In the News

October 19, 2024

COVINGTON, Ky. – Starting this Friday, Covington kiddos can qualify for prize raffles by reading stories and playing learning games for 75 minutes each week. It’s all part of the annual Mayor’s Reading Challenge.

The challenge, now in its fifth year, runs Nov. 1 through Dec. 13. It is open to all Covington students in Pre-K through Grade 3 who are enrolled in the free bilingual apps offered through the City’s Read Ready Covington early childhood initiative. The apps are CleverKidsUniversity (for ages 3 to 5) and Footsteps2Brilliance (ages 5 to 8).

June 4, 2024

Footsteps2Brilliance proudly announces that CEO and co-founder Ilene Rosenthal has received the prestigious Distinguished Alumna Award from Wesleyan University. This honor recognizes Ilene’s remarkable contributions to education, innovative curriculum development, and dedication to enhancing academic success for all children.

February 5, 2024

In partnership with local PBS station KVCR and Footsteps2Brilliance, San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools has developed a one-of-a-kind transmedia project incorporating an educational children’s television show and digital follow up activities utilizing the Footsteps2Brilliance platform.

October 20, 2023

In partnership with the San Bernardino County superintendent of schools and Footsteps 2 Brilliance, “Learn with Me” is the first locally produced children’s series to debut on KVCR PBS.

Hosted by educational professionals and teachers in San Bernardino County, each half-hour episode is a combination of live action and animation, with the first half of the show recorded in English and the second half recorded in Spanish.

October 6, 2023

Learn with Me, a free bilingual educational children’s show, has hit the airwaves and web. San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS) in partnership with KVCR and Footsteps2Brilliance developed Learn with Me, the one-of-a-kind transmedia project merging television and digital media together in both English and Spanish.

Sept 27, 2023

The academic growth could be credited to a series of classroom interventions implemented during the 2022-23 school year including hiring more teachers on special assignments meant to focus on early literacy, implementing two programs — PAF, a program meant to help with spelling, reading and handwriting, and Footsteps2Brilliance, a bilingual early literacy program — and more closely reviewing student performance data.

May 22, 2023

United Way of North Central Massachusetts (UWNCM) recently recognized local student winners of their annual Winter Reading Challenge.
Three students and one classroom received awards for the challenge, which encouraged students in pre-K to 3rd grade to complete literacy activities over the 2022-23 school winter break.

April 12, 2023

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced a partnership with Footsteps2Brilliance, an early literacy and biliteracy solution, that will provide California children and families free access to interactive digital eBooks, songs, and games in English and Spanish. This partnership is part of Superintendent Thurmond’s Statewide Literacy Campaign to help all California students reach the goal of literacy by third grade by the year 2026.

Nov 22 2022

COVINGTON, Ky. – ’Tis the season for young readers and pre-readers in The Cov to accept the mission at hand: the annual Mayor’s Holiday Reading Challenge began Monday with a whole lot of prizes at stake.

The challenge runs until Dec. 31 and is open to all Covington children Pre-K through Grade 3 who are enrolled in the free bilingual apps offered through the Read Ready Covington early childhood literacy initiative: CleverKidsUniversity (ages 3 to 5) and Footsteps2Brilliance (ages 5 to 8).

Nov 2 2022

“Read Ready Kentucky” launched this month under the leadership of Miss Kentucky 2022 Hannah Edelen, a former middle school teacher for Covington Independent Public Schools, one of the most impoverished school systems in the state.

Apr 30th, 2020

"There is something unique going on in Covington, something that could matter greatly to the future of the whole city. It is still too soon to know if it will work.
By now some of us have heard that the capacity to read well, a critical component to school success, is primarily built in the early years of a child’s life. Children who are frequently read to, talked with and sung to normally begin school poised for school success. The problem is that this understanding of brain development is a relatively new thing. It has not permeated the parenting practices of all families. In short, loving parents who may not have been reared with a lot of books and conversation may still be rearing their children as they were. But the world has changed. Most of the opportunities for a better life require more than a high school degree and therefore higher reading skills."

Sep 15, 2022
"The district is also doubling down on its support programs by adopting the Footsteps2Brilliance program this February, which helps students develop their listening skills and the ST Math program in the 2021-22 school year. Ochoa also noted the district has seen strong improvements after implementing Math Boost, a tutoring program that provided an hour of instruction three days a week for four weeks to students who were not meeting math standards."

July 28, 2022
Hempstead TX families now have free access to a proven interactive literacy program thanks to a new partnership between Hempstead ISD and Footsteps2Brilliance.

Early learners and their families in Hempstead, TX now have free access to a proven, interactive literacy program at their fingertips as a result of a new partnership between Hempstead Independent School District and Footsteps2Brilliance.

July 28, 2022
Along with strengthening students’ language development, the program’s academic and enrichment program focuses on lessons in literacy, physical education, technology and STEAM. To enhance learning, the program also incorporates the required summer reading books, as well as the district’s online platforms such as Footsteps2Brilliance.

June 9, 2022
FITCHBURG — United Way of Central Massachusetts has recognized local students and their dedication to reading as part of its 2021-2022 Winter Reading Challenge.

In collaboration with the Early Literacy Innovation Zone of North Central Massachusetts, the challenge is meant to encourage younger students to read during their winter break, according to a recent press release. In the most recent challenge, which took place from Dec. 20 to Jan. 20, students read 6,976 books.

June 2, 2022
San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS) Ted Alejandre was awarded State Superintendent of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA).

May 24, 2022
In support of Literacy by 5th Grade Initiative, students respond with investment in their own literacy, as top readers in Desert Center Unified School District earn prizes of iPad tablets ahead of the next challenge.

April 14, 2022
For districts struggling with how to implement California’s new mandate for transitional kindergarten expansion, there’s good news. Footsteps2Brilliance has been working in this area with Counties and Districts throughout California and getting extraordinary results.

April 15, 2022

The district would like to take a moment to recognize our top 3 schools that read the most hours and most books during our first Spring Break Challenge!

