About the Michigan Literacy Project

Application and Important Dates

Support the Michigan Literacy Project

Contact Project Leaders

The Michigan Literacy Project was developed by faculty and staff in the College of Education with the purpose of supporting our COE graduates as they begin their teaching careers.

Often when new teachers begin their careers, they are thrilled to start their first teaching position. They arrive with fresh ideas and new energy, but soon find that despite their idealistic outlooks, their jobs come with a big empty classrooms and little or no funding available for some of the very basic tools to provide a quality education to their students.  Beginning a teaching career can be daunting, but when a new teacher is faced with paying for classroom basics, it can be simply overwhelming. We recognize the importance of providing quality children’s literature in each classroom, yet it often takes new teachers several years of personal spending to develop a functional classroom library.

The Grand Valley State University College of Education Michigan Literacy Project (MLP) was developed to address the needs of our recent graduates and their young students. MLP’s mission is to provide quality classroom libraries to recent College of Education graduates teaching 3 years or less in Pre-K through 6th grade classrooms in an underserved Michigan public school districts and GVSU charter schools across the state.

MLP’s goal is to provide rich and meaningful encounters with quality children’s literature that will encourage students' love of reading first. Fostering joy and wonder for the written word will help children develop into adults who are curious and insightful and who will use their curiosity to expand their knowledge and passion for the betterment of society.

Research shows the more books children have ready access to, the better readers and life-long learners they will become. Regular exposure to quality children’s literature in multiple genres fosters a healthy love and respect for the written word. Reading provides the groundwork for bringing up Michigan’s next generation of forward-thinking, creative, and skilled workers and entrepreneurs.

Michigan Public School Teacher Application

1. Are you a Grand Valley State University College of Education graduate?
2. Have you been teaching 3 years or less in a non-chartered public school in Michigan?
3. Are you teaching in an elementary classroom (Pre-K through 6th grade)? Preference is given to elementary classrooms with literacy instruction.
4. Are you teaching in an under-served district with limited resources?
5. Are you in need of quality children’s literature for your classroom?
6. Do you have a clear vision for how these books could be utilized to foster a love of literature in your own classroom?

If you answered, “YES” to all six questions, you are eligible to apply for a classroom library grant provided by the Grand Valley State University Michigan Literacy Project. 

All applications will be reviewed by a team of GVSU faculty/staff. Qualified candidates will be chosen based on specific need and use criteria.

Click here to apply online
Michigan Literacy Project - Michigan Public Schools

GVSU Chartered School Teacher Application

1. Are you a Grand Valley State University College of Education graduate?
2. Have you been teaching 3 years or less in a GVSU chartered school in Michigan? 
3. Are you teaching in an elementary classroom (Pre-K through 6th grade)? Preference is given to elementary classrooms with literacy instruction.
4. Are you teaching in an under-served district with limited resources?
5. Are you in need of quality children’s literature for your classroom?
6. Do you have a clear vision for how these books could be utilized to foster a love of literature in your own classroom?

If you answered, “YES” to all six questions, you are eligible to apply for a classroom library grant provided by the Grand Valley State University Michigan Literacy Project.

All applications will be reviewed by a team of GVSU faculty/staff. Qualified candidates will be chosen based on specific need and use criteria.

Click here to apply online
Michigan Literacy Project  - GVSU Chartered Schools

Thank you for your support in providing quality literature to our area schools! There are two ways you can help support this project.

Make a Monetary Donation

To make a monetary donation, please visit: https://gvsu.edu/coe/bookdrive

Support Michigan Literacy Project

Donate Scholastic Book Club Bonus Points

Donate Scholastic Book Club bonus points by contacting Scholastic Books at 1-877-BonusPoint (1-877-266-8776) and provide them with the following account details: Our Customer Number - 1803384690

All book donations will be distributed to 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd year elementary teachers (Pre-K through 6th grade) who are graduates of Grand Valley State University, teaching in underserved Michigan school districts. Preference is given to elementary classrooms with literacy instruction. Teachers will apply for a GVSU COE Michigan Literacy Project and will be chosen based on a variety of criteria.

If you have questions about the Michigan Literacy Project, please contact the Project Coordinators:

• Sheryl Vlietstra: vlietssh@gvsu.edu; (616) 331-6271
  Affiliate Professor, GVSU College of Education
• Megan Freudigmann: freudigm@gvsu.edu; (616) 331-6436
  Affiliate Professor, GVSU College of Education
• Liz Storey: storeyl@gvsu.edu
  Assistant Professor, GVSU College of Education