Tag Archives: Digital Literacy

Want to get Read by Viola Davis, Wanda Sykes and Rashida Jones?

These three ladies have enough class and sass to be doling out their own library cards, amirite?

But, when I mean read to, my blinkers, I mean literally read to…with actual books.

Wanda Sykes, Viola Davis and Rashida Jones are the latest celebs to join StoryLine Online, a site chock full of actors (like James Earl Jones, Dule Hill and Betty White) reading–and of course performing–childrens’ books aloud, while the illustrations fill the screen.

There is no cost to see Rashida Jones act like a bee or fear a pop up ad will wreck the flow of Wanda Sykes’ nasally owl impersonation because the SAG-AFTRA Foundation covers the cost to stream more than 40 videos, according to Look to the Stars site.

StoryLine Online, whose aim is to boost literacy, gets over six million views a month from kids, teachers and parents.

The site just introduced a free app for iPhone and Android for access to the full book collection.

There’s nothing like ̶N̶e̶t̶f̶l̶i̶x̶ StoryLine & Chill with your babies, especially if it’s playing detective with Wanda Sykes in “The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake” by Robin Newman.

…Or venturing down South with Viola Davis to see how a family uses music to pull through a crisis in “Rent Party Jazz” by William Miller.

Rashida Jones tells the tale of two unlikely animals (the bear and bee) treating each other fairly in “Please Please the Bees” by Gerald Kelly

Best part? Library cards aren’t required.

Christina Milian, Sway and Chance the Rapper ‘Get Schooled’

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In honor of MLK day of service, Chance the rapper and Sway visited Malcolm X College in Chicago to help donate $100,000 to Chicago Public Schools.

Chance, a Chi-town native, took part in the first annual Get Schooled, Get Connected Challenge event.

The educational initiative was in celebration of the whiz kids that aced a series of “quests” related to digital literacy and college prep.

The future techies were awarded laptops, gaming consoles and fitness gear for completing over 50,000 quests. And if free swag isn’t enough of a motivator, Internet Essentials presented a $100,000 check to divide among six high schools used to boost digital literacy in schools through new computer labs and WiFi coverage.

christinamiliaswayChristina Milian made a surprise appearance to the event.

“It means a lot when celebs come to the city and give back to a community they aren’t from,” says Chance, recently named “Outstanding Youth of the Year” by Chicago’s mayor, Rahm Emmanuel, for his activist work in combating youth violence in Chicago.The “Acid Rap” rapper received a plaque for his good works last year.

At the Get Schooled, Get Connected event, Chance talked to kids about how he used the Internet to build his music and brand and social media to boost his network.

Great way to honor MLK, Chance.