Editor’s Note: K is for Kids no longer operates as a nonprofit organization. This website continues in order to showcase its work with children of all ages and to help inspire others who are impassioned to do the same. Click here to read more: https://kisforkids.org/news/k-is-for-kids-writes-new-chapter/
2001-2007: Ideas are planted. A cause is born. Two children lead the way.
The seeds for K is for Kids were planted in 2001 when a young sister and brother, Erin Clawson and Patrick Clawson Jr., moved to Naples, Florida and enrolled at Laurel Oak Elementary School. Erin was starting second grade and Patrick Kindergarten.
The two youngsters came home eager to share what happened at school with their mom, Karen. They also told her about things their teachers needed, and sometimes, their classmates needed. The two were full of ideas how to help, but couldn’t do it on their own. After speaking with their teachers, Karen began supporting their ideas and efforts, and it wasn’t long before she became a full-time “volunteer mom”.
Erin and Patrick were both avid readers and loved checking out books from their school library. At the time, students at Laurel Oak could visit the library every school day to check out new books, a treasure trove for book lovers! Karen had begun to volunteer in the main library and soon she and the kids discovered there was a great need for new books: With 1,200-plus students, Laurel Oak had grown to become one of the largest elementary schools in Collier County, and it was a challenge keeping up with needs and interests of so many hungry readers!
Karen soon learned how important teachers’ classroom libraries were too — Erin and Patrick sometimes brought home books to read, or if no longer needed, books were offered to students to take home and keep. Plus, with a smaller group of readers, the teacher could really focus on books that were most relevant to her students. and learned that many children were not fortunate to have personal libraries at home — or ANY books at all.
Karen spoke to the principal and it was agreed that she would launch a business partners initiative to help raise money to purchase new books for the school library. The Clawsons looked forward to the trickledown effect too – the library would have new books to place into circulation (some hardcover books might last four to five years so that dozens even hundreds of children could enjoy them), and books no longer needed would be offered to teachers or even to students themselves.
When parents learned of the need for new books, they asked how they could help. With a handful of friends, the Clawson family began dreaming up ideas how to bring everyone together.
Erin Clawson and Patrick Clawson Jr. deliver books for students from the first Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser 2002-03
In 2002-03, Karen hosted the first Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser at the Clawson home. It was an immediate success with families, neighbors, teachers and staff gathering for the occasion. Hundreds of beautiful new books for children were donated along with funds to purchase more. Erin and Patrick helped organize the books and deliver them to their school.
For the following three years, Karen recruited a new family in a different neighborhood to host the Bring a Book, Bring a Friend(sm) Fun’raiser and helped to organize and promote the event. Erin and Patrick also found fun ways for kids to participate — students could select the book(s) that they wished to donate or delivered their family’s donation(s) personally. The media specialists reported when the children came into the library bearing their gifts, their faces were beaming, and their smiles were so big! Kids also were invited to gather in the school library to be photographed for the thank you cards to donors. One of the biggest thrills came when the media specialist invited some of the school’s most avid readers to join her and Karen at the local bookstores to give their recommendations on books students would enjoy reading.
Erin Clawson stands in the back, second from left with Media Specialist Marcia Kohlmann and other students after the first Bring a Book fun’raiser was held to thank donors.
Karen saw that fundraisers held by private schools’ often made the local news, but rarely did those of the public schools, so she sent out press releases about the Bring a Book fun’raiser. Soon local papers picked up the story and began following the kids’ efforts. The community rallied to help support their cause and the event expanded quickly. Funding increased as businesses began sponsoring the event, helping to push proceeds to nearly $10,000 in new books donated and purchased for students.
Second Annual Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser was hosted by families in Saturnia Lake. GL Homes became the first business sponsor for the event. L-R: Soon to be founder of K is for Kids Karen Clawson, Laurel Oak Elementary School Principal Charles Frontz, Assistant Principal JoAnne Grieco, Bonnie Winfield, Peggy Avalos and Media Specialist Lori Myers.
Erin Clawson (back row, fourth from left) and Patrick Clawson Jr. (sixth from left) join students in their school library for a thank you photo to donors.
Over the ensuing years, Erin and Patrick kept busy organizing more educational enrichment or “educational play” activities for their classmates and school. The classmates soon were authoring books that were created and published by Karen. (Students would be featured as a “Guest Author” on Laurel Oak’s morning show after first practicing by reading their book to their class and two other classes.) Next came class newsletters that Karen published that were sent home to families to keep parents appraised of class activities. Teachers broke students into teams of “reporters” and each team had the opportunity of conducting two interviews (examples would be the principal, aides in the library, lunchroom workers or their own teacher), organizing two contests (aligning with curriculum), and writing “columns” (each reporter would write their “bio” and other columns might include students’ birthdays for that issue). Another project spearheaded by Erin, created teams of student reporters who were videotaped “live on-location” reporters promoting and covering family events for the school’s morning show.
The Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser continued to be a popular annual event for four years. After mounting requests by other schools and nonprofit organizations asking if a Bring a Book Fun’raiser could be held to benefit their children, too, Karen again turned to Erin, now in middle school, and Patrick, now in in fifth grade — could they broaden their efforts countywide to help more students? The kids were onboard with the idea and brainstorming began on how best to move the fun’raiser forward to meet the needs of children countywide.
