Karen Auslander

Auslander’s innovative teaching idea, “Biography Buddies Family Reading Project,” was created to encourage Jefferson Elementary School students and their families to enjoy reading and learning together. Participating students in grades K-5 select an age appropriate biography from the school library to read with their families and construct a “Biography Buddy” of the person they read about. Models are made with materials from home as well as from the Jefferson Elementary maker space. The students bring their completed models to the school library for display in the mini museum. This program was offered for the first time in January of 2024 to all Jefferson Elementary students and 130 families voluntarily participated. In order to continue engaging students, the school would use the Voya Unsung Heroes grant to acquire recently published biography books at a variety of K-5 reading levels to keep students interested year after year.