Jefferson-Clarion Head Start Receives $7,500 From Net Proceeds of Children’s Books

ClarionKidBooks, Founded by Pam Selker Rak, Combines Philanthropy with Education in Providing Books to Thousands of Children in Jefferson and Clarion Counties

Jefferson-Clarion Head Start, Inc. announces that its partnership with Pennsylvania-based children’s book author, philanthropist and marketing entrepreneur, Pam Selker Rak has yielded a $7,500 donation as a result of 2021-2022 net proceeds from three children’s books, “Pam/Anne Restaurant,” “Christmas Treedition,” and “The Battle of Snowball.” All net proceeds from these books have been donated to Jefferson-Clarion Head Start to help the organization provide books to students in its programs.

According to Pam Johnson, CEO of Jefferson-Clarion Head Start, “Our partnership with Pam Rak pairs beautifully with our educational goals to put books into the hands of every child in our programs. When a child owns their own books, their chances of becoming life-long readers and learners skyrockets. Our kids love this book series because they’re about growing-up in our region. As such, they’re very relatable to our students. They like seeing their own surroundings in the stories written by an author who grew-up in similar situations and surroundings. We’re very proud of this partnership.”

There is a formal teaching element to Rak’s books, as they come with corresponding lesson plans and teachers’ aides that tie into five areas, which are also part of Pennsylvania’s Learning Standards for Early Childhood:

• Scientific Thinking
• Language & Literacy
• Learning Through Creative Play
• Health & Wellness
• Social Studies & Cultural Learning

“Even though I don’t live in my hometown on a full-time basis any longer, I still feel a great pull toward it,” said Pam Selker Rak. “I guess you can take the girl out of Clarion, but you can’t take Clarion out of the girl. I wanted to build a civic engagement and philanthropic initiative that would give back to the town that made me who I am. I wanted to capture how magical it was to grow-up in this community. I’m so proud to be achieving this goal through my books, and I appreciate everyone who has purchased one of my books for their children, as gifts, or just to donate to their libraries or churches. By doing so, they’re making a bigger impact than they can ever imagine.”

Rak’s partnership with Jefferson-Clarion Head Start will continue into 2023, with two new books launching in April and October, respectively. Rak’s books are available for order at www.ClarionKidBooks.com.

About Jefferson-Clarion Head Start, Inc.

Jefferson-Clarion Head Start, Inc. is a private non-profit corporation that serves as the administrative entity for child and family development programs including Head Start, Early Head Start, Maternal, Infant, Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV), the PA Pilot Home Visiting Program-Opiate Use Disorder/Substance Use Disorder, and Parents as Teachers (PAT). Each of these programs has our fundamental mission at its core which is to provide comprehensive services to children and families. Jefferson-Clarion Head Start, Inc. has been providing quality comprehensive services to nearly 700 children each year in both Jefferson and Clarion Counties in Western Pennsylvania for thirty-nine (39) years.

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