2025 Eye Opener Recap
The 2025 Eye Opener event was held on November 8th at The Club in Golden Valley. Thanks to the club sponsorship of our GIVING WoMN member, Theresa Sit. Eighty-two members and guests attended, enjoying breakfast, connections with old and new friends and a remarkable program - Turning Pages, Changing Lives: Tackling the Literacy Crisis Together.
First started in 2009, with a mission to educate our membership, the Eye Opener is GIVING WoMN's "signature" educational event. The topic for this year was introduced to the E&E committee almost two years ago by member, Wendy Lundsgaard. The program opened with our GIVING WoMN Co-Presidents, Jody O’Neil and Susan Seiler, welcoming attendees, sharing our mission, providing an update on the Board of Director’s work on the strategic plan and offering reminders on some upcoming events and due dates.
The inspiring and knowledgeable speakers who opened our eyes to the literacy crisis.
The interactive presentation and panel discussion brought together educators, researchers and advocates to explore solutions to Minnesota’s literacy crisis. It traced the evolution of reading instruction—from the debate between Balanced and Structured Literacy to the statewide adoption of the Science of Reading through the MN READ Act. Our inspiring panel of speakers (Dr. Abbey Payeur, Dr. Amy Schulting, Julie Novak, Susan Thomson and Wendy Lundsgaard) highlighted the neuroscience behind how children learn to read, the impact of dyslexia on reading as well as its importance to the development of the current movement, and the urgent need for systemic reform in teacher preparation and instruction. Through their advocacy, all five our speakers were instrumental in the passage of the MN READ act in 2023.
The goal of this legislation is to have every Minnesota child reading at or above grade level every year, beginning in kindergarten, and to support multilingual learners and students receiving special education services in achieving their individualized reading goals. It requires the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) to partner with the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) at the University of Minnesota to “identify at least five literacy curricula and supporting materials that are evidence-based and focused on structured literacy”.
The event inspired attendees to take action—through volunteering, advocacy and community engagement. For those who couldn’t attend, view the full presentation.
Many thanks to the E&E committee for coordinating the event, to Susan Throndrud for taking pictures and to Wendy Lundsgaard for bringing the program and the topic to life for our members and guests!