Karen also reached out to speak with local educators and business leaders about the idea to expand efforts. She was urged to first establish a nonprofit organization to help expand the Bring a Book Fun’raiser.
In the summer of 2007, Karen created K is for Kids Foundation. Erin and Patrick were K is for Kids’ student co-founders and served as the first student leaders. K is for Kids would serve as the umbrella for the family’s expanded efforts for twelve years, enjoying remarkable growth and positively impacting thousands of children. Today, operations have been scaled back, but Karen and her children continue to uphold their mission to help others live to their fullest potential.
The Clawson family today: Karen D. Clawson, Patrick Clawson Jr. and Erin Clawson in Dec 2019, the night before Erin’s wedding and six days after Patrick’s graduation from the University of Florida. In the fall of 2019, Patrick began his first year at Penn State Law School, where Erin was in her third year.
2007-2013: K is for Kids blossoms. Teens take the lead helping children in need.
K is for Kids Foundation was incorporated in Nov 2007. The following summer Erin and Patrick invited their friends and families to join their efforts, holding a meeting to map out ways students could volunteer. When older students expressed the need for teens to have more opportunities earning community service hours and applying their skills outside of the classroom, teens were placed in the lead of the foundation’s efforts. This would give its top student leaders broad experience in business administration or management or allow them to focus on specific areas in careers they might wish to pursue.
K is for Kids’ student co-founder Erin Clawson (back row, second from left) leads the first team of teen volunteers at the foundation’s first Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Book Fair & Book Drive, Barnes & Noble, Naples 2008. (Note: Alexis “Ali” Martin is shown at top right, second from right. Ali co-founded the K is for Kids Teen Fashion Show with Erin.)
Erin headed efforts as the first K is for Kids Teen Advisory Team was established. As the team grew quickly, a top leadership council was formed to oversee all teen volunteers and their activities for the foundation. Two goals emerged, one promoting literacy – focusing on giving kids in need new books to read, and the other promoting leadership – giving teens new opportunities to apply their skills outside of the classroom in a real-world setting.
In recognition of the students’ efforts, Governor Rick Scott, the Mayor of Naples Bill Barnett, and the Commissioners Collier County and the Mayor of Bonita Springs proclaimed K is for Kids’ “Bring a Book, Bring a Friend for Children’s Literacy” month. (This was first held in October but moved the following year to February when community leaders and schools asked it be held at the height of Naples social season.)
Under the foundation’s Readers and Leaders program, teens were able to propose, create, manage programs that future volunteers could continue to develop.
The most popular youth leadership program was the annual teen charity fun’raiser, K is for Kids Teen Fashion Show, created in 2011-12 by Erin Clawson and Ali Martin when the girls were senior students at Gulf Coast High School. Hosted at Barron Collier High School under the guidance of Karen Clawson and business teacher Kelly Wilson, the foundation’s education partner, the teen fashion show achieved widespread community support and was held for seven years. Close to 100 students from more than 50 schools and universities participated in the event each year and the event stood out during Naples high season of charity events, being the only one organized by students who handled all aspects of the show both onstage and off. [Search “teen fashion show” on this website to read more.]
The inaugural K is for Kids Teen Fashion Show was created by [shown second row, far left] Erin Clawson, a senior student at Gulf Coast High School, and Alexis “Ali” Martin, also a senior at GCHS. Hosted by Barron Collier High School, the popular event enjoyed widespread community support, gathering students over one hundred students from across Collier and South Lee Counties. The teen charity fun’raiser was unique in that of all the events held in Naples, this was the only run organized by students and featured a reception, silent auction and talent acts. Business teacher Kelly Wilson partnered with Karen Clawson to guide the students.
In 2014, not to be outdone by his older sister after she graduated and entered college, Patrick Clawson led the top student leaders in co-chairing the annual teen fashion show, and re-launched the Teen Advisory Team as DOSA-Directorate of Student Agenda.
K is for Kids Student Co-Founder Patrick Clawson Jr., a junior at Gulf Coast High School stands with student leaders and the 2014 Teen Fashion Show Co-Chairs Marina Moussa, a dual-enrollment student at Gulf Coast High School and Florida Gulf Coast University and Jessica Cederquist, a Barron Collier student in the early admissions program at FGCU.
Under Patrick’s urging, DOSA also launched the K is for Kids Club on high school campuses (also called Operation: Outreach) to help students have more leadership opportunities and earn more community service hours. When Karen approached the team about creating a new event for students who dreamed to start their own business, Patrick and DOSA members launched the inaugural K is for Kids Young Entrepreneur Scholarship Competition or YES Comp. The latter gave high school students the opportunity to pitch their business start-up ideas to a judging panel.
Craig Bouchard, CEO and New York Times best selling author congratulates K is for Kids Young Entrepreneur 2014 Nicholas “Nick” Nolan.
“If Erin and Patrick hadn’t come home wanting so keenly to help their friends, and bursting with ideas what to do, K is for Kids might never have been born,” said Karen. “From the start, children’s voices have led our efforts, and our programs remain as much as possible by the kids, for the kids and with the kids. Even after my two left for college, their friends’ younger siblings continued to come to me, keen to take the lead and prove what they could do. And they continued to help the foundation reach new milestone and raise the bar ever higher.”
