The Zonta Club of the Conejo Valley Area
annually supports the Dual Literacy Program at Justin Elementary
School, in Simi Valley, California. The Dual Literacy Program
is designed to support “at risk” English Language
Development students currently enrolled in the fourth and
fifth grades at Justin, by purchasing Leap Pad technology,
in combination with, “take-along-home” books
written in Spanish and English at student’s “just-right”
reading levels. This allows parents who are limited English
speakers or who do not speak English at all, to take advantage
of opportunities to participate in the literacy education
of their own children. The school is located at 2245 North
Justin in Simi Valley, and has a new principal administering
the program this year, Marian Weaver
“We are so grateful
to Zonta for their support, so we can continue this program,
with our upper grades. It is our district’s belief
that education is an alliance of parents, community, students
and the school district.
This Dual Literacy Program, now in its fourth year at
Justin Elementary, has enjoyed tremendous success partnering
with primary grade families, to provide each student the
opportunity to develop knowledge, goals, skills and self-confidence
to be continuous life-long readers and learners.
Learning to read, and reading to learn then becomes a
family affair, and parents are more likely to read with
their children, rather than everyone watching different
televisions in separate rooms.”
- Marian Weaver, Principal,
Justin Elementary School
The Zonta Club of Conejo Valley Area (Supporting
Education & Family Safety), organized in 1972, supports
Zonta International service projects, as well as, local
literacy projects. Our Club awards local and national scholarship
funds amounting to approximately $8,000 annually to high
school, college and graduate students. Other charities that
we support are: Westminster Free Clinic, Big Sisters of
Ventura County, and Interface Children & Family Services.
Zonta International, with world headquarters
in Chicago, Illinois, USA, is a worldwide service organization
of executives in business and the professions working together
to advance the status of women around the world through
education, service, and advocacy.
