Turning Pages, Opening Doors

At Elm City College Preparatory Middle School in New Haven, reading isn’t just encouraged, it is expected, celebrated and woven into everyday life. Students bring books everywhere, from classrooms to field trips. And when Elm City alumni go on to higher education, they can pay for their books with support from the Read Revolution College Book Fund.

The fund was established at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven by two administrators who helped found the school and build its culture of reading — Marc Michaelson and Peter Butler. Michaelson was the school’s first principal and Butler served as its dean of students for eight years.

“Elm City was different than any other school I had been in,” recalls Butler, who came to New Haven in 2005 as a fellow at the Yale Child Study Center before joining the school as its first social worker.

In 2010, as Michaelson transitioned to a new role within Elm City’s charter school network, Achievement First, he wanted to make a parting gift that reflected the deep bond he felt with the school and its students. Together, he and Butler established the Read Revolution College Book Fund.

“We really loved the school and wanted to stay connected to the students,” Michaelson says. “We wanted to send the message that we will be with you on this journey through college and in other post-secondary programs.”

The fund helps cover the often-overlooked cost of textbooks and course materials, which can run hundreds of dollars each semester, an obstacle that hits first-generation and low-income college students especially hard.

Book award recipients have attended a range of schools including Gateway Community College, Yale University, Howard University and UCLA. The application invites students to share not just their transcripts, but how they’re doing, their community service and extracurriculars, and what they’ve been reading.

“Books have always been our way in,” says Michaelson. “This fund is our way of telling students: we’re still here for you.”

Starting with an initial gift of just $1,250, Read Revolution has grown steadily, awarding more than $100,000 since its founding. In 2024, it distributed $14,800 in book awards.

The fund is supported by a wide network including friends of Michaelson and Butler, teachers, former colleagues, and even Elm City alumni who were recipients of the book award. Together, they are keeping a promise to the next generation that every student deserves an opportunity to keep writing their own next chapter.