When K is for Kids’ own student leaders are asked what they value most serving as volunteers and/or interns for the foundation, the “young execs” cite helping children; building community; giving teens opportunities to boost resumes, earn community service hours and apply their skills in the “real” world, getting to have an “extreme leadership experience” — all while having fun with their friends and meeting new people. “What is most humbling to me,” said Karen, “is that they say what they value most is discovering their mission in life.
As young elementary students, Erin Clawson and Patrick Clawson Jr. could never have guessed the impact they, with the help of their mom, would have on so many children, nor will they or their friends who joined their cause ever know how many more children will fall in love with reading and choose to take the lead.
Erin and Patrick Clawson continued to serve on K is for Kids’ Collegiate Advisory Council through 2018, helping Karen continue to address challenges faced by students and brainstorm solutions to meet them. Scholarships were awarded in their honor to the foundation’s top performing student leaders.
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The story and inspiration behind K is for Kids begins long ago & far away in the Land of Oz…
It was October, and springtime, when the foundation’s two young co-founders were born in the Land Down Under.
Erin Clawson arrived in Sydney, Australia, on October 20th, 1993 and Patrick Clawson Jr. on October 6th, 1995.
The young expatriates were toddlers when they returned back to the U.S., living first in southern California, then Georgia, before settling down in Naples, Florida.
Paying it forward:
Fall 2018: Erin is now a second year law student at Penn State Law and a graduate of Missouri University of Science and Technology Patrick is finishing his senior year in Gainesville with the Florida Gators and will be applying to dental school over the summer. Both continue to have a say in everything “K is for Kids”, serving on the foundation’s College Student Advisory Council.
From the founder:
It is so fitting that the inspiration for K is for Kids came from children! And that today, teenagers continue to be the energy fueling our foundation’s cause. I have always said I am a “mom with a message born out of the mouths of babes” and that continues to be our primary focus – addressing the needs of children and providing current solutions.
It gives me great honor to have been able to help not only my own children make a positive impact on the children of their community, but to be able to continue helping many other children do so, too. Our student leaders are leaving a legacy behind before they even graduate from high school, impacting the lives of many children and youth in need.
On behalf of K is for Kids, I wish to thank our two young co-founders, the friends who joined their cause, and the students who continue to donate their time and talents to this young powerhouse.
To each of the foundation’s past and present leaders, thank you! You truly personify our motto to “Climb higher. Help others.”
For those who wish to read from the beginning…
The story of Karen Clawson and her children and how the roots K is for Kids were planted
Seeds are sown one by one, child by child, as young students began working together…
Like many great ideas and pursuits, the seeds for K is for Kids Foundation were first planted and sown many years before. In our story, Laurel Oak Elementary School would be the setting and Karen Clawson’s two children, Erin and Patrick Jr., would be the catalysts. When the two youngsters came home with ideas how they could help their teachers and classmates, Karen listened. The three talked about ways they could help and she soon began volunteering in their classrooms and on campus. Working closely with teachers, Karen began first by helping students in small groups learn the “3 R’s” – reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic.
By the end of the following year, and throughout the next five years, Karen served as a full-time “volunteer mom” at the school in response to the needs voiced by her children and their teachers.
Karen’s list of projects soon seemed endless as she became long as Karen began publishing student-authored books and helping teachers create a publishing center at the school; bringing guest speakers and authors to the classroom; photographing students for the classrooms and school yearbook; guiding rotating teams of “reporters on location” for her daughter Erin’s fourth grade classmates as they wrote scripts and created videos promoting school events for the Morning News TV show – landing them on WINK-TV’s “Eye on Education” for their efforts; and publishing full color newsletters for both Erin and Patrick’s third to fifth grade classes with each team of reporters choosing and writing content and columns to share with their families, conducting interviews with school staff, and creating contests for their classmates – all “educational play” tied into the curriculum.
On location reporters for the Morning Show at Laurel Oak Elementary School: Erin wanted a fun activity for classmates, so her mom Karen videotaped teams of her fourth grade classmates as “on location” reporters for school events. (Erin’s younger brother Patrick, then a second grader, also got to participate.) L-R, Erin Clawson, Matthew, Patrick, Danielle, Shelby Mitchell – pose before videotaping their first on-location interviews of students and staff at Laurel Oak’s Family Fun Night (hosted by Gulf Coast High School). Photo by Karen Clawson
During this period, Karen also served as a communication liaison between her children’s teachers and parents, publishing telephone directories and flyers about classroom news. She worked with other staff on campus too, helping the cafeteria manager create a newsletter to parents; serving as a photographer/videographer at school events; and promoting the need for more community reading partners for students. Whenever learning of a need, Karen would be moved to help fill it or fix it. She began learning the how-to’s of fundraising and engaging business partners at LOE.
Parents Pitch In
In 2002-03, Karen with the urging of Erin and Patrick, simultaneously launched two initiatives with staff and parent support.
Dolphin PALS-Parents Assisting LOE Students (a student won this group’s name contest): An anonymous band of parents who first served to help families in need du
ring the holidays and later expanded to helping provide students items such clothing, book supplies, eyeglasses and emergency dental care. Through Dolphin PALS, Karen also established and help fund a “John Doe” account for students who did not have mone
y to pay for their lunch (this helped bridge the gap between when families were applying for and/or awaiting enrollment in the lunch assistance program, or could afford to pay themselves.)
