions, and read‑alouds.

Fond du Lac Morning Rotary’s literacy impact extends well beyond the classroom libraries. Its long‑running Birthday Book Program, launched more than 20 years ago, serves approximately 3,500 students annually in grades K–5, allowing each child to select and keep a new book on their birthday.

Also, every August for the last several years, Fond du Lac Morning Rotary has provided a collection of books on display at the annual Back to School Backpack event held at Boys and Girls Club. Each
child is allowed to select a free book to take home with them. Nearly a thousand books are distributed each year at this event.

Another signature effort is Read 4 Life, a partnership with Marian University and the Fond du Lac School District, which brings all first‑grade students together for a day celebrating reading through stories, games, scavenger hunts, lunch, and hands‑on activities.

Literacy and basic education are core focus areas of The Rotary Foundation, and the Fond du Lac Morning Rotary Club remains committed to strengthening literacy and learning across the community.

For more information, visit fdlmorningrotary.com or follow Fond du Lac Morning Rotary on Facebook