LAUREL ELEMENTARY
SAN MATEO PARK ELEMENTARY
LEAD ELEMENTARY

March 25,2022
"Starting on the National Read Across America Day, students up to 5th Grade are being challenged to read three million words in an effort to win one of five Amazon Kindle devices.
Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edwin Gomez, as part of the ongoing Literacy by 5th Grade Initiative, issued the challenge that will coincide with the annual National Read Across America activities.”

March 8,2022
As Andrew Hernandez looks through one of the three books he’s recently created, the budding author pauses for a moment to think about the accomplishment.
“I feel proud,” Hernandez, a third-grade student at Dunn Elementary School in the Rialto Unified School District, responded. “I feel like not giving up. I feel like I’m going to be a smart kid!”

February 2022
For students, becoming proficient readers and writers is the key to academic success. Reading is the skill through which students access much of the educational content. Writing is how students demonstrate knowledge and express ideas—essential acts of participation in an academic community. For these reasons, effective early literacy development is critical for all children. Too often, however, a one-size-fits-all approach leaves some children behind. Too often, children who enter U.S. schools are not provided the instruction designed to address their needs, so they fail to develop essential literacy skills.

February 16, 2022
More than 1 in 3 children in kindergarten through grade 3 have little chance of reading on grade level by the end of the school year without major and systemic interventions.

D.C., WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES, February 15, 2022
Teachers using Footsteps2Brilliance are now able to identify each student’s areas of difficulty and assign targeted digital lessons to accelerate learning.

Riverside, Calif., January 26, 2022
From pre-reading activities and read-to-you stories to alphabet recognition songs and grammar rules games, the youngest learners in Riverside County now have interactive, new tools right at their fingertips, to boost their early learning and love of reading as a result of a new partnership between the Riverside County Office of Education and Footsteps2Brilliance.

January 4, 2022

'K12 students have lost up to 19 weeks in instructional learning progress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students of color and students in high-poverty schools have lost the most ground academically. Schools must find ways to provide supplemental instruction to help students make up for lost time. '

November 27, 2021

'This year’s challenge runs until Dec. 31. It’s open to all Covington children Pre-K through third grade who are enrolled in the CleverKidsUniversity (ages 2 to 5) and Footsteps2Brilliance (ages 5 to 8) bilingual apps. The challenge is offered through Read Ready Covington, or RRC.'

November 5, 2021

'LEE COUNTY, Ala. (WRBL) – Prosecutors with the Lee County District Attorney’s Office say when discussing crime prevention strategies, fostering a love of reading and learning ranks at the very top. Now, Lee County District Attorney’s and Tuscaloosa prosecutors are hoping you can help them provide a priceless opportunity for Alabama’s kids this Iron Bowl season.'

November 3, 2021

"Superintendents across the state including Michael West, Colusa County superintendent of schools for the Colusa County Office of Education (CCOE), discussed the statewide early literacy campaign, bilingual literacy model, universal transitional kindergarten and the use of technology and social media to engage parents and children. "

September 17, 2021

"MIDDLETOWN — Despite abnormal learning conditions during the pandemic, new data reveals that literacy skills among Middletown Public Schools students increased drastically over the last year.

Based on results from the standardized Achievement Improvement Monitoring System, known as AIMSweb, assessment and data compiled by the application Footsteps2Brilliance, city students increased their literacy skills by 175 percent between the fall of 2020 and this spring."

September 7, 2021

During the reading drive, which ran from June 1 through July 31, 2021, students from across the county were challenged to collectively read 10 million words and individually read 100 thousand words using Footsteps2Brilliance. The district announced that “students across the county read an amazing 9,224,796 words.”

July 6, 2021
As the pandemic took hold, more than 1 million children did not enroll in local schools. Many of them were the most vulnerable: 5-year-olds in low-income neighborhoods.

Dana Goldstein and Alicia Parlapiano

July 6, 2021
Washington D.C. – The Footsteps2Brilliance and Clever Kids University programs (Footsteps2Brilliance) have been approved by the Florida Department of Education as a provider of early learning solutions. Footsteps2Brilliance offers a powerful bilingual English and Spanish preschool curriculum designed to improve classroom instruction, engage parents, and prepare early learners for kindergarten. Data shows that students who use Footsteps2Brilliance just 15 minutes a day meet or exceed Florida benchmarks.

June 15, 2021
Fourth graders and cousins Yarielis Pujols and Guillermo Escobar Pujols and fifth grader Erika Matos Batista each wrote an informational book, which were published by Swan Hope Press co-creators Sally Cragin and Kathryn Swantee and printed at Minuteman Press. Yarielis and Guillermo’s books focus on alligators, while Erika’s is titled “Billy the Beaver.”

June 7, 2021
Fitchburg, Massachusetts – COVID-19 has highlighted that our youngest learners are most impacted when traditional in-person education is not possible. Without a high-quality early education, children are 25% more likely to drop out of school, 40% more likely to become a teen parent, 50% more likely to be placed in special education, 60% more likely to never attend college, and 70% more likely to be
arrested for a violent crime.

Mayor Joe Meyer of Covington, Kentucky and his team have implemented an innovative approach to Early Literacy. Read Ready Covington is a city-wide coalition that engages all sectors of the community in maximizing early literacy efforts. Their coalition recognizes Footsteps2Brilliance as a vital component in its collective impact approach.

“It’s just stunning how engaged these students were in improving their reading skills,” Mayor Joe Meyer said. “This is exactly the energy that Read Ready Covington is striving to foster.”

Those five students recently were recognized as Grand Prize winners for their grade level, based on the amount of time they spent on the literacy apps and the number of books and skill-building exercises they completed.

“Having this program that can reach every student in our community expands literacy efforts and helps build a strong reading foundation for all our children,” Baur said. “The collaborative effort with OPS and our community funding partners of the Public Life Foundation, the Young Foundation, and the Hager Educational Fund shows how important this project is to both OPS and our community.”

Since the inception of the implementation, Footsteps2Brilliance has added a pair of robust, early learning-centered apps called Clever Kids University focusing on the essential foundational skills that 3- to 4-year-olds need to be successful in Kindergarten and for Kindergarten children to strengthen early reading skills.

