K is for Kids’ founding family writes next chapter in their mission to seek new and creative ways to uplift and inspire children through the joy of reading
K is for Kids, the Naples-based youth-driven volunteer-based organization dedicated to building readers and leaders, announced January 15th it had scaled back its operations and will no longer be serving as a nonprofit charity. This action was made possible, said founder and executive director Karen D. Clawson, since more organizations and businesses have over the years joined K is for Kids’ mission of giving books to children in need and teens more opportunities to apply their leadership skills outside of the classroom. Many of the foundation’s grantees were prepared for the transition and Karen said she will continue to guide educators and students to these alternative sources. Karen also said she will continue her personal mission to inspire young people to be creative thinkers and adventurous problem solvers through K is for Kids’ social media channels, volunteering, and public speaking.
“K is for Kids is and always has been an exciting volunteer labor of love for my two children, Erin and Patrick, and me,” said Karen. “We began planting the seeds for K is for Kids in 2001 when they were just youngsters attending Laurel Oak Elementary School, but roots really took hold a couple years later when we hosted the first Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser in our home. It was a really fun event, there were parents, neighbors, teachers and businesses, all coming together to help us collect books and the money to buy new books — some donated dozens and even hundreds! And, of course, kids pitched in too, often donating a beloved book from their own collection or from the local bookstore so another child could enjoy it.”
Erin Clawson and Patrick Clawson Jr. deliver books they helped collect for their family’s first Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser held in their home in 2002-03. The fun’raiser benefited the school library at Laurel Oak Elementary School where Erin was a third grade student and Patrick a first grader.
Over the years the number of students, educators and nonprofits asking Karen and her family if they could do a fun’raiser for them grew, so in 2007, Karen created K is for Kids to spread their efforts and answer the need.
Today, the Clawson family has given over 17 years of service to Collier County and the Southwest Florida community.
K is for Kids’ founding family – Karen Clawson, Patrick Clawson Jr. and Erin Clawson on the eve of Erin’s wedding, Dec. 21, 2018.
“Erin and Patrick are now grown, have graduated from college, and are pursuing Juris Doctor Degrees at Penn State Law,” said Karen, “while I am focusing on my lifelong passion for writing—and yes, that includes writing children’s books! I guess you can say that we’re literally and figuratively writing the next chapter of K is for Kids’ mission as we seek new and creative ways to uplift and inspire children and their families.” When asked for more details, Karen quipped, “I can’t give away the plot, so you’ll have to stay tuned!”
Although Karen has won multiple awards recognizing her as an innovative trailblazer in education — she was honored as one of the MAKERS–Women Who Make Southwest Florida by WGCU Public Media, Women of Initiative by the Community Foundation of Collier County, and Class of 25 Over 50 by the Naples Daily News — her passion shines brightest when she speaks about K is for Kids’ student leaders and spokespersons. “K is for Kids is unique in that teenagers serve as the energy and inspiration fueling our efforts. Their contributions to spreading the mission of K is for Kids and helping it help thousands of students within our community cannot be understated. These high performers learned all aspects of running a business, ways to communicate effectively with others, and what methods might be used to raise funds to support their programs. They put their heart and soul into our projects, and got to test their leadership skills at the same time.”
The list of the students achievements was long: Each year the young leaders gathered hundreds of children, residents and businesses together at K is for Kids’ annual Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raisers, which by that time was focusing on placing new books directly into the hands of children who needed them most. From book drives and book fairs, to Naples’ only student-organized charity event, the K is for Kids ‘From the Heart’ Teen Fashion Show; to K is for Kids’ Young Entrepreneur Scholarship Competition, or YES Comp, Karen said, “the students were so impassioned about helping children. And whether they served in ‘executive’ roles or as team leaders, chairpersons or committee members, volunteers or interns, it was their drive and dedication that powered K is for Kids’ remarkable growth and community outreach each year.”
Ali Martin and Erin Clawson, shown here in 2018, co-founded K is for Kids’ Teen Fashion Show while senior students at Gulf Coast High School 2011-12. The fashion show ran through 2017 and was remarkable in that it was Naples’ only charity fun’raiser organized by students. The event received widespread support and gathered hundreds of kids of all ages from across Collier and South Lee Counties to work together for a good cause. Proceeds from the show benefited K is for Kids Readers and Leaders program and helped place thousands of new books into the hands of children who needed them most.
“It’s so heartwarming to see the reading incentive programs we helped create continue to inspire so many children in the schools and organizations we served. And it still amazes me that K is for Kids was was able to help so many high schoolers earn their community service hours and that it was amongst the first to offer them full business internships! As a community, we can be proud of how we have helped thousands of children of all ages have new books to read and dreams to dream. We have made truly powerful impacts that will undoubtedly ripple out for generations to come.”
