August 13, 2025
NATCHITOCHES – The International Paper Foundation presented a literacy grant of $1,000 to the Cradle to College service-learning initiative at Northwestern State University. Funds will be used to purchase materials for literacy bags that are given to families who need support in the Natchitoches area. The Cradle to College initiative provides youngsters and their families with literacy activities, resources and support so they can engage in reading and play activities at home. Dr. Michelle Fazio-Brunson spearheads the project that began as an intervention initiative aimed at bridging literacy gaps in early childhood, ultimately reducing incarceration rates in the State. Students and faculty in the School of Education collect, organize and distribute the literacy bags at no charge to recipients. The project has been an important component of the NSU student experience for over a decade. From left are Janna Maggio, M.Ed., Natchitoches Parish School Board Early Childhood coordinator and NSU Early Childhood adjunct instructor, and Fazio-Brunson, director of NSU Graduate Programs in Early Childhood Education. The IP Foundation has previously supported NSU’s College of Education and Human Development through grants that provide resources and support to students and faculty. For information on supporting Cradle to College, contact Brunson at faziom@nsula.edu.