Colusa County Office of Education Children’s Services full-day and part-day programs are now implementing a variety of learning experiences beyond interactions with a screen. Carefully organized learning environments include in-class instruction and virtual learning that inspire children ages zero to five years old to be creative and engaged. These innovative early care and education programs continue to promote children’s social and emotional development and build upon school readiness...

The City of Covington, Kentucky is hosting a Thanksgiving/Christmas reading contest for young students and awarding the 5 top readers on the Footsteps2Brilliance and Clever Kids University apps $500.00. Covington has partnered with Footsteps2Brilliance for over 4 years, and we couldn’t be more proud of them!

The Colusa County Office of Education’s Innovative Approaches to Literacy Department will be hosting a series of book giveaways in October as part of their “And Literacy for All” initiative.

According to a release issued by the Office of Education, the IAL department currently receives funding from a federal grant - provided by the Department of Education - to promote bilingual reading and writing skills to all Colusa County residents, while utilizing mobile technology through the Footsteps2Brilliance program.

During the 2019-20 school year, children in San Benito County read 411,551 books and totaling 143,077,973 words using the Footsteps2Brilliance program.

The Education Foundation of Osceola County and Osceola Reads, a countywide literacy initiative that offers the free Footsteps2Brilliance reading app, as well as tips for parents to help prepare their children for kindergarten, are working together to make sure our kiddos stay on track for Kindergarten by becoming successful readers at an early age.

The San Benito County Office of Education issued a June 10 press release regarding its Spring Footsteps 2 Brilliance Top 10 Readers in San Benito County. According to the release, the students read a combined total of 3,266,602 words.

The Napa County Office of Education, in partnership with NapaLearns, is offering Footsteps2Brilliance—a free digital early literacy program for children of preschool age through third grade who live in Napa County.

With schools ending for the summer, many parents are concerned about maintaining the educational progress of their young children. Amidst the current crisis, San Bernardino County is urging residents with young children to take advantage of “Footsteps2Brilliance,” a comprehensive early literacy app for children.

The recently signed Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act designates billions of dollars in stimulus funds for educational purposes, including money that can be allocated to both education technology and student mental health services. States can also apply for flexibility when using parts of existing Title funds to enhance distance learning capabilities.

Former Deputy Secretary of USED finds Clever Kid University is a hit with her grandson

Parents with young children have discovered how challenging it can be to keep them occupied — let alone continuing to learn — when they can’t go to school, see their friends or even go outside to play games. They also worry that the lack of classroom time could negatively affect their kids’ educational progress.Recognizing these challenges, Phalos Haire, Director of County Preschool Services, is strongly urging parents to take advantage of Footsteps2Brilliance^®, a comprehensive early literacy app that helps children become proficient readers by third grade.

While the world is frantically looking for a Corona Virus vaccine, Footsteps2Brilliance is closing the education gap with a bilingual, fully interactive, Virtual Summer School for Pre-K to 3rd grade students.

"Mayor Joe Meyer is serious about early literacy. He is making a serious difference in Covington, Ky by providing Footsteps2Brilliance and Clever Kids University to all students, teachers, and families in his city.”

Ilene Rosenthal, CEO of Footsteps2Brilliance, was named one of the 25 most influential women in the DC area by Women Leadership Magazine. You can read her interview here.

Five years after implementing Footsteps2Brilliance community-wide, Osceola’s kindergarten readiness assessment rose from 13% to 47%.

Hendry County School District has partnered with Footsteps2Brilliance to bring a transformative, community-wide initiative to all families throughout our county.

Digital books may have a few advantages over ordinary ones when it comes to kids remembering their contents, according to a new study. Animations, especially ones keyed to verbal interactions, can significantly improve recall of story details — but they have to be done right.

In Middletown, there’s a new program that is teaching children even before they officially become students.

“We made it a priority here in Middletown to ensure that every single 4-year-old is kindergarten ready,” said Superintendent of Schools Michael Conner...

The Osceola Reads program, a countywide literacy initiative that offers the Footsteps2Brilliance reading app to all Osceola County children at no cost, has installed new technology stations in Kissimmee and St. Cloud...

The Osceola Reads initiative is sponsored by the School District of Osceola County, Education Foundation of Osceola County, Osceola County BOCC, and the cities of Kissimmee and St. Cloud.

Rally Round Reading is a mobile app, powered by Footsteps2Brilliance, designed to promote early childhood literacy. GISD is providing this research-based, high quality, online reading program that offers both English and Spanish stories for ALL children in Greenville, ages birth to third grade.

It is GISD’s goal to promote early childhood literacy and expand awareness of the app to all children from birth to grade 3 throughout the City of Greenville.

The event was in support of San Bernardino County's Vision2Read Initiative, which looks to promote early literacy and support all children from cradle to career. As part of the Vision2Read Initiative and Footsteps2Brilliance early literacy program, there has been a reading challenge for children to have more than 5 million words read this summer.

Enter Osceola Reads, which encourages reading early and often in an attempt to increase the literacy rate throughout Osceola County, a place where about half of kindergarten students are prepared for their first day of school.

Exposing children to reading by age three can help raise that number, and Osceola Reads is reaching out to do that by partnering since February 2016 with the School District of Osceola County, the Education Foundation, the Early Learning Coalition and the local city and county government.

Young children who spend more time learning about the relationship between letters and sounds are better at counting, calculating, and recognizing numbers, a new study has found.

"Our nation is facing a crisis in early literacy: fully two-thirds of U.S. fourth graders are not reading proficiently, national assessments show. The numbers are even more dire for students from low-income families: 80 percent of them haven’t reached proficiency"

August 21, 2018

"A new study suggests that the disproportionate placement of racial minorities into special education for learning disabilities is largely because of social inequities outside of schools rather than racially biased educators."

"Get them while they're young: A baby forms 700 new neural connections per second."
A new study suggests that the disproportionate placement of racial minorities into special education for learning disabilities is largely because of social inequities outside of schools rather than racially biased educators.

June 19, 2019

"Children in four Napa County preschool programs celebrated a milestone this month: 1 million words read during the school year.

Using an early literacy app, Footsteps2Brilliance (F2B), students in four preschools run by the Napa County Office of Education read over a million words in and outside the classroom."

