“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” -Margaret Mead

Thank you for your interest in Project LIT Community! We are thrilled that you share our passion for establishing a positive reading culture in all classrooms and communities.

In August 2016, my students (graduates of Maplewood High School in Nashville, TN) and I founded Project LIT to increase book access and promote a love of reading in our community. We believe wholeheartedly in the power of reading and in its ability to bring people together and transform lives.

Over the past 6 years, we have connected with all-star students, educators, and authors to transform a class project into a national literacy movement -- one step, one book, and one conversation at a time! Currently, there are more than 2,000 Project LIT chapters across all 50 states (along with several international chapters), all committed to the same goal.

As you've probably seen on social media, every Project LIT chapter looks a little different and that’s by design! We know that the 21-22 school year was difficult for many of us, so we encourage you to complete the application and then take as much time as you need to develop a game plan for your chapter. We also have an amazing community ready to support you as you begin the journey.

Project LIT Community is a team of dedicated educators and students who work together to:
• Nurture authentic reading & writing identities by celebrating and promoting literacy every day
• Increase access to high-quality, culturally sustaining books (in both our classroom and community) that affirm and value all students
• Host Project LIT Book Club discussions that bring students, educators, families, and community members together
• Empower students to launch and lead school’s Project LIT chapter and serve as LIT leaders in their community
• Connect & collaborate with fellow Project LIT students, educators, and authors (locally, nationally, and globally)  
• Encourage students to read book of their choice (including Project LIT titles) during daily independent reading
• Advocate for anti-racist literacy policies and practices
• Facilitate lit circles and whole-class reads of Project LIT titles
• Design student-centered lessons & units featuring Project LIT titles
• Encourage students to create & publish stories, novels, poems, artwork, etc. of their own.
• Create safe spaces to have courageous conversations as we strive to better ourselves and our communities
• Amplify voices and stories of students, educators, and authors of color
• Champion young people and books that reflect their lived realities, communities, and identities
• Rewrite the narrative about which texts and authors are deemed worthy of academic study
• Create as many positive literacy experiences as possible

The application questions are designed to give us a better idea of who you are as an educator. While Project LIT strives to be as inclusive as possible, we want to make sure that every member of our community shares a similar set of values and beliefs.

We encourage you to keep your answers concise. Most responses will require no more than 1 or 2 thoughtful sentences. Once you complete this form, expect to hear back from the Project LIT team within 7-10 days, if not sooner!

Do not hesitate to contact us at projectlitcommunity@gmail.com and be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram (@projectlitcomm). Additionally, feel free to share this application with other educators in your network who are interested in joining Project LIT Community. Thanks for your interest, and as always, happy reading!

-Dr. Jarred Amato and the Project LIT team