Books Drives: When the Clawsons saw the challenge faced by library staff to stock up-to-date books and meeting the demand of so many eager readers*, Karen launched a business partners initiative to raise funds to purchase needed new books, the Money for Books Drive. *Laurel Oak had grown to be one of the biggest schools in Collier County with over 1,200 students.
Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser: A Community Unites for its Children
When a flyer went home to parents about the book drive and asking for businesses to help boost the library’s inventory of books, parents quickly asked how they could help. Karen realized she needed an event to bring everyone together.
Brainstorming with other parents and her children Erin and Patrick, the next school year Karen hosted what was soon coined the “Bring a Book, Bring a Friend” Fun’raiser.
How the name was coined: Karen wanted to gather parents and staff together for a fun event while also helping to boost the inventory of books for the school library. A friend had just received an invitation to an event where guests were asked to bring an arts and crafts item for a child in need. Karen loved the idea and sent out an open invitation to a meet and greet luncheon. She asked guests to bring a book, adding a request they also “bring a friend. After the event, another mom who couldn’t attend called Karen to ask how her “fun’raiser” went. Thus, Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser was coined. In 2006 the name was trademarked.
L-R: Cherise Brummer, Dean, and Charles Frontz, Principal at Laurel Oak Elementary with young students, Patrick and Erin, as they help haul the bounty from what became the first annual Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser, 2002-03 benefiting the school’s library. The event raised $3,000 in books and funds to buy new books and would spur a growing grassroots cause to help educators book inventories keep pace with technology and students’ interest. Photo by Karen Clawson
The Bring a Book was an immediate success and quickly grew into a community gathering of parents, staff, neighbors, and local businesspeople. All enjoyed the opportunity to meet and network while helping their community’s children.
Students show their enthusiasm for discovering new books to read in the Laurel Oak Elementary school library. Keeping up with the voracious appetites of over 1,200 students was a wonderful challenge.
For the following four years, the Bring a Book would be hosted by a parent in a different neighborhood funneling into the elementary school with Karen organizing behind the scenes.
First business sponsor joins the cause
GL Homes signed on as the first business partner and helped to ignite a community cause: Giving children more books to read in and out of school.
L-R: Founder Karen D. Clawson, Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser ; Charles Frontz, Principal; JoAnne Grieco, Assistant Principal; Bonnie Winfield, Peggy Avalos, and Lori Myers, Media Specialist at the second annual Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser 2004-05 benefiting the library at Laurel Oak Elementary. The event was co-hosted by Jeannie Barry and Leslie Palumberi at the Barry home in Saturnia Lakes and raised $4,000 in books and money to purchase new books.
One book read by many children over many years
Karen formed Friends of the School Library* at Laurel Oak Elementary School at the same time as the first Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser to help rally parents and support efforts to boost the number of books children had access to and could check out. Many children did not have books to read at home and they only books they knew were textbooks, reading material they would later be tested on. Karen knew that the donation of a book to the school library was a smart investment in the community’s children – one book might be read by dozens or even a hundred students during its shelf life, especially if it was a hardcover book – this would maximize the book-to-reader ratio and gain the greatest “bang for the book” (*Friends of the School Library later became the first book donation program of K is for Kids Foundation in 2008.)
Students were benefiting in so many ways: When a teacher was asked what she like best about the Bring a Book event, she said it was the “trickle down effect” – the school library would offer books no longer needed in circulation to the teachers’ classroom libraries or to students directly; and in turn the teachers would offer their students books they could take home and keep.
(Note: Under the K is for Kids banner in 2011, the Foundation would launch its Rising Readers program – giving books to students directly through schools’ reading incentive programs. This program would also spin off an end-of-the-year Top Readers Book Awards event for schools and quickly became the most popular program with principals, educators, families, and most importantly, the young honorees themselves.)
Not forgetting the teachers’ needs, Karen also organized a book drive to help stock teachers’ classroom libraries calling it the “April’s No Fool’s Day” book drive.
Authors Join the Cause
Children’s book author Sheila Hebert Collins was featured at the third annual Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser.
Sheila Hebert Collins, shown seated at center, was guest author at the third annual Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser in 2006 benefiting the library at Laurel Oak Elementary School. Standing: Dean Markham, parents Mindy DiPietro, Karen Clawson, Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Founder, and Janet Custer. Seated, Lori Myers, Media Specialist; Sheila, and an unidentified member of the school’s administration.
The fourth Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser showcased young guest author and Laurel Oak student, Brandon Lipman was guest author. Brandon’s story “My Puzzling Smile” moved many in the audience to tears.
Brandon Lipman was the first student to be featured as a guest author at the annual Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’Raiser 2006. The event was hosted by Jill Miles at Olde Cypress Country Club in Naples
Brandon Lipman signs copies of his book “My Puzzling Smile”, that shares the struggles he endured as a child born with cleft palate.
Fun’raising Expands
Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Benefits the Village School in Naples
With the community rallying behind Karen’s efforts and the press shining a spotlight on the Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser, more and more schools were asking Karen to help their students have more books to read, too, in and out of school. In 2007 Karen began answering the call by helping moms organize a fun’raiser to benefit the students at The Village School. Guest Author Robert Dean Bair was the guest author.
