2021 Virginia Reads One Book Resources
Sponsored by the VBA Education Foundation and Banks Across Virginia

Internal Links Monica McDearmon

Thank you for your sponsoring Virginia Reads One Book in your community! 

Program Overview & Timeline

During the Virginia Reads One Book (VAROB) program, the entire school community, including bus drivers, resource teachers, facilities staff, office personnel, students and their families, read the same book on the same schedule. Students participate in financial literacy activities that correlate with the state standards of learning and each chapter of the book. 

Program Timeline

  • By January 11th – school/bank partnerships will be secured and orders will be placed for books/materials
  • January 21st at 9:00 a.m. - Zoom meeting for bank sponsors to go over timeline, next steps and resources for the 2021 program. Join that Zoom meeting here.
  • January 27th – schools will receive access to the program resources
  • By First/second week of February – schools receive their copies of the books, stickers and bookmarks
  • On or around March 1 – VAROB begins, in conjunction with Read Across America Week. The program is designed to last about three weeks. 

How Can Your Bank be Involved During the Program at the School?

The recording of the January 21st Zoom meeting is available here. Passcode: P@qkA3B=

Some ways that bankers have been involved in the past are:

  • Attending and helping at school kick-off ceremonies (virtually or in-person)
  • Helping to pass out books at kick-off ceremonies
  • Provide promotional giveaways or bank logo items to students/staff
  • Serving as guest readers throughout the program in classrooms or with small groups (virtually or in-person)
  • Providing recordings* of the chapters being read by members of the bank staff
    *For any recordings or “live” virtual reads, please make sure you mention the following copyright statement: “Today’s chapter is being recorded with permission from The Trumpet of the Swan’s publisher, Harper Collins.”
  • Presenting financial literacy lessons that correlate with the chapters of the book (virtually or in-person)
  • Tie the program with youth savings programs/accounts that already exist at your bank (providing students with a bookmark voucher worth $X when they bring it in to open a savings account with their family)

Next Steps for Bank Sponsors

Templates & Resources for Bankers

The recording of the January 21st Zoom meeting is available here. (Passcode: P@qkA3B=)

Before the Program Begins:

During the Program:

Family engagement activities:

Social Media Information:

Be sure to tag @vabankers, @readtothem and use the hashtags #vabankers, #VAROBTrumpet and #VAROB2021 in your social media posts on Facebook and Instagram.
Link to the VBA’s VAROB page: https://www.vabankers.org/post/virginia-reads-one-book
Link to Read to Them’s VAROB page: https://readtothem.org/virginia/

Media alert, press release and program certificates:

Chapter Reading Recordings from the VBA

You can access the chapter reading recordings by VBA staff here.

What Resources do the Schools Receive?

When you sponsor a school for VAROB, they will receive a wealth of resources to ensure the success of the program. Schools will have access to these resources in early 2021 to allow for schools to plan their program. You can view the complete set of resources here (Password: Cygnus8).

Resources include:

  • Book Packet
    • Assembly ideas
    • By chapter activities
    • Trivia and discussion questions
    • Song list
    • Financial literacy and math activities
    • …and more!
  • Family Engagement Packet
    • Read-aloud tips for parents
    • Reading schedule
    • Family engagement cards
    • …and more!
  • Implementation Packet
    • Tips for making the event FUN
    • Ideas for community involvement
    • Benefits of VAROB
    • Keys for distance learning
    • Trivia and vocabulary guide
    • …and more!
  • Media Kit
    • Connection guide
    • Press release template
    • Title reveal teasers
    • …and more!
  • Post Event Packet
    • Survey templates for families and students
    • Ideas for next books

New for 2021! VAROB will include brand new digital features created by the Read to Them team. Schools will have the opportunity to play Kahoot!, engage with Flipgrid conversations, read blog posts, and participate in a contest all supporting your read of The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White. You can access these features with this link and password: bit.ly/varobfun (Password: Cygnus8)