All Aboard the Magic School Bus With Ms. Frizzle!

Hello, dear friends and supporters!

Last year, you helped my Very Hungry Caterpillar raise an incredible $8,650 for Readers 2 Leaders. 🐛

This year, we're going BIGGER! 

I'm channeling my inner Ms. Frizzle and setting my biggest personal Giving Day goal yet:

$10,000 for Readers 2 Leaders!

And the Magic School Bus theme isn't totally random...

🧪 Reading is a science

At Readers 2 Leaders, we know there is a formula for literacy, and we want to share it with all of North Texas.

We use structured, sequential phonics instruction to teach children how letters and sounds work together. This gives kids the tools to decode words instead of relying on memorization or guessing.

As decoding gets easier and more automatic, students build fluency. Once they aren't working so hard to figure out every individual word, they can focus more on understanding what they're reading.

So this North Texas Giving Day, we're taking a Magic School Bus field trip into the Science of Reading.

And your donations determine just how ridiculous the trip gets.

🧪 THE $10,000 MAGIC SCHOOL BUS CHALLENGE

🚌 EARLY GIVING: $3,500 - Get Ms. Frizzle on the bus!
Giving is open now! Help me raise $3,500 before Giving Day and I'll spend the big day in full Ms. Frizzle mode.

🔤 $5,000 - Crack the Code
My team puts my decoding skills to the test, including words I've never seen before.

🚌 $6,500 - FIELD TRIP!
You make Ms. Frizzle leave R2L in full costume for a public field trip. No Magic School Bus adventure is complete without one!

🧪 $7,500: Unlock a Magic School Bus read-aloud, science craft, and out-of-this-world treat for our after-school students!

Ms. Frizzle brings the magic of science and reading to our after-school program! Our students will enjoy a special Magic School Bus read-aloud, get hands-on with a fun science craft, and celebrate with an out-of-this-world treat!

🐛 $8,650 - BEAT THE CATERPILLAR!
That's how much last year's Very Hungry Caterpillar Challenge raised. Pass it and the Magic School Bus officially sets a new record!

👩‍🔬 $9,000 - Recruit the Littlest Scientists
My nephews Lucas and Leo join Aunt Frizzle after work for an evening science experiment before bedtime. What could possibly go wrong? 😂

🎉 $10,000 - WE DID IT!
The Magic School Bus reaches its final destination!

We'll have raised $10,000 for Readers 2 Leaders, set a new personal Giving Day record and done it during my 15th year at R2L❤️

Last year, you got the Very Hungry Caterpillar to $8,650.

This year, let's see if the Magic School Bus can make it all the way to $10,000. 🚌

And though this challenge is....just a little bit silly - it has a serious purpose. Your gift helps Readers 2 Leaders give more North Texas children the tools they need to unlock words, build fluency, understand what they read and become confident readers.

15 years. $10,000. One very grateful Ms. Frizzle. 🚌❤️

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Facts and Figures: 

During fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025), R2L achieved the following results:

- Served 2,000 children during the school year and summer;

- Served 393 adults through literacy coaching and training programs; and reached an additional 6,000 students through literacy trainings for educators and caregivers.

- Had 94 percent of students make measurable growth in key early literacy skills;

- Had 89 percent of children grow or maintain their reading skills during the 2025 summer camp.

How You Can Help

Here’s how you can join me in making a difference:

• Donate: Your contribution, big or small, helps us get closer to our goal and supports a great cause.
• Share: Spread the word! Share this fundraiser with your friends, family, and networks to help us reach more people who believe in the power of reading.

Thank you so much for your support and generosity. Together, we can help students achieve their full potential through the magic of reading!