The fun’raiser was a resounding success with media specialists at the VS reporting years that they did not need to hold another fun’raiser nor broadcast the need for more books — parents kept bringing in boxes and hundreds continued to be donated!
Photo by Kathleen Smalley. Village School librarians watched as Robert Dean Bair, author of “Cloisters of Canterbury” signed his book at the Village School’s Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser.
Photo by Kathleen Smalley. “Cloisters of Canterbury” author, Robert Dean “Bob” Bair hams it up with Karen D. Clawson, Founder of the Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser.
Photo by Kathleen Smalley. The 5th Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser was hosted by Leslie Palumberi to benefit the students and library at The Village School in Naples, Florida. Guest author, Bob Bair is surrounded by mothers and teachers.
K is for Kids!
A Young Powerhouse is Born
Three things inspired Karen Clawson to continue spreading her efforts: As her youngest child was finishing fifth grade at Laurel Oak Elementary School, she was receiving mounting requests from other Collier County schools and organizations to host a Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser for their students. Learning of straining budgets and mounting needs, she and another mom Julie Accorsini set out to gather the thoughts of several community leaders about launching a larger county-wide effort to help boost inventories in shared reading environments and arm students with new books to read, in and out of school. Boosted by the strong community response and support, Karen began dreaming and scheming during the summer of 2007. As her son and daughter both attended North Naples Middle School, Karen expanded the Bring a Book into a month-long event under the umbrella of the newly formed nonprofit organization K is for Kids Foundation.
Photo by Karen Walsh Haupt. L-R: Katelyn Smalley, Erin Clawson, Cody Pelitera, Dezree’ MacDonough, Alessandra Pelitera and Nicole Smalley helped launch K is for Kids’ new county-wide initiative by gathering on Valentine’s Day 2008 to shoot photos for the Foundation’s new website. Thanks go to North Naples Middle School for hosting the student volunteers.
K is for Kids launches its mission on Valentine’s Day at North Naples Middle School’s library with a handful of children and students, from toddlers to teens.
Photo by Karen Walsh Haupt. As K is for Kids launched with the help of a handful of children, two young boys enjoy sharing a book. February 2008, North Naples Middle School Library
Teen Advisory Team
In the summer of 2008, Erin and Patrick Clawson invited friends to their home so they could begin organizing events and book drives to benefit children throughout Collier County. To help organize efforts, the Teen Advisory Team was created, comprised of students from Gulf Coast High School and North Naples Middle School. The TAT established all members would be equal, have no executive positions and members work collaboratively and each have a vote deciding what activities to propose, approve, create, organize and develop.
During the meeting, GCH student Nicole Smalley told them that how important it was for high school students to have more opportunities to earn community service hours Volunteers hours were critical for college scholarships, such as Florida’s Bright Future Scholarships. It was also mentioned how badly mentors were needed to help guide students’ efforts. After the meeting, Karen addressed the needs communicated with Erin and Patrick and established a “twin” goal for the organization: K is for Kids would promote literacy and leadership, giving kids in need new books to read and teens the chance to earn community service hours while applying their skills outside the classroom in real-world business settings.
The Teen Advisory began meeting regularly to prepare for K is for Kids’ new “Bring a Book, Bring a Friend for Children’s Literacy Month”. Members began spreading their mission to other students and offer them volunteer opportunities at their upcoming events.
Student Leaders Recognized, Literacy Month Proclaimed
K is for Kids’ Bring a Book, Bring a Friend® for Children’s Literacy Month was proclaimed in 2008 by the Mayor of Naples, the Mayor of Bonita Springs, the Collier County Commissioners and the Governor of Florida. The proclamation recognized student leaders encouraging children to read more and fueling their passion for reading by giving them new books to read and keep.
Photo by Leslie Palumberi. Naples Mayor Bill Barnett proclaims K is for Kids’ Bring a Book, Bring a Friend for Children’s Literacy Month and recognizes its student leaders for promoting literacy amongst all children. L-R: Kelli Palumberi, Erin Clawson, Nicole Smalley and Cory Jones stand with K is for Kids Founder Karen Clawson.
Florida Governor Rick Scott proclaimed February as “Bring a Book, Bring a Friend for Children’s Literacy Month in 2011 and continues to recognize the student-led organization’s efforts to promote literacy and leadership.
L-R: Alexandra Almora, Ninfa Antunez and Miriam Romero , Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology and Lorenzo Walker High School show the proclamation presented by the Commissioners of Collier County 2013. The student leaders served as a PR team for K is for Kids and the From the Heart Teen Fashion Festival 2013.
4th Annual Bring a Book, Bring a Friend for Children’s Literacy Month proclamation by the Collier County Commissioners with students George Hiller from Barron Collier High and Danielle Verducci from Naples High.
2008: Teens Launch Literacy Month
In October of 2008*, the Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Month was launched by K is for Kids’ high school student leaders with a weekend-long fun’raiser and book drive at Barnes & Noble at the Waterside Shops in Naples, and later there was a finale fun’raiser downtown on Fifth Avenue. (* When Educators and community leaders suggested K is for Kids move their literacy month to coincide with Naples’ high “season”, Karen and her student leaders voted to move it the following school year to Feb in 2010.)
