Education in the Community Program Bulletin

 

Over a lifetime, the gap in earning potential between a high school diploma and a B.A. is more than $800,000, so education in the community matters!

Epsilon Sigma Omicron, an honorary education society, promotes a love for reading and encourages self-improvement.

Suggestions for clubs:

• Order the updated ESO Handbook , which contains the ESO booklist.
• Encourage members to join an ESO chapter or start one in your own club. Contact GFWC's Program Department for details.
• Check out GFWC's featured Book of the Month and take part in discussions.
• Start a book club, selecting books of interest to women and meet monthly for discussions.
• Start a book exchange program at club meetings.
• Establish a new ESO chapter for teens at a girls' home or another worthy girls' group, using the GFWC ESO guidelines  as a starting point.

Report your successful ESO projects and programs to this chairman.  GFWC will award a certificate to one state federation in each membership category to recognize outstanding promotion and participation in ESO.

Support Libraries by honoring library personnel and have club events at your local library.

Suggestions for clubs:

• Promote local authors by sponsoring a book-signing event on National Author's Day, November 1. GFWC established this day in 1929.
• Develop a Books for Babies Program and provide a baby book and information on developing babies' love for books to new mothers.  Books for Babies will award certificates to each club participating. 
• Join the Friends of Libraries, USA (FOLUSA).
• Collect books for shut-ins and the elderly in nursing homes.
• Sponsor a library summer reading program for children and discuss the books they have read. 
• Celebrate National Friends of the Library Week in October, National Library Week in April, and National Children's Book Week in November.
• Obtain Adopt a Library Guidelines, which contain Adopt a Library forms, from GFWC; fill it out and submit them by March 15 to receive ALA certificates.

GFWC clubs can provide scholarships to worthy students in the community.

Suggestions for clubs:

• AARP Foundation will award scholarships for eligible women over 40 years old.
• Talbots Women's Scholarship Fund is a fund just for women.
• Contact Citizen's Scholarship Foundation of America for ways to celebrate National Scholarship month in May.

Report your successful Scholarship projects and program to this chairman. GFWC will award a certificate to one state federation in each membership category to recognize outstanding achievement in the GFWC Education in the Community Program.  Awards will be made annually.

LEARN MORE
»Through GFWC, learn how to establish an ESO chapter in your club or community.
»From your neighborhood library, learn about their events and participate in them.
»Learn about scholarships available to women in the community and encourage members to apply. 
 

—Bert Alberti (Fla.), GFWC Education in the Community Program Chairman