Karen also thanked all those who supported the foundation in her letter to stakeholders, “On behalf of all the students who helped make K is for Kids ‘for the kids, by the kids, and with the kids’, and those who continue to promote our cause, I offer our deepest gratitude to each one of you for being part of this amazing journey.”
*Editor’s Note: We updated the story when Patrick Clawson Jr. was accepted into Penn State Law School. His sister Erin will be in her third and final year when Patrick begins his studies.
Editor’s Update: Erin Clawson Zorn graduated magna cum laude from Penn State Law School, Class of 2020 and was inducted into the Woolsack Honor Society. In her second and third years, she served on Law Review, the last year as its managing editor. Erin is currently studying for the bar exam and then will be practicing corporate law. Patrick Clawson Jr. is entering his second year at Penn State Law and was accepted into Law Review. Their mom, Karen, is grateful for their blessings and looks forward to watching Erin and Patrick continue to make positive contributions in the community in which they study, live, work and serve.
Erin Clawson’s brother, Patrick Clawson Jr., took over leadership of K is for Kids’ Teen Fashion show after she graduated from high school and entered college. A junior student at Gulf Coast High School, he is shown here with event co-chairs Marina Moussa, a student at Florida Gulf Coast University, and Jessica Cedarquist, a student at Barron Collier High School.
Student leaders continued to carry the torch and raise the bar for the annual K is for Kids ‘From the Heart’ Teen Fashion Show after Erin and Patrick Clawson entered college. The students serve as co-chairs and event organizers guided by their two mentors (back row, far left) K is for Kids Founder and Executive Director Karen Clawson, and at far right Kelly Wilson, K is for Kids education partner and Barron Collier High School Business Teacher. Student leaders in back row: Florida Gulf Coast University Intern Oscar Santiago Torres, Co-Chair Tyler (Max) Schult, a senior student at Barron Collier High School; Co-Chair Nedgie Paul, a senior student at Palmetto Ridge High School; Co-Chair Hadrien Roy, a senior at Barron Collier High School; Co-Chair Rose Gelin, Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology; Team Leader, Book Drive, Sandra Lovos, a senior student at Palmetto Ridge High School; and FGCU Intern Kamilah Van. At front: Social Media Team Leaders Alexandra Barker, a senior student at Gulf Coast High School, and Cameryn Anthony, a junior student at Gulf Coast High School.
Pictured above and below: K is for Kids’ student leaders organize and run all aspects of K is for Kids’ teen fashion show, including writing the feature story and shooting photographs and videos for the Naples Daily News.
Top student leaders and spokesperson Jose Chang was the co-chair of the 6th Annual K is for Kids Teen Fashion Show. Here he is shown with the other top leaders.
K is for Kids Young Entrepreneurs 2018: Lely High School 11th grade students Crew Dupes, Katharine Spina and Guilline Andre won 1st place and a $1,000 scholarship for their company Protec-Pills at the 5th Annual K is for Kids Young Entrepreneur Scholarship Competition (popularly called the YES Comp) held in May at Barron Collier High School. (Photo by: Abby Villagomez/Florida Gulf Coast University)
Each school year, media specialists took time away from their busy weekends to shop for new books for their school’s top readers at K is for Kids Book Warehouse. Here Miffy Ruggiero from Lely Elementary School shows some of the new books she selected to give to students through K is for Kids Holiday Book Awards program. Popular new books were donated by the community through Barnes & Noble Holiday Book Drive and with more donated through the foundation’s student-led Family & Friends Book Drive. (Pictured in the banner are K is for Kids’ students leaders, at top, Nick Nolan, now a graduate of Florida State University; Mario Chang, now a graduate of University of Florida; Patrick Clawson Jr., now a graduate of University of Florida; and Nedgie Paul, a senior student at Florida State University; and at bottom, Ali Martin, now a graduate of University of Central Florida; and Erin Clawson, a graduate of Missouri University of Science & Technology who is now a student at Penn State Law.)
Reading leaders at Laurel Oak Elementary School receive K is for Kids Rising Reader Book Awards at the end of the school year 2015. In back row, at center, K is for Kids’ Founder and Executive Director Karen Clawson and K is for Kids’ Student Co-Founders, Erin Clawson and Patrick Clawson Jr. jon Principal Marilou Andrew, at far left, and Media Specialist Lori Myers, at far right, meet with young honorees in this commemorative photo.
Young honorees of K is for Kids Rising Reader Book Awards at Lely Elementary School are invited to a special breakfast with their teacher at the end of the school year. In 2018, the event had 100% participation!
Young students at Golden Terrace Elementary School Primary celebrate their reading achievements with media specialist Joyce Cordell. The young honorees each selected several new books to take home and keep at the year-end celebration. through K is for Kids Rising Reader Book Awards program. GTES-P was the focus school for K is for Kids Rising Readers and Rising Reader Book Awards program 2011-2019.