Activities for children and their families featured guest authors, workshops for kiddies and teens, faces painting, literary scavenger hunts, balloons and balloon twisting, prizes and raffles for, of course, new books!
Business Supporters Continue to Expand their Efforts
Many local retailers, including Starbucks coffee houses and later then-HMA (Health Management Associates) also supported the teens’ grassroots cause by holding book drives.
K is for Kids wishes to thank all the Starbucks partners who have collected books for Collier County children every year during our Bring a Book, Bring a Friend for Children’s Literacy Month. Thanks to Starbucks, K is for Kids is now addressing children’s needs in Lee County, too. Since October of 2008, when we launched our first county-wide book drive under the umbrella of K is for Kids Foundation, Starbucks partners have collected thousands of books. Shown above, Starbucks partners at Berkshire Lakes show a few books of the bounty they received, much of which, they reported, were from one mom who donated boxes to the cause.
* The foundation was asked by community leaders to move celebrations to coincide with Naples’ “high season”; so starting in 2011, the literacy month has been held in February.
Young Authors Write a Book Together!
Photo by Karen Walsh Haupt. A young boy poses for the picture that will accompany his story in K is for Kids’ Young Authors book. “Kids Celebrate Reading” Book Fair at Barnes & Noble Booksellers at the Waterside Shops in Naples.
Photo by Karen Walsh Haupt. The first K is for Kids Young Authors book 2008. Children of all ages got the chance to meet a guest author before pen to paper and writing a book together. Each participant had their portrait created by photographer Karen Walsh Haupt to accompany their “very short story”.
By Lane Wilkinson Photography. Children wrote stories for the Young Authors book at the 3rd Annual Kids Celebrate Reading Book Fair 2011. The fun’raiser is hosted each year by K is for Kids’ teen leaders at Barnes & Noble Booksellers at the Waterside Shops.
Photo by Karen Walsh Haupt. 2010: Student leaders of the Teen Advisory Team 2010 pause for a group portrait with Founder Karen D. Clawson. Barnes & Noble at the Waterside Shops in Naples. Back row: Joshua Patterson, Erin Clawson, Jasna Gopolan, Alexis Martin and Justin Williams. Middle row: Matthew Colligan, Philip Scire, Nicole Casey, Alexis Akinson, Karen Clawson, Hailee Lamb, Dezree’ MacDonough, Sydney Brodie and Radhika Gopalan. Seated: Troy Placid, Cory Jones and Holden Giles.
Photo by Lane Wilkinson Photography. March 2012: Students volunteers hosted lots of fun activities for children and their families at the “Cookies and Coloring with Cat and Crow children’s book author Lisa Fleming”, a partner event of K is for Kids Foundation with the Reading Festival of Southwest Florida. H. Patrick Woolley, Ph.D., a volunteer naturalist for The National Audubon’s Corckscrew Swamp Sanctuary and crow expert, was the guest speaker. Walt Timoney, family entertainer, twisted balloons for the kids. Barnes & Noble at Coconut Point
K is for Kids helps place new books into children’s hands
Summer means special storytimes and book giveaways for children at other nonprofit organizations!
K is for Kids launches summer storytimes and book giveaways in 2010 and here visits Brightest Horizons (now Gladiolus Learning Center). Children get the chance to choose new books to take home and keep while teachers’ classroom libraries receive new books too.
Children of the RCMA (Royal Christian Migrant Association) also received new books for their center’s library and books to take home and keep.
2010-11: FGCU Students Serve as Foundation’s First Interns
After a local business leader referred the first university intern to the Foundation in the summer of 2010, Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) interns and service learning volunteers have flocked to K is for Kids, and have made a strong impact to the young powerhouse. They have served as spokespersons on television and radio, and have appeared on behalf of K is for Kids to encourage students to “power up with reading” and to be healthy and strong – in body and mind!
Brandon Velez, K is for Kids’ first student intern from Florida Gulf Coast University, appears with founder Karen Clawson on Fox 4’s Morning Blend TV Show in Jan. 2010.
Scott Sutton, K is for Kids’ second student intern from FGCU in 2012 stands with family entertainer Walt Timoney. Scott, an aspiring comedian, was the also the first student to be interviewed by local radio show hosts.
Teens Help Kids Create a Giant Storyboard on Canvas for Children
In Oct. 2010, the Teen Advisory Team was invited to participate in Naples’ CityFest and Naples International Film Festival “Flavors on 5th & 5th” event. More than two dozen students came to help kids create a storyboard together.
Click here to see the video created by Chuck Ardezzone and InTroubleZone Media:
Photo by Madisyn Andrea, Gulf Coast High School. Chuck Ardezzone, president of ITZ MEDIA and SWFL Charity TV is shown interviewing young writers.
A young boy is hard at work creating his storyboard.
Children’s book author, Caryn Sabes Hackel signs “A Bully Grows Up: Erik Meets the Dragon” for young participants.
Children created storyboards on canvas that the older students later that the teens later put into short videos. The boy above illustrated the pumpkin train.
Teen Advisory Council
In late 2010, seeing the growing ranks of student volunteers, youth leaders created the Teen Advisory Council to help govern their events and activities. They also invited other students to their first Teen Summit hosted by InTroubleZone Media to film PSAs (Public Service Announcements) promoting their cause and engage community members.