June 12, 2019

"This program will lead to students entering the K-12 school system with an opportunity to be more prepared and achieve success earlier on their educational journey.

Michael West
Colusa County Superintendent

May 3, 2019

Professor Heckman’s newest research looks at the life outcomes of Perry Preschool participants at midlife, as well as the outcomes of their own children. After putting the data through a series of rigorous tests, Heckman and his co-author find that the original participants of the program had significant gains in personal and family life outcomes that provided their children with positive second-generation effects on education, health, employment and civic life. Early childhood education resulted in stronger families and significantly contributed to upward mobility in the next generation—an indication that early childhood education can be an effective way to break the cycle of poverty.

May 3, 2019

Footsteps2Brilliance, Inc. is proud to announce national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

“We are delighted to become part of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. Our country is strongest when it ensures that all members of the society are included in economic growth. Women bring a unique and important perspective to the business world”, said Ilene Rosenthal, CEO, Footsteps2Brilliance, Inc.

April 2, 2019

In Florida, we spend less than $3,000 a year to educate a child in pre-K, but more than $50,000 a year to incarcerate a juvenile. This sobering statistic has gotten the attention of 101 Mayors across the state representing small and large communities and all political stripes. ...

April 2, 2019

Congratulations to Pomona USD for receiving the prestigious 2019 Magna Award from the National School Board Association. This award honors them for their commitment to breaking down barriers to learning and creating equity in education. Pomona USD was recognized for their partnership with Footsteps2Brilliance whereby they are accelerating literacy for all children within their community.

January 17, 2019

"Now, district leaders hope to increase its use of the Footsteps2Brilliance literacy app among families with children 4 years of age and younger - a target market that is crucial to the goal of developing early literacy skills among youngsters before they walk through the classroom door.

Overall, use of the digital app has exceeded expectations.

Superintendent Randy Fillpot in November issued a challenge for eight million words to be read by March 1.

“We hit that goal about a month later, so we reset it to 16 million words by March 1,” Fillpot told Mattos Newspapers. Now, with the word count standing at more than 14 million, he said, “it looks like we will hit the new goal of 16 million words by the end of this month."

December 4, 2018

"Seven years later, Rosenthal’s company, Footsteps2Brilliance, is reimagining early literacy education on a national scale. She and her colleagues have produced engaging reading games for young children that work on all devices—mobile, laptop, or desktop, Android, PC, or Mac—so that kids can learn at home, in school, in the library, even in the car."

November 12, 2018

"The Middletown school district on Tuesday is beginning a new early childhood education program that is expected to reduce the achievement gap in the city by ensuring more students are prepared to begin kindergarten.

The district has enrolled in the Footsteps2Brilliance pre-K program that uses mobile software to prepare 3- and 4-year-olds for school."

October 11, 2018

"The district will host a national literacy summit and press conference Wednesday, Nov. 7, at West Side Theatre to formally roll out its School Ready Initiative, which includes a digital literacy platform available free of charge to the community.

That program, Footsteps2Brilliance, is an early learning program which may be accessed through smartphones, tablets and computers and is available in English and Spanish."

"when classroom activities are pleasurable, the brain releases dopamine, a neu­rotransmitter that stimulates the mem­ory centers and promotes the release of acetylcholinem, which increases focused attention. "

May 8, 2018

"The program has resulted in more than 65,000 books read, 88,000 literacy games played and nearly 19 million words read through the Footsteps2Brilliance mobile app that the district licensed last fall as a reading support tool for its elementary schools. The district also provides access to this mobile app free to all families in Eagle County through the district's website."

May 3, 2018

OkeeReads, a free community-wide learning program, includes the Footsteps2Brilliance app which will get instructional materials into the hands of the students much earlier, he said. The materials are geared to children age pre-school through second grade. The goal is for all of the children to be at grade level when they enter third grade.

January 31, 2018

Watsonville, CA – January 31, 2018 – . Dr. Michelle Rodriguez is proud to announce that the District successfully read 9,959,810 of the 10 Million Words reading challenge that ended on January 17, 2018 using Paso, Creciendo Juntos, Step by Step, Growing Together, an app promoting early literacy in English and Spanish. The 10 Million Word Challenge was 5 times the originally established challenge of 2 million words, which was reached soon after the challenge was announced mid-September.

January 26, 2018

Pajaro Valley Unified School District partners with Watsonville City and local internet providers to put free wifi in the Watsonville Plaza to increase access to Footsteps2Brilliance for families without internet. PVUSD Director of Technology Services Tim Landeck said the service is a way to help students bridge the “homework gap. Many PVUSD families don’t have a reliable internet connection in the home which limits students’ access to 21st century learning,” he said. “Free, reliable wireless access in the Watsonville Plaza will assist students and their families who live close to downtown with easier access to online resources including the #footsteps2brilliance early literacy resource recently rolled out by PVUSD for the community.” Footsteps2Brilliance applauds Superintendent Rodriguez for her visionary leadership and inclusive approach to support every child and their success.

January 25, 2018

"The Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District rolled out its new literacy app - Foosteps2Brilliance - before an enthusiastic audience Thursday evening.

“I think this is a good fit for the community,” Superintendent Randy Fillpot said of the program. “I think it has the potential to be a game-changer for our district.”

While Footsteps2Brilliance is available to children and adults alike, the district is focusing on putting the program in the hands of young children as part of a school readiness initiative and on honing the literacy skills of early-elementary students."

January 11, 2018

"NEWMAN - The Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District has launched an initiative aimed at better preparing young children for their school years and
strengthening the literacy skills of those already enrolled in the lower elementary grades.
A digital literacy program, Footsteps2Brilliance, has been implemented in grades TK-3 across the district. The program is being offered free of charge to every
family in the district, regardless of whether they have students enrolled.
The district will host a Jan. 18 School Ready Initiative meeting for community leaders and residents interested in learning more about the program and/or
serving as advocates for literacy in the community by promoting the use of Footsteps2Brilliance."

December 12, 2017

"Elementary school students across San Benito County were challenged by the San Benito County Office of Education to read 3 million words over the summer. Together they surpassed their goal reading 6,451,127 words, equating to 18,338 books."

