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At What’s Stirring Family Foundation, we believe every child deserves not just a seat in the room—but a moment to shine. During a recent literacy festival, one young participant eagerly anticipated her chance to take part in our Cooking Up Literacy demonstration—a hands-on experience combining reading, storytelling, and cooking. Although she was initially selected, only a limited number of participants could be chosen, and she did not have the opportunity to participate that

Across the country, school leaders are asking an important question: How do we strengthen literacy and improve student attendance while meaningfully engaging families and communities? Sometimes the answer begins in places we might not expect. I recently participated in the first “Meet Me at the Barbershop”  gathering of the school year at Harrell's & Sons , and it was an encouraging and uplifting experience. Fathers, sons, educators, and concerned community members came toget

This young chef helped create our Lively Lemon Water  recipe during the What’s Stirring  family cooking demonstration. Hands-on moments like this allow children to explore healthy foods while building confidence and joy in the kitchen. Yesterday morning , our What’s Stirring  National Nutrition Month gathering turned into a warm and meaningful experience for the families who joined us. We welcomed four families , with three young children actively participating in the cooking

The first food is words — and every shared story nourishes a growing mind. When we think about nutrition, we picture food. But for Georgia’s youngest children, nourishment is more than what’s on the plate. In the first five years of life, a child’s brain is growing rapidly. Meals matter. Safety matters. Stability matters. And so do words. Before a child reads independently, they are listening. Before they write sentences, they are building vocabulary through conversation. Lan

As an educator and founder, I have long believed that literacy expands when it becomes experiential. Not confined to classrooms. Not reduced to assessment. But lived — in kitchens, in conversation, in intergenerational memory. Our first Cooking Up Literacy pilot affirmed that belief. Families did not need convincing. They needed invitation. And when invited, they engaged fully. But impact alone does not build scale. Leadership does. The Distinction That Changed My Perspective

With proud smiles and visible excitement, Daniel an d Alonna accepted a plaque at the inaugural Literacy Festival that reads: “May you be proud of the work you do, the person you are, and the difference you make.” That moment represented more than recognition — it reflected families gathering to cook, read, ask questions, and learn together. The student-led festival, developed in partnership with The Arrow Youth Leadership Council International, the Gladys S. Dennard Library,

Attending the American Heritage Conference offered more than professional insight — it provided layered confirmation of the literacy philosophy guiding my work. The evening before the keynote, at Planet Word, I had the opportunity to speak with Nia Mosby about a vision that has been growing within our “Cooking Up Literacy” initiative. I shared a dream of moving beyond a single family literacy night to intentionally support a small cohort of six families over time — designing

During the Heritage Chocolate Society (HCS) 2026 gathering, I had the opportunity to visit Planet Word and hear from its founder, Ann Friedman. Planet Word stands as evidence of what happens when a literacy vision is clear, strategic, and sustained. Words were not treated as enrichment. They were treated as civic infrastructure. Just days earlier, families in Pleasant Hill gathered for a Cooking Up Literacy experience. Students read recipes aloud, moved through hands-on liter

As leaders gather at Heritage Chocolate Society (HCS) 2026 to discuss disruption and future-proofing, the focus will center on membership trends, generational shifts, and new enterprise models. But the institutions that endure will solve a simpler, harder problem: Why do people come back? Attendance can be generated. Ownership must be designed. In literacy and civic engagement work, I’ve seen enthusiasm fade when participation lacks clarity. But when engagement includes clear

There was a season when I was teaching literacy in two places at once. By day, I stood in a university classroom talking with future educators about research, theory, and practice — about how literacy connects to identity, culture, and real life. At home, beginning in 2020, I was homeschooling Daniel and Alonna. The conversations were different. At the university, we discussed what strong literacy instruction should look like. At home, I saw what it felt like. I saw how writi

What happens when young people are trusted to plan and host a literacy festival? You see leadership in action. The inaugural Literacy Festival—developed by The Arrow Youth Leadership Council International, the Gladys S. Dennard Library, and the South Fulton Teen Advisory Board—is a powerful example of youth ownership, creativity, and vision. Centered on the theme “Words Can Take You Anywhere,”  this student-led event reminds us that young voices deserve real platforms. A Lite

On February 11, St. Peter Claver Catholic School launched its first “Cooking Up Literacy” Family Literacy Event Pilot, serving families connected to the Pleasant Hill neighborhood. “Cooking Up Literacy” in Pleasant Hill began with a simple goal: use reading, comprehension, and creativity to make literacy come alive for students. Thanks to support from the Macon Area Habitat for Humanity Sustainability Fund, what started as a student-centered literacy initiative grew into some

A moment from GCTE with keynote speaker Gerry Brooks, whose message about humanity and leadership stayed with me. At a recent Georgia Council of Teachers of English (GCTE) keynote, educator and speaker Gerry Brooks  shared a simple line that has stayed with me: “Everyone is someone’s baby.” In just a few words, it captured something essential about leadership, education, and how we treat one another. It is a reminder that every person carries dignity and value—before titles,