If You Can Write, You Can Read

If You Can Write You Can Read is the brainchild of 12-year-old Logan Mauldin and his mother, Angela Mauldin. “We started to help others by using certain curriculums and reading materials. I wrote a book so I was able to go out and speak to other kids, and they could be inspired to think, ‘If he can do it, I can do it too,’” says Logan.

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Mauldin, a single parent, wanted to avoid having any problems with her son in school, particularly in reading. “Because of my work schedule, Logan had to be a little more mature,” she says. That meant she needed to trust him to do his work when she wasn’t home. Grading and monitoring his math homework after she came home was easy, but “how do you know if they read? So I challenged him to read at least 20 pages every night and then write a one-page essay.”

Logan did well with this schedule and eventually wanted to write his own book. But in putting the book together, they learned about the reading disparities across the country. In a 2010 NAEP reading assessment of children in kindergarten, black youngsters scored lower in reading than Asian or white youngsters, though they scored higher than Hispanic and Native American children. If You Can Write You Can Read was developed in response to Logan and his mother’s learning about these disparities. Logan and Mauldin wanted to make reading more appealing by encouraging other children, particularly boys, to write and read.

Communities in Schools

Partnering with Communities in Schools, a nationwide network of professionals working in public schools to surround students with a community of support, Logan and Mauldin developed a Write-A-Book contest that consists of about eight sessions. In the first session the participants–all 5^th and 6^th grade boys–were introduced to the program and to Logan, and they read and discussed his book. Boys were selected who were challenged with reading, or, as Mauldin describes them, “Boys who had the will but didn’t have a way.”

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The program met once a week during the school year for an hour; a few sessions were held after school. At each session the boys could write in their book. Mauldin also took advantage of technology: Since Logan was in school himself and unable to attend all the sessions, his mother would take questions from the boys and, at the next session, show a video of Logan answering each of their questions.

Celebrating writing and reading

At the end of the sessions, If You Can Write You Can Read partners with a restaurant which provides space and dinner or a discount. “That’s where we held our celebration. Everyone received a certificate of completion, but the contest winner also got his work copyrighted,” says Mauldin.

A signature of If You Can Write You Can Read is red ties, so every boy who participated and turned in a manuscript received a red tie after they were handed their certificates.

Asked why ties are distributed, Logan says, “Ties are a great way to show professionalism.” An early introduction to professional dress may be especially important for these boys, because they all attend Title 1 schools, which are low income. Logan showed the boys how to tie their ties and then tied them for them. He himself learned by looking it up online.

So far, If You Can Write You Can Read has held three Write-A-Book contests; the most recent was held early this year.

The results are in

And what about results? Mauldin didn’t work directly with the teachers, but the Communities in Schools coordinators told her that the boys who had completed Write-A-Book became a little fraternity. “The teachers started a list of boys who wanted to be in the next Write-A-Book contest,” she says. One coordinator wanted her students to participate after noticing how one particular boy, who had won, had changed after participating.

As a social enterprise, If You Can Write You Can Read has a responsibility to give back, Mauldin says. “When we sell the books as well as charge a minimal cost for the program, we take a percentage and purchase the certificates and ties, and contribute the funds that will go toward a dinner and whatever else that comes with it. Fortunately, we have had sponsors for the dinner. [They have also had sponsors for other aspects of the program; for example, Men’s Warehouse once sponsored 10 ties.] Running the program is not costly,” Mauldin says, “because Communities in Schools has a budget. There’s no overhead and no real expense.”

Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, If You Can Write You Can Read is hoping to expand regionally and then perhaps nationally.

“Not all the kids want to be authors,” Mauldin says. “Some are more interested in playing football. But then I ask them, ‘Who’s going to read your contract? What if you get injured? Then you can write contracts for others.’ We’re teaching self-sufficiency as well as writing and reading.”

For more information about If You Can Write You Can Read, go to its website.