SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – A group of local teenagers are giving back by sharing success stories with the youngest new members of their community.
Stories for Success was created by five prospective Saratoga Springs High School students – Anabelle Brueggemann, Maddie Cook, Mia Hayes, Ava Kuruzovich, and Ciara Meyer – to help spread the love of reading among every new family in Saratoga.
Stories for Success is partnering with Saratoga Hospital to provide new parents with “book bags†containing two books, library card information, and other reading-related goodies.
“We believe in the power of reading,†says the group’s website. “Reading has had a major impact on all of our lives. Some of our earliest and most cherished childhood memories revolve around our favorite books. Aside from just remembering old stories, we were all academically influenced by reading from an early age.
“Studies have shown the importance of reading and reading aloud to a young child’s success in school. By reading to babies, parents can play a vital role in creating young readers who will become the leaders of our future. “
The Thie Stories for Success initiative originally started when the girls were in eighth grade at Maple Avenue Middle School. You write to Dr. Barbara Messier, principal of Lake Avenue Elementary School, admits she has helped them start this charitable endeavor.
For the past six months, Stories for Success has provided reading materials to every newborn at Saratoga Hospital.
Stories for Success donates around 80 bags of books each month, which is the average number of babies born in the hospital each month.
So far, the group has distributed almost 500 bags of books through the Saratoga Hospital, including almost 1,000 books that are either carefully used or brand new.
The group works with local Northshire Bookstore on the bags, which includes a reading list drawn up by the bookstore staff.
More recently, Stories for Success has focused on public relations and featured at regional events such as Longshot the Moose Day and the Saratoga Children’s Theater Community Market series. The organization hopes to do more of this in the coming months.
Public relations have raised awareness of Stories for Success and its mission, which in turn helps the group raise funds.
Stories for Success is grateful for the generosity of the community that supports this project. “It was really great to see how many donations we have received so far,” said Meyer. Last year, when some people became more financially strained due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization raised nearly $ 4,000.
Looking ahead, Stories for Success aims to continue to serve new parents and babies through the power of reading.
“We are definitely interested in future expansion,” said Brüggemann.
The group’s immediate goal is to make the organization a 501 (c) (3) registered non-profit organization.
As the founders near completion of their high school careers and move to college, they also consider how the project can be passed on to a younger generation of leaders.
Finally, they would be excited about the initiative to grow beyond Saratoga Springs and provide books for every baby born across the capital city area.
For more information on Stories for Success, visit Storiesforsuccess.card.com online
Stories for Success can also be found online at @ stories4success on Facebook and Instagram.
Anyone interested in supporting the group’s ongoing fundraiser can do so online at www.gofundme.com/f/njxre-stories-for-success.
Those who would like to donate carefully used books can contact Stories for Success at ciarameyer28@gmail.com to arrange a collection.