December 3, 2017

Through this initiative, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) is partnering for five years with Footsteps2Brilliance, Inc., the creators of
this innovative early learning mobile technology platform that enables PVUSD to provide — free of charge — libraries of eBooks, educational games and activities, and creative writing opportunities to every family with children birth through 3rd grade who reside within the communities of Aptos, Pajaro, and Watsonville.

December 4, 2017

"On Monday, the Pajaro Valley UniFed School District announced the app will be available for students and families within the district for free. The app, branded locally as “Paso a Paso, Creciendo Juntos,” or Step by Step, Growing Together, was created for children as young as 9 months and up through third grade. It provides more than 1,000 eBooks in English and Spanish, educational games and activities, and creative writing opportunities on devices such as smartphones, tablets and computers."

November 13, 2017

"The Osceola Reads literacy initiative will host the free family event, Osceola Reads Reading Fest 2017, Saturday, Nov. 18, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Kissimmee Lakefront Park. Families with children ages 2 through 5 are invited to bring smart devices to practice reading using Footsteps2Brilliance, compete in reading-themed yard games and enter for a chance to win an Amazon Fire tablet."

November 15, 2017

"From Mineola Union Free School District: (http://www.mineola.k12.ny.us/) In a press conference on Nov. 14, the Mineola Union Free School District announced that it would accept the Read2Succeed Communitywide Early Literacy Initiative 9 Million Word Challenge. The challenge is open to all students within the Mineola community, including those who are not yet school age, and aims at improving early literacy skills"

September 24, 2017

"In the Early Learning Initiative, children sponsored by the NVV are fortunate to attend high-quality preschools operated by the Napa County Office of Education at Napa Junction, Shearer, and Phillips Elementary Schools. More than 400 children in 23 public preschool classes across Napa County are learning rich vocabulary on a daily basis through collaborative play, teacher-led discussions, and an award-winning app called “Footsteps2Brilliance,” which exposes preschoolers to stories and games in English and Spanish."

May 25, 2017

"“At that moment, it occurred to me he was going to go to kindergarten with kids who didn’t speak English,” she tells The 74. “That disparity was daunting, but it was more of an observation that gnawed at me.”
Two decades later, Nemko was able to turn that observation into action, partnering with Ilene Rosenthal, CEO of Footsteps2Brilliance, to bring a version of digital early learning literacy to students in Napa County."

September 12, 2017

PVUSD Gives the Gift of Reading to the Community through Paso a Paso, Creciendo Juntos, Step by Step, Growing Together Early Literacy Initiative

Superintendent Dr. Michelle Rodriguez is thrilled to introduce Footsteps 2 Brilliance (F2B) and to invite its entire community to be a part of this early literacy initiative. On Sunday, September 17, PVUSD will be participating at the City of Watsonville Fiestas Patrias event where we will be introducing Paso a Paso, Creciendo Juntos/Step by Step, Growing Together (Paso a Paso), the District’s efforts to ensure our students are reading at grade level by 3rd grade

August 31, 2017

"The Footsteps2Brilliance program is used by school districts across California with very positive results, particularly for families who speak Spanish in the home as the entire F2B program can switch from English to Spanish with the touch of one button, allowing students to develop biliteracy skills. We anticipate positive results from our students' interaction with F2B over the coming months"

August 5, 2017

"The San Benito County Office of Education embarked on a 3-million-word challenge at its Literacy Summit in May when it kicked off the Footsteps2Brilliance program. This summer, it has far surpassed that goal, with 15,622 books read through Aug. 5 — nearly 5.6 million words.

"The purpose of the 3-million-word challenge was to work with our families to ensure our kids across the county continued to read during the summer. Literacy is arguably the most crucial factor in determining whether a student will succeed in school and beyond," County Superintendent of Schools Krystal Lomanto told BenitoLink."

JUNE 26, 2017

"The Center for Digital Education 2017 Digital Content and Curriculum Achievement Awards recognized the ground-breaking work by small, medium and large school districts. Dr. Barbara Nemko, Superintendent of Napa County, received one of these coveted awards for her DEL (Digital Early Literacy) program. Core to this program is the Footsteps2Brilliance mobile early literacy apps."

June 29, 2017

"Through the Fitchburg Flourishes initiative, Ravenelle has challenged Fitchburg students to read three million words by Sept. 1, 2017, using the free Footsteps2Brilliance app. Kelly will demonstrate the app for families with visual, hands-on tech activities during the party.

With students having read almost 2.5 million words so far, Ravenelle recently joked at a School Committee meeting that he may need to raise the bar."

April 26, 2017

"Rialto Unified School District wants to build a community of readers and lifelong learners, and now, there’s an app for that.

The district, in partnership with Washington D.C.-based literacy company Footsteps2Brilliance, unveiled a new bilingual English and Spanish Early Literacy Initiative Tuesday morning at Garcia Elementary..."

April 7, 2017

"The City of Thomasville set to launch their new early literacy initiative helping provide easier access to educational tools for area kids.

Through Thomasville City Schools, 'Footsteps2Brilliance' aims to create equity and opportunity to address the 30 million word gap that 45% of high poverty children entering school have as compared to their more affluent peers."

April 5, 2017

"This transformative literacy effort supports the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Students. Through this initiative, the San Benito County Office of Education (SBCOE) has partnered with Footsteps2Brilliance, Inc., the creators of an early learning mobile technology platform that enables San Benito County to provide – free of charge – libraries of eBooks, educational games and activities, and creative writing opportunities to every family with 0- to 5-year-olds and Pre-K through third grade students who reside within San Benito County."

March 23, 2017

"The program began as a pilot with 16 English learners and is based on an app called “Footsteps2Brilliance,” which is a tool that teaches children vocabulary sounds, letters and words through interactive books, songs and games that are available in Spanish and English on the app. The app was developed through Footsteps2Brilliance, Inc., an early-learning technology company located in Washington D.C. Napa County provides the app free to anyone with a Napa County zip code through a partnership with Napa Learns, an education nonprofit organization."

