On Wednesday, May 15th, 2024 Literations will host our annual Lighting the Spark fundraising event at the More than Words Bookstore in Boston’s South End. Lighting the Spark is a night for our community of donors, volunteers, family, and friends to come together to celebrate and support student success, and hear inspiring stories from our champions in the field.
When you join us in Lighting the Spark, you're joining a community dedicated to changing the lives of young readers with the gift of literacy. Every gift counts, and is put toward ensuring a lifetime of opportunities for young students in Greater Boston and beyond.
Nearly 70% of fourth graders throughout Massachusetts are not reading at grade level.
Gaps in early literacy create obstacles in the path of learning that affect children for years to come.
Literations is meeting the critical need for early literacy support in Greater Boston and MetroWest communities that need help the most.
We hope you’ll join us in empowering young readers by giving the gift of literacy.
Event Host Committee
Barbara McMahon, Committee Chair
Anna Abate
Amy & Jock Danforth
Tara & Corey Finnegan
Donna Heuchling
Beth & Shaun McHugh
Barbara & Bill McMahon
Thomas & Julie Sneed
Timothy P. Van Dyck
Mariann & Andy Youniss
Our Sponsors
IGNITE
SPARK
SHINE
SHIMMER
Interested in Sponsoring this event? Please reach out to Wes Enicks, Literations’ Executive Director at wenicks@literations.org or click below for more information.
This year’s speakers
Mandy McLaren
Boston Globe Reporter
Mandy McLaren is a reporter for The Great Divide, a Boston Globe investigative team focused on educational inequities. She has been covering education topics since 2016, including charter schools, state takeovers, and seclusion and restraint. Her recent work includes “Lost in a world of words,” a multipart series on why so many Massachusetts students struggle to read.
She was a 2023 semifinalist for the Goldsmith Prize for investigative reporting for her series, “Between the Lines,” and a 2022 Livingston Award finalist for her series, “Magnetic Pull,” and its companion podcast, “A Bad School.” Her work has been featured in The Washington Post and USA TODAY.
She was an adjunct professor in journalism at Indiana University Southeast in New Albany, Ind., in 2021. Before becoming a reporter, McLaren was a public school teacher and administrator in New Orleans.
Tom Weber
Executive Director of Massachusetts Business Coalition for Early Childhood Education, Literations Board Member
We are excited to announce that Tom Weber will be our Master of Ceremonies at Lighting the Spark.
Tom is Executive Director at Massachusetts Business Coalition for Early Childhood Education, Foundation Fellow at Eastern Bank, and is also a long-time Board Member of Literations.
He is an experienced senior leader with a demonstrated history working successfully in Government Administration and Nonprofit Organizations. Skilled in executive leadership, management, public policy, early education and care systems, government relations, state & federal budgets, communications, public speaking, public-private partnerships, and strategic planning, Literations is fortunate to have Tom on our board with the experience he brings and the knowledge of the issues young children and families face in the Greater Boston area and Massachusetts.
Live Auction Items
Get ready to bid big at Lighting the Spark! We're excited to be auctioning off two fabulous hotel packages at this year's event — one for a luxurious stay at the Raffles Hotel Boston and another for an unforgettable experience at the Omni in Louisville, KY. Don't miss your chance to win these incredible experiences and support Literations' mission. Click below to see the full details of each package.
Venue
Lighting the Spark will take place at More Than Words Bookstore at 242 East. Berkeley St. in Boston, MA.
Two parking lots are available within one block of the More Than Words venue, at 365 Albany St. and 39 Traveler St. There is also limited street parking in the area. More Than Words is also accessible to the Red Line Broadway stop, Orange Line Tufts stop, and the Silver Line bus.
More Than Words is a nonprofit social enterprise that empowers system-involved youth to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business.