Cricket Media Announces Partnership with Follett to Shape the Future of Literacy with Online Mentoring

CricketTogether connects Westchester Intermediate School students with Follett volunteers

McLean, VA: Cricket Media today announced a new partnership with Follett Corporation, a leading provider of education technology, services and print and digital content, to provide online mentoring services to students at Westchester Intermediate School in Westchester, Illinois. This partnership will use the innovative eMentoring program “CricketTogether” to help Follett accomplish their goal of improving literacy for students from their first day of school through college graduation and beyond.

CricketTogether is a proven and award-winning learning program that teaches students critical thinking and improves literacy skills preparing students for 21st century jobs and learning opportunities. Through this eMentoring program, Follett team members will be able to read stories with students as they collaboratively work through high-quality curriculum and discuss how the story concepts relate to the world around them.

“Follett team members want to give back, and especially want to be able to share their expertise with the next generation,” notes Laura Woodside, the Vice President of Education Products, for Cricket Media. “CricketTogether gives Follett a flexible way to mobilize their team members as volunteers to these students. They’ll be able to both inspire students and increase a child’s love of reading, all without leaving their desks.”

 

CricketTogether gives Follett a flexible way to mobilize their team members as volunteers to these students. They’ll be able to both inspire students and increase a child’s love of reading.”

— Laura Woodside, VP of Education Products, Cricket Media.
Because interactions are conducted through an online platform, eMentoring eliminates many of the challenges that make traditional mentoring inefficient for Follett’s team members. It’s a convenient and effective way to exchange valuable knowledge, skills and experiences with students despite distance or time barriers.“I love the idea of the powerful connection that will develop between the students and our Follett mentors as they form a virtual learning friendship,” said Follett President and CEO Pat Connolly. “This eMentoring partnership speaks directly to Follett’s Purpose of ‘improving the world by inspiring learning and shaping education’ and will help our team members promote literacy as they connect and interact with their mentees throughout the school year.”The benefits of this new partnership include:
  • Helping to spark critical thinking and encourage a lifelong love of learning
  • Enabling employee participation from any location, at any time, taking only 2-3 hours per month
  • Increasing the self-confidence and motivation of both mentors and mentees
To learn more about CricketTogether’s eMentoring options, visit their website at cricketmedia.com/meet-crickettogether.

About Cricket Media | Cricketmedia.com
Cricket Media® is a global education company creating high-quality print and multi-media products for children, families, mentors, teachers, and partners that improve learning opportunities for everyone. Led by our 10 award-winning children’s magazines and our customizable research-tested collaborative learning platform, we are committed to creating and supporting innovative learning experiences that help children safely explore and engage with their expanding world.

About Follett Corporation | Follett.com

Follett Corporation is a leading global source of educational materials, digital content, eCommerce, and multi-media for libraries, schools and institutions. Headquartered in Westchester, Illinois, Follett provides education technology, services and physical and digital content to millions of students at 70,000 schools, and more than 2,700 physical locations and campus eCommerce platforms in North America. Through Baker & Taylor, Follett’s reach also extends to the public library markets.

Thomas Kline, VP of Communications
Follett Corporation
708.200.8610
tkline@follett.com
Laura Woodside, VP of Education Products
Cricket Media
703.885.3417
lwoodside@cricketmedia.com