March 1, 2017

"After one year of being able to log into a free reading and phonics application, more Osceola County kindergartners are starting their school careers at the starting line, rather than far behind it. That was the report from Osceola Reads, which has partnered with the School District of Osceola to bring Footsteps2Brilliance, a mobile literacy app geared for pre-kindergarten through third-grade students."

February 21, 2017

"The result was a new initiative, Osceola Reads, and its mobile literacy app, Footsteps2Brilliance, geared for pre-kindergarten through third-grade students.

Thanks to the app, this year 33 percent of Osceola kindergarten students were prepared for their first day, showing early success for the five-year reading initiative aimed to increase the literacy rate throughout the county."

February 9, 2017

"Boykins-Everett presented Footsteps2Brilliance to Thomasville City Council members, pointing out the program's status of being the first in the state will focus attention on the city."

January 31, 2017

"The Donald A. Quarles Early Childhood Center introduced a new literacy program to parents on Monday, which helps children learn to read with a computer application and games."

January 4, 2017

"It often takes us a day to do one page in a Footsteps2brillance book and most books take weeks to work through, but it is so worth it. Students are thriving. They are engaged in their learning and learning to read at a much faster rate. This is because skills are intertwined and revelant, and they are interested and engaged. They are thinking interactive little people and no longer “my pupils”. I can never go back to older methods of teaching after seeing where the technology road has led me."

Kathy Jacoby

December 16, 2016

"Footsteps2Brilliance is designed to combat the “word gap,” she said. Studies indicate children who aren’t read to when young can develop as much as a 30 million word gap in their vocabularies. And students who aren’t proficient readers by third grade generally face academic challenges as they move through school, and are more at risk for dropping out and failing to graduate high school."

December 21, 2016

"Only a few hundred preschool students in the city have access to a reading and vocabulary program aimed at closing the gap between low-income students and their more affluent peers, according to the district's top administrator. But several grants accepted by the School Committee Monday night will open up the program, Footsteps2Brilliance, to not only other students in the school district, but the community as a whole, said Fitchburg Schools Superintendent Andre Ravenelle on Tuesday."

December 10, 2016

"The Grayson County Board of Education heard a presentation Thursday evening concerning a new program which is designed to increase literacy in children from birth through the third grade.

Catherine DeRosa, Director of Curriculum & Implementation for Footsteps 2 Brilliance, made the presentation to the board, explaining that the program will be available to all children in Grayson County, not just those who are enrolled in schools in the county."

December 06, 2016

"The San Benito County Office of Education (SBCOE) announced that it is introducing the Footsteps2Brilliance literacy program across the county. Theprogram will allow families of children through third grade to access an array of interactive, fun and engaging ebooks, games, and activities with the goal that all students will be able to read at grade level by the third grade."

November 2nd, 2016

"Through the Rising Readers initiative, all Santa Clara families, whether or not they’re enrolled in the SCUSD...will have free access to this award winning Footsteps2Brilliance early learning app in English and in Spanish"

October 28th, 2016

"In a first-of-its-kind move in the Garden State, the Englewood Public School District is paying for an app that will get kids learning even before they’re old enough to enroll. The app, expected to launch in January, is being specially designed to line up with the material taught in Englewood schools. Anyone in town can download the app, free of charge, and their young children can have immediate access to activities that line up with the district’s curriculum, in English or Spanish languages."

October 21st, 2016

"The U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services today released a policy brief on the use of technology with early learners to help families and early educators implement active, meaningful and socially interactive learning. The brief includes a call to action for researchers and technology developers, highlighting topics for further research and encouraging the development of research-based products."

Thursday, October 27th, 2016

Anytime from 9 - 11 AM

"Pomona USD is hosting a Footsteps2Brilliance Kickoff Rally to get all early learners reading toward their goal of a half BILLION words!"

October 12th, 2016

"A smartphone and tablet app called Footsteps2Brilliance aims to narrow what education researchers call the 30 million word gap, and will be available for free to anyone in the city starting next year."

October 11th, 2016

"EPSD selected Footsteps2Brilliance, a literacy app for pre-K–3 grade students, as part of a city-wide initiative to boost literacy. Its bilingual curriculum contains more than 1,000 interactive books, songs and games, offered in English and Spanish."

September 26th, 2016

"Since formally introducing Footsteps2Brilliance, a literacy app for pre-kindergarten through third grade students, in February, more than 2,000 county families have registered.

The School District, Education Foundation Osceola, the cities of Kissimmee and St. Cloud and Osceola County joined forces to bring the application, which can be accessed through a traditional computer or any mobile device to parents and students-to-be to enforce reading and phonics to young children."

September 22nd, 2016

"The program’s impact was immediate and evident. Covington Independent Schools Assistant Superintendent Charlene Ball says that when they launched the program they set a goal for a million words to be read."

August 28, 2016

"But a study just out shows that the gap in school readiness between rich and poor children entering kindergarten closed significantly — by 10 to 16 percent — from 1998 to 2010. Some ethnic/racial achievement gaps declined as well."

May 26, 2016

"The roll-out – which took the program districtwide for the first time following a successful pilot program – was held at Pomona’s Lincoln Elementary School to introduce Footsteps2Brilliance, an early learning technology company based inWashington, D.C. The company’s “app” targets prekindergarten
through third grade but is available to everyone – even adults and adult English learners – to improve literacy skills."

May 16, 2016

"To address the inequity faced by impoverished immigrant children who grow up hearing 30 million fewer spoken words than their more affluent peers, the Napa County Office of Education piloted a multilingual interactive digital platform called Footsteps2Brilliance with preschool students, seeing English language skills increase by 250%."

May 04, 2016

"Pomona Unified is one of 12 school districts statewide to access the Footsteps2Brilliance Early Learning Literacy App for free. The app contains more than 1,000 children’s books, nursery rhymes, songs, educational games and other resources parents can use with their children from birth to second grade to develop literacy skills.

The materials in the app are particularly useful in helping low-income children develop vocabulary and other literacy skills."

April 24, 2016

"The program is the modern-day version of grandma’s lap — a grandma with an extensive library. Called the Early Learning Literacy App by Footsteps2Brilliance, it’s loaded with more than a 1,000 children’s books, nursery rhymes, songs, educational games and more.