Clockwise: Jasna Gopalan, Avnee Mistry, Tyler Clevett, Matthew Colligan, Cory Jones, Sydney Brodie and Rhadika Gopalan at the first Teen Advisory Council meeting.
Photo by Mark Anthony Strong
Photos by Madisyn Andrea and Kelsey Sabes, Gulf Coast High School. The Teen Summit 2011 was hosted by Chuck Ardezzone at InTroubleZone Media’s production studio.
2011: K is for Kids Launches Literacy Month with a Big Book Giveaway
Young Students a Chance to Climb Aboard a Book Mobile and Choose a New Book to Take home to Keep.
The First Lady of Florida Joins Kids Celebrate Reading Book Fair
The First Lady of Florida Ann Scott stands with (l-r) Karen D. Clawson, Founder of K is for Kids, and Margaret Cardillo, author of “Just Being Audrey” as children gather at the 3rd Annual “Kids Celebrate Reading” Book Fair, Feb. 2011. The teen hosted fun’raiser was held at Barnes & Noble Booksellers at the Waterside Shops in Naples, Florida. Standing at the back are members of K is for Kids’ Teen Advisory Team Council: (l-r) Heidi Waite, Marina Moussa, Tyler Clevett, Amber Valcante, Haylee Lamb, founding student leader Erin Clawson, and Matthew Colligan. The children later would write a book together, “Wishes, Dreams & Who Inspires Me”, in honor of the First Lady and Audrey Hepburn. All participants are wearing white pearl beads in honor of the late actress’ fondness for fashion.
2011 Teen Fashion Show: Students Spread Mission in Unique Way
Another strong surge came for the foundation’s grassroots cause in Dec. 2011 as two students leaders, Erin Clawson, the foundation’s first teen leader, and Alexis Martin, both from Gulf Coast High, created and launched the first teen fashion show, the Teen “Head to Toe” Fashion Show in Dec. 2011. The co-chairs were confident that this would be a great way to introduce teens to the foundation and help a great cause, while students earned community service hours and had fun with their friends. A partnership with Barron Collier High School and Collier County Public Schools, it was the first fashion show for both K is for Kids and Barron Collier High.
Link here to read more about K is for Kids’ inaugural Teen Fashion Show: https://kisforkids.org/news/teen-fashion-show-a-great-success/
The unique event included a talent portion as well and drew in students from all around Collier and south Lee Counties, offering many leadership and volunteer opportunities. The two student co-chairs managed all aspects of the show, on stage and behind the scenes. A huge success, the fun’raiser collected books and the money to buy new books to benefit K is for Kids’ Rising Readers program for Collier County Public Schools children in need. A portion of proceeds also went to the Helping Hands for Prom program at Barron Collier High.
Co-founded by two Gulf Coast High student leaders, Erin Clawson and Alexis Martin, the inaugural Teen Head to Toe Fashion Show in December 2011 was presented by K is for Kids and Barron Collier High School in partnership with Collier County Public Schools. Organized by students, the event was a great success, placing thousands of books into the hands of kids and drawing students from across Collier and south Lee Counties.
The following school year 2012-13 , the fashion show moved to February to coincide with Naples social season and was renamed the From the Heart Teen Fashion Festival to commemorate the foundation’s anniversary date, Feb. 14th. The student countywide community project again drew over a hundred student volunteers from across Collier County. Bolstered by a growing number of local businesses donated their services, the teen charity event also doubled the amount of funds and books it raised.
The event “came close to brilliance” reported a guest videographer. The show’s exciting success firmly established the event as the signature teen fun’raiser and highlight of the K is for Kids’ literacy month.
A proud grandparent and businessman in attendance would also remark how wonderful it was seeing so many students working together for a common cause: ” There were kids from all backgrounds working together.”
Photos by Abby Tierney, Barron Collier High
(See more photos here: https://kisforkids.org/fashion-show-2013-gallery/
Power of the Word Art Contest: Literacy Marries Art (2011-14)
Power of the Word Traveling Art Exhibition, a unique opportunity for middle school students to visually express the power of words.
First hosted by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office in their Community Art Gallery, winners and finalists would be featured at the Art Library at the Von Liebig Art Center, the Vineyards Community Center – Collier County Parks & Recreation, and Collier County Students Art Exhibition. The Foundation organized the event for three years to fill the need for middle school students to test their talents before entering the competitive high school arena.
Autumn 2011-current: Rising Readers and EOY Top Reader Book Awards are Launched!
Super Reader Tiffany “TJ” Weeks, media specialist at Golden Terrace Elementary Intermediate, starts the pep rally that will encourage students to “Power Up” with reading. The event was sponsored by K is for Kids Foundation and served to launch its Rising Readers program. Each student that signed a pledge to read more books got to select a new book to take home and keep.
In Oct. 2011, K is for Kids launched its Rising Readers program at its focus school Golden Terrace Elementary Intermediate. Through schools and nonprofit organizations’ reading incentive programs, the program places news books into the hands of children to take home and keep – when students reach goals set by their media specialists and teachers they earn a new book.
Tiffany Weeks with students who were the first to sign the pledge to read more books.
