The Atlanta Lawyer - Official Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association Nov | Page 11

Community Partner Spotlight
Everybody Wins! Atlanta –
Linking Lawyers and Literacy to Children in Need
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The
more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” Dr. Seuss

T

his quote from one of the most renowned children’s
authors about a successful life path is based on an
important presumption—that one can read. Yet,
reading scores of students in Title I (low-income) public
elementary schools in the State of GA indicates a high
percentage of students are behind in basic reading skill
development. Everybody Wins! Atlanta, a Community
Partner of the Atlanta Bar since 2003, has been working
to alleviate obstacles to reading success through a unique
reading program named Power Lunch.
Since 1997, Power Lunch has paired students who are failing
in their reading development with caring individuals recruited
from the local businesses and organizations for one-onone read aloud sessions that take place at lunchtime. Over
the years, thousands of lawyers and personnel in the legal
community have participated in the program, with a number
of large and small law firms providing vital volunteer and
funding support for the literacy efforts. Last year, the program
partnered with Mayor Kasim Reed’s Third Grade Reads
initiative. Mayor Reed commented, “Reading is fundamental
to student achievement and career success. We are excited to
partner again with Everybody Wins! Atlanta to engage citizens
to impact in the most meaningful way—to be strong models
and demonstrate the power of reading.”
The program’s formula of "one mentor + one child + one book
at a time = reading success" has had proven success. Data

from the 2012-13 school year revealed that 70% of students
who participated in Power Lunch passed the reading portion
of the CRCT standardized test required for grade level
promotion. Beyond the reading improvement, children are
exposed to positive, caring role models who expand their
thinking and give them greater exposure to the working world.
Bill Barwick, past Atlanta Bar President and EW! Reading
Mentor for ten years, touts the program as one of the Bar’s
very few non-legal public service organizations. “Lawyers are
wordsmiths by trade, and I know of very few in our profession
who didn’t have a fire of literary imagination ignited in them
when they were young, Barwick said. With a book in my hand,
I can guarantee you I am giving back more to my community
than I could with a saw and hammer working on someone’s
front steps!”.
To help support 600 reading partnerships in ten schools
throughout metro Atlanta, Everybody Wins! is engaged in its
annual Launchpad for Literacy Giving Campaign with the goal
of collecting $10,000 by January 1, 2014. The money will be
used to buy books for students, and stock school book carts,
support program operations, and provide reading journals
and writing supplies to student participants. To learn more
about Everybody Wins!, visit www.everybodywinsatlanta.org
or contact Jill Daly at 404-943-0404.

(This is the first in a series spotlighting the Atlanta Bar
Association’s three Community Partners.)

Reading Mentor Bill Barwick (Duane Morris LLP) and student partner Terri Beck and Amy Schlossberg (EW!
Program Director) at Celebrating Service Fair
share a book
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association

November 2013

THE ATLANTA LAWYER

11