Across the country, educators are recommending it, targeting low-income families who may speak 30 million fewer words to their children than affluent parents by age 3 — what they call the “30 million-word gap.”"

April 5, 2016

"The Napa County Office of Education innovative Digital Early Learning (DEL) program has received the 2016 “Partners in Educational Excellence Award” from the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA)."

March 31, 2016

"The school district will “flip the switch” for the program at a news conference scheduled for May 4 that will introduce the school district’s partner in the project, Footsteps2Brilliance, Inc., an early learning (pre-kindergarten through third grade) technology company based in Washington, D.C."

March 31, 2016

"Palmdale School District's Palmdale Promise: Early Learning Literacy Initiative seeks to have all children in the city reading at grade level by third grade with the aid of the citywide Footsteps2Brilliance reading program."

March 28, 2016

"Pomona Superintendent unveils proactive blueprint to facilitate early literacy for children throughout school district's entire service area. Pomona Unified School District (PUSD) is set to debut its Early Learning Literacy Innovation Summit on Wednesday, May 4, 2016 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Lincoln Elementary School
1200 North Gordon Street,
Pomona, CA 91766"

App aims to Improve Literacy at Frankfort Independent Schools

March 22, 2016

"The app is designed to keep families engaged in their child’s learning from any mobile device (Apple, Android, Kindle Fire) or traditional computer. Teachers in all Second Street School classes can track student progress through the application in order to tailor instruction to their individual needs."

"Literacy Emergency" Declared in Frankfort

March 22, 2016

"That’s why May and others joined Barber Tuesday to unveil a community-wide effort to better combat reading deficiencies through technology. Specifically, it’s an app called Footsteps2Brilliance that uses songs, animation and narratives to engage readers on SmartPhones, iPads and other mobile devices."

IBM, INCubatoredu, Footsteps2Brilliance, Join Office Depot to Create 21st Century Learning Environment

March 08, 2016

"At the conference, Office Depot, Inc. will present in the SXSWedu Playground, an exciting learning space built to fuel innovation and discovery, where attendees can explore everything from early literacy platforms to high-impact learning environments... Highlights of this experience include a personalized engagement platform for educators from IBM; early literacy mobile applications from Footsteps2Brilliance; high school entrepreneurship competitions designed by INCubatoredu; as well as makerspace student simulations, 3D printing, and more."

Parent Training for Footsteps2Brilliance: Jump start your child's literacy skills

March 13, 2016

"Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year all Newport children ages 3 to third grade will have an exciting opportunity to jumpstart their literacy skills. Footsteps2Brilliance is a mobile literacy technology that can be accessed using any smart phone, tablet, iPad or computer."

Fox35 Orlando: Literacy app helping local preschoolers learn how to read

March 10, 2016

"Because Footsteps2Brilliance is able to play the word in English and then switch to Spanish she was able to go back and forth and identify at her own level, at her own speed," stated Brown in reference to a student learning English.

Osceola School District Launches Free Mobile Pre-K App

March 2, 2016

"The School District, Education Foundation Osceola, the cities of Kissimmee and St. Cloud and Osceola County have joined forces to bring a new digital application to parents and students-to-be to enforce reading and phonics to young children."

Closing the 30 million word gap

February 22, 2016

"Five years ago, the Napa County Office of Education piloted the use of Footsteps2Brilliance, a digital platform for building early literacy skills, with a small group of preschool students. "

"I love what we've done"

February 11, 2016

"...when Luciano said she heard that one in seven children reaching school age weren’t prepared for kindergarten, the district acted and created Osceolareads.com, a portal to Footsteps2Brilliance, a literacy program geared for age 4 and under. "

Why Footsteps2Brilliance is Amazing

by Kathryn Jacoby
February 4, 2016

"People ask what is different about this program. What’s different is it works with any age. I have personally used it with 2 year olds up to 8 year olds; all of them love it. They use it at different levels with different understandings, but I have seen 3 year olds sounding out words after being on it for just a few months. Students love to do it. "

Footsteps2Brilliance Program a Hit!

January 25, 2016

"The Footsteps2Brilliance program engages students. They are excited to use the electronic tablets to perform the exercises and games and ultimately publish their own words. I see students accessing vocabulary and using it sooner and with more frequency and precision than before."

Kentucky School Boards Association: City schools taking Footsteps to literacy

January 24, 2016

"This is a really strong attempt to improve literacy before kids ever enter our schools. It's a really good opportunity. But it doesn't replace books or parents reading to their children."

Florida Education Matters: Accelerating Early Literacy in Osceola

January 5, 2016

"Literacy is the key to learning. Footsteps2Brilliance will provide a gateway for all of our Osceola County early learners, from cradle and beyond, to develop the skills and self confidence they need to succeed in kindergarten."

Superintendent Melba Luciano

Footsteps2Brilliance For Manassas City Elementary Schools

January 5, 2016

"At schools such as Jennie Dean Elementary, students attend preschool two days a week and continue their lessons at home with their parents with free bilingual mobile literacy software called Footsteps2Brilliance. "

Eliminating the Achievement Gap

December 2, 2015

Using a community-wide approach, an early childhood literacy program is helping all children, including underserved and ELL students, learn the language fundamentals needed to succeed in school.

California County Superintendents Educational Services Association's Spotlight on Footsteps2Brilliance ^® .

November 20, 2015

"The good news is that programs such as Footsteps2Brilliance at the Napa County Office of Education are helping bridge the divide..."

Footsteps2Brilliance Invited to White House to Celebrate Educational Excellence for Hispanics.

