In pursuit of creating an impactful and rich learning environment for children throughout the Springfield, Massachusetts area, the Out of School Time Fellowship is training local educators in early literacy skills. Created by Reading Success by the 4th Grade (RS4G), the program is bringing fellows together to earn professional leadership tactics and educational experience through individualized coaching. RS4G is a community-wide early literacy initiative dedicated to helping all children gain access to the reading and learning skills necessary to thrive in school and in life. It mobilizes families and instructors with educational resources and strategies, and provides kids with new opportunities for success. With a focus on collaborating within underserved communities and underrepresented groups, RS4G embraces diversity and advocates for the value of literacy training. The Out of School Time Fellowship is structured to support and influence local academic leaders who work with children up to eight years old. Through group learning experiences and expert coaching, fellows are creating a network of resources, skills, and partnerships with a universal goal: advancing early literacy throughout the community. Kathy Coleman, an expert coach for the fellowship, has worked in the OST field within Western Mass. for over 25 years, and specializes in STEM subjects and literacy development. She creates literacy strategies that support healthy and engaging learning, communication, and leadership skills for children. “My main goals are to offer support to OST leaders and educators to promote high quality, educational, and fun after school and summer programs,” said Coleman. “I assist leaders to create well-balanced plans that include fitness and health activities, hands-on STEM experiences, and music and art activities, while always imbedding literacy strategies into these plans and activities.” Although the program is currently being completed virtually, fellows attend remote sessions, regional meetings, and one-on-one coaching sessions to gain new tools and connect with one another. One fellow, Monica Crimmins, acknowledges the obstacles within remote training: “The OST staff have had to step up and take on new tasks during remote learning, they have struggled and succeeded, and had to deal with things that they have never had to deal with before.” Crimmins is the OST Program Administrator at Square One in Springfield, a nonprofit organization that provides early education, childcare, and family support services to the area. Although the fellowship is being conducted remotely, Crimmins was excited to immerse herself in the opportunity for growth, create connections, and now spread her skills by “reaching out to others, sharing guidance and getting her staff the appropriate training they need.” With a focus on the importance of collaborating with other educators in the area, the fellowship creates a network of those dedicated to similar goals: “I joined the fellowship because I wanted to be a part of the leaders that made a difference in our community,” said Esther Alicea, the Education Coordinator at Springfield Parks and Recreation. Alicea highlights the value of making connections within the area, sharing ideas, and exchanging leadership skills. Throughout the training, Alicea is collecting resources that enhance learning and strengthen the already important component of reading. She is hopeful that “we can establish a solid network of OST leaders in Springfield and are able to be used as resources in our community.” Another literacy leader within the community, Maureen Marchacos, is the Elementary Director at the Springfield Jewish Community Center. She has worked with the JCC for over 16 years, and watched it grow to now include three OST programs that serve around 220 children. She is eager to apply her new skills and experiences she made through “meeting everyone, hearing great ideas, growing as a professional, and beginning to make my program even better.” Marchacos is also applying the skills she acquired to a new goal: “I noticed the struggle of getting children excited and wanting to read. My aim is to create a bigger library, expose them to new forms of literature, and train my staff on the importance of broadening kids’ reading at young ages.” Through concrete leadership training, early literacy strategies, and new framework goals, the fellowship is pushing local educators to create the best possible learning environment for young children. David Feinstein, the Literacy Educator at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, detailed the unique opportunity to approach the literacy field from a place of new perspectives. He emphasized how connecting with local leaders “has reinforced just how central literacy and early childhood education is to the overall health and vitality of our communities.” “In my work designing and implementing family engagement projects, I’ve been able to pursue creative collaborations with our community partners in Springfield,” said Feinstein. “I decided to join the fellowship in order to deepen and expand my knowledge of the Pioneer Valley’s literacy landscape, to continue forging new relationships with fellow early childhood educators, to explore my potential as a local advocate and leader in the field of literacy and arts education.” As RS4G’s OST Fellowship has brought together local educators with a common goal, the community can flourish through their collaboration and learned skills. As instructors and families gain more knowledge and resources regarding early literacy, children can form academic passions and master the tools that will help them succeed. “One of my favorite writers, Joan Didion, writes that ‘we tell stories in order to survive.’ My involvement with the fellowship has continued to strengthen my belief in the power of stories to connect people and empower people to imagine a better, more equitable world,” said David Feinstein.