Summary
Organization name
BookTrails
2015
Tax id (EIN)
47-2838786
Category
Education
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Colorado State Tax Credits
Colorado Child Care Credit
Address
68 9th StreetSteamboat Springs, CO 80487
Routt County, CO, US
BookTrails combats childhood illiteracy by teaching reading and writing skills through outdoor adventures and experiences. Reading on Ranches Camp takes students away from the confines of the classroom and into the wilderness to read, imagine, and pretend they're a character in a favorite book.
Testimonials
"My children loved having real activities that connected them with books."
"My daughter increased her confidence in reading in a group setting. She was really excited about the books they read."
"All the activities around the book made it all come alive."
"During the camp you read from 5 different books - our son now wants to read all of them."
Mission
BookTrails' mission is to foster literacy in all people and promote access to literacy programs for all children. BookTrails aims to design programs that create new ways to experience the joys of reading and writing through experiential learning.
The goals of BookTrails are:
1. BookTrails will provide literacy education in the communities for which we serve.
2. BookTrails will identify literacy education needs in our communities and create programs to address those needs.
3. BookTrails will use reading and writing as tools to teach place-based lessons, centered around the heritage, culture, environment, and history of the area.
4. BookTrails will strive to ensure that every local child has the opportunity to participate in BookTrails programs.
Background Statement
Emily Osterman (Executive Director) founded BookTrails in December 2011 with the goal of starting a reading and writing summer program. She came into contact with many local parents while working at her family’s bookstore in downtown Steamboat Spring. Parents expressed their desire for more summer opportunities for their children that encouraged reading and education alongside adventure and play. Osterman further researched literacy rates in Routt County and found that English scores for third grade dipped to the 20th percentile. This was a shocking revelation that sparked her desire to improve literacy education in the community.
Osterman, along with her family, responded to this need by launching BookTrails Camp, a reading-themed day camp. Both strong and struggling readers thrived in this summer camp environment. The gifted readers enjoyed the opportunity to read more and participate in creative reading activities, and the struggling readers improved their skills through the exposure to multi- sensory learning and positive role models. BookTrails Camp went so well after the inaugural summer that parents asked for programming to continue into the school year.
Osterman then planned and implemented the BookTrails School Year Program. Many parents asked for scholarship funding to be able to send their children to BookTrails programs. Osterman recognized the need to develop the BookTrails Scholarship Program, a fiscally sponsored 501(c) (3) non-profit organization of Colorado Student Care. This Scholarship Program became a reality in April of 2013.
As BookTrails grew and continued to integrate day and overnight programs, it became clear that the organization would thrive best as a full non-profit entity. An informal board of advisors transformed into a formal Board of Directors and in January of 2015, BookTrails earned their own 501(c)(3) status and continued to fundraise towards larger goals to serve an increased of students.
Since its inception, BookTrails has served over 1,500 local children, averaging 220 per year. In 2016, BookTrails began the Reading Ranch Capital Project to build a permanent home for their programs and allow expansion to serve more children. The Reading Ranch is off-the-grid and currently accommodates 16 children and 6 staff for week-long periods. The capital project is in Phase III and has raised a third of necessary funding for the completion in 2024. BookTrails now offers programs for children grades first through eighth, including day and overnight camps and programs during the school year.
Media gallery
Organization Data
Steamboat Springs, CO 80487