October 14, 2015

The White House has nationally recognized Footsteps2Brilliance for the work that it is doing to increase literacy for pre-k-K through 3rd grade students…

Buena Park School District Launches Citywide Literacy Initiative with Free E-books and Games

October 26, 2015

“The goal of the Model Innovation City Initiative is to promote reading efficiency by the third grade…"

Orange County 2nd District Supervisor Michelle Steel Extends a Certificate of Recognition

October 28, 2015

“In honor of your efforts to promote literacy…"

California Legislature Assemblywoman, 65th District, Young Kim Extends Certificate of Recognition

October 28, 2015

“In honor of your Model Innovation City kickoff…"

State of California 32nd District Senator Tony Mendoza Extends a Certificate of Recognition

October 28, 2015

"We thank you for your transformative literacy program and for ensuring…"

Orange County 4th District Supervisor Shawn Nelson Extends a Certificate of Recognition

October 28, 2015

“The fourth district congratulates you for developing innovative ways…"

United States Senator Dianne Feinstein Extends a Letter of Recognition

October 28, 2015

“As your United States Senator representing the State of California, I commend the Buena Park School District, Mayor Art Brown, Footsteps2Brilliance and Superintendent Greg Magnuson…"

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson Extends a Certificate of Recognition

October 28, 2015

“This transformative literacy effort, which is available in both English and Spanish, also supports the White House Initiative… "

United States Senator Barbara Boxer Extends a Letter of Recognition

October 28, 2015

“The bilingual eBooks and educational games provided by the Footsteps2Brilliance program…"

Buena Park School District Launches Model Innovation City

October 23, 2015

“This transformative literacy effort, which is available in both English and Spanish also supports the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence..."

Palmdale School District launches Footsteps2Brilliance

October 22, 2015

“Providing our entire community this cutting edge source of education is a top priority,” stated Maldonado..."

Osceola Superintendent Invited To White House For Footsteps2Brilliance Early Learning Initiative.

October 14, 2015

“Literacy is the key to learning," said Superintendent Melba Luciano. “Footsteps2Brilliance will provide a gateway for all of our Osceola County early learners, from cradle and beyond, to develop the skills and self-confidence they need to succeed in kindergarten..."

Manassas City, VA Public Schools and Footsteps2Brilliance want all children to read.

October 14, 2015

"Manassas City, VA pre-k students, parents, teachers and technology come together using the bilingual, Early Learning program Footsteps2Brilliance…"

Northern Kentucky School Districts Turn to Footsteps2Brilliance to Boost Early Learning

July 29, 2015

"For a long time educators have been attempting to start the process of learning for children earlier and earlier …"

Free online education program slated “Game Changer” in Clinton, OK

July 29, 2015

"This is the first city-wide offering of this award-winning program in the State of Oklahoma …"

Clinton School Official Calls Free Reading Software “Game Changer”

July 28, 2015

"District officials say that’s about to change with the purchase of Footsteps2Brilliance …"

VA District Turns to Blended Footsteps2Brilliance for Pre-School.

July 22, 2015

Arthur P. Bushnell, a school board member who lobbied for the program, said: "I believe this is the most innovative and exciting program we have ever brought to this city. It’s a program that impacts the entire city. It’s a program to change the lives of children."...

Footsteps2Brilliance^® Innovative Early Literacy Program Now Available for ALL Residents of Clinton, OK.

July 20, 2015

We feel that since the majority of parents own mobile devices, Footsteps2Brilliance® is an innovative way to reach parents through devices they already own and to connect school and home. …

Manassas City is out of space for preschool. Is software the solution?

June 30, 2015

We feel that since the majority of parents own mobile devices, Footsteps2Brilliance® is an innovative way to reach parents through devices they already own and to connect school and home. …

Manassas school chief Magouyrk is leading revolutionary, free, pre-K learning in English and Spanish for every child in city.

June 30, 2015

This goal is taking shape through a new partnership with Footsteps2Brilliance.…

US Senator Mark R. Warner extends his congratulations to Manassas City Public Schools and Footsteps2Brilliance.

May 27, 2015

"Educating the youth of America is both exciting and challenging. This event celebrates the start of a transformative program for pre-k age children... "

Governor Terence R. McAuliffe congratulates Manassas City Public Schools.

May 27, 2015

Children are the Commonwealth’s most important resource...

The City of Manassas Mayor Harry J. Parrish II recognizes Manassas City Public Schools and Footsteps2Brilliance.

May 27, 2015

The City Council extends its very best wishes for...

US Senator Tim Kaine recognizes Manassas City Public Schools and Footsteps2Brilliance.

May 27, 2015

I have always believed that investing in early childhood education...

Footsteps2Brilliance linking school, home and community

May 15, 2015

Newport ISD is looking to technology to get a jumpstart on early childhood education...

Newport School District Explores Innovative Mobile Program

May 15, 2015

The Newport Board of Education heard a presentation this week about a program called Footsteps2Brilliance…

Manassas City Public Schools, in Partnership with Footsteps2Brilliance^®, Creates Transformative Mobile Technology Model to Scale Its Pre-K Services Citywide

May 1, 2015

“It is the goal of Manassas City Public Schools to accelerate early learning, close the literacy achievement gap, and support our English Language Learners,” said Dr. Catherine Magouryk... "

Why you should let students have unlimited screen time.

April 23, 2015

“Misinformation and misunderstanding can be a problem when it comes to screen time... "

Literacy Lab’s Digital4Literacy Program, supported by Google.org In partnership with Footsteps2Brilliance® Learning App Demonstrates Success in Closing Early Literacy Gaps

March 31, 2015

"Literacy Lab’s early learning initiative is a transformative model for the United States. By using Footsteps2Brilliance’s interactive curriculum, Literacy Lab is cost-effectively providing parents with hundreds of eBooks and learning games while teaching them to become their children’s first teacher... "

We are overcoming the challenges of kinder-readiness with an out of the box solution!

March 31, 2015

"Experts and leaders in attendance at the Early Learning Initiative Meet Up. "

Technology Propels PreSchoolers Toward Literacy in Napa County

January 28, 2015

"Footsteps2Brilliance consists of illustrated and animated eBooks in English and Spanish, along with more than 200 education games and alphabet books. The program, provided by the Napa County Office of Education in partnership with NapaLearns, is a key part of the NCOE’s Digital Early Learning Program."

Footsteps2Brilliance is providing children with a running start on literacy

November 20, 2014

"Barbara G. Nemko, the superintendent of Napa County Schools, does her best to give kids a running start on literacy with the early learning platform Footsteps2Brilliance"