Tiffany Weeks, GTEI Media Specialist with books for students to select, take home and keep via K is for Kids’ Rising Readers program.
Throughout the school year, media specialists who collaborate with their schools’ teachers, are invited to come shop for new books for their students at K is for Kids’ book storage rooms at Cypress Self Storage.
Spring 2012: End-of-Year Top (Rising) Readers Book Awards.
Media specialists also personally select books for students being honored as top readers at their school that the students may choose from for the End-of-Year Book Awards sponsored by K is for Kids. Schools may select their top readers based on points scored in reading programs, the most words read, the most dedicated readers and those students who have made the greatest gains in their reading lexile scores.
The annual book awards quickly became K is for Kids’ most popular program with principals, teachers and parents, and especially, the young honorees themselves.
Spring 2013: K is for Kids sponsors field trips for Top Reader honorees
Top Readers win the opportunity to visit the Waterside Shops in Naples, enjoying lunch at California Pizza Kitchen, a visit to the Apple store, and shopping for new books at Barnes & Noble Booksellers! For many of the young honorees, this will mark their first visit to a bookstore.
Fun’raising Season Leads to Giving Season
Each year since 2008, Barnes & Noble Booksellers has conducted its Holiday Book Drive benefiting K is for Kids. Hundreds and sometimes thousands of books are generously donated by its patrons for K is for Kids to distribute to children in need throughout the holidays and into the New Year.
The foundation and all the children and youth who receive new books thank Barnes & Noble Booksellers’ patrons and staff for the time and generosity!
10,000 Books Donated to K is for Kids for the Biggest Book Giveaway Yet
In January 2012, the Book Warehouse at the Miromar Outlet Stores was forced to close their doors, but they didn’t leave local children empty handed – they donated 10,000 books to K is for Kids!
Community members such as the Kiwanis Club of North Naples, AMI-Kids of Ft. Myers and members of the Teen Advisory Team helped the Foundation move and organize the mountain of boxes. Target stores donated bookshelves and K is for Kids’ high school students decorated the three warehouse rooms – a warm and charming cottage room for children’s books, a white “Zen” room for teen books, and a home “study” room for advanced reading books – all generously donated by Cypress Self Storage.
Result: K is for Kids invited media specialists, then teachers and other nonprofits from across Collier County to its first Big Book Giveaway! Students soon had new books in their hands.
WINK-TV reported on both ends of the story, when the Book Warehouse closed and when we had the happy ending! Click on the videos to see the news broadcasts:
Students and adults volunteered to organize the books and set up the rooms.
Media specialists and teachers, sometimes with their children helping, came to select new books for their students.
Shown below: Students bring the books into the school library and get them ready to distribute.
Books are given by FGCU students to children at Brightest Horizons (now Gladiolus Learning Center) in Ft. Myers…
and also to children at the RCMA Center in Bonita Springs.
2012-13: FGCU Interns form First Student “Executive” Management Team
In 2012-13, FGCU students formed the first “executive management team” serving under Clawson, helping to advise the K is for Kids’ high school student leaders on business activities, communication, and project execution.
About our Founder
Founder Karen Clawson’s devotion to the enrichment of children’s education and youth development is embodied in the formation and growth of K is for Kids®.
Her compassion sprung from her own children’s interest and wish to help their fellow classmates. “The first student leaders of K is for Kids were my two children, Erin Elizabeth and Patrick Joseph,” said Karen. “They would tell me things they wish they could do to help and it wasn’t long before I began supporting their ideas and efforts full-time.”
Karen was an “Outstanding Citizen of the Year” nominee in 2016 and said that it was the testimonial letters from the students themselves that became the drumbeat pushing her philanthropic efforts forward, “There are so many deserving children and youth who need our help. How can I ‘retire’ as a volunteer knowing that a young reader might not be receive his or her hard earned book award that year, or that a teenager so eager to succeed might not get the mentoring and enrichment opportunities they need to get into college or get a job?”
Karen was named as “Parent of the Year” by Missouri University Science & Technology Kappa Delta-Epsilon Alpha, a quiet honor in 2015, but one that most pulled her heartstrings (Erin, her daughter, is a member of the KD sorority).
Nominated for 25 Over 50: Vision. Talent. Impact. (Honorees will be named April 22nd.) Sponsored by the Naples Daily News, the first annual 25 over 50 Awards Program salutes the accomplished and exceptional leaders of Collier and Lee counties who continue to leave an imprint on our thriving community through their achievements, leadership abilities, philanthropic efforts, and dedication to the betterment of Southwest Florida.
Karen was named one of the Women of Initiative 2014 by the Community Foundation of Collier County, an award that honors ten local women leaders who, through their leadership styles, innovation, energy, and dedication of their time and talent, have helped change the face of their community and are an inspiration to all women seeking to make a difference through philanthropy and civic engagement”.
She was was also honored as one of WGCU’s inaugural MAKERS 2013, an award “honoring exceptional women who have impacted Southwest Florida’s past, present and future by serving as the ‘first’ in their field; affecting lasting change; building community; defying social norms; and leaving a legacy.”
She has been nominated for Naples Citizen of the Year and Collier County Public Schools’ (CCPS) Educational Partner of the Year, and received two CCPS Galaxy of Stars awards.