Meet Albion's 2024 Team
Big read LEADERS
Albion’s Big Read Leaders are rising 8th, 9th, and 10th graders who call Albion their home. They spend their summer reading our Big Read book – this year, Rita Williams-Garcia’s One Crazy Summer. Then they take their love of that book out into the community by leading community-wide discussions of it. They are the beating heart of Albion’s Big Read, and everything good and beautiful about this program comes from them.
We are thankful for and celebrate our 2024 Big Read Leaders:
Helena Kirby*
Lily Machnik
Elliott Nicholson
Ja’Dell Pruitte
Abby Raddatz
Ni-Ni Robinson*
Kalin Vargo*
Donovan Williams*
Soph Williams*
Linds Allen*
Maliyah Anglin*
Amatio Atchison*
Aniya Evans*
Marcus Gill*
Derrell Jackson*
DJ Jackson
De'Andre Jones*
* denotes leaders who have participated in Albion’s Big Read for more than one year
COLLEGE VOLUNTEERS
Albion’s Big Read Youth Leadership Program would not be possible without our College Volunteers (CVs). Our CVs are Albion College students and recent alums who create the environment where all our leaders are valued and seen. They listen and laugh. They play and remember. They show up and give out of their minds, bodies, and spirits. We are deeply thankful for the work they do.
Yasmeen Azookari
Kelvin Crone-Willis*
Kyndall Lewis*%
Breanna Ridley*%
Autumn Robinson
Malena Solis*#%
* denotes students who returned as a College Volunteer for another year
# denotes a College Volunteer who is also a Big Read Ambassador
% denotes an A.L.B.I.O.N. Fellow
Ambassadors
The Big Read Ambassadors are veterans of Albion’s Big Read Youth Leadership Program. You can identify Big Read Ambassadors by the bright red or blue shirt featuring logos from past Big Reads on the front and the conversation starter—“Ask me about Albion’s Big Read!”—on the back. So if you see young folks wearing a Big Read Ambassadors shirt, just follow the instructions and ask them about Albion’s Big Read. You’ll be glad you did! Albion’s Big Read Ambassadors:
Akaiia Ridley Stephanie Sobaski
Fred Steward
Ja’Kobe Steward
Ta’Jyanna Steward
Belevia Stovall
Shi’Terriona Straham
Terek Straham
Lauren VanVleet
Lay Lay Robinson
Malena Solis
Ian Lee
Ihaja Metz
Cedriana March
Ella Latimore
Dacarius Melton
Ana Metz
Marshall Nicholson
Aaliyah Roberts
Nasir Williams
A’tiyah Artis
Ta’Liyah Austin
Ahjia Barbour
Carl Bates
Emmylou R. Christensen
India Crumbsy
Ta’hila Davis
Maliya Frost
Jamiyah Funderburg
Ivan Green
Denisha Harris
Kei’Asianique Hill
Larenz Hill
Olivia Hudson Elis’Ze Johnson
Za’Riah Kemp
Tyland Martin
Ashtyn Ridley-Melton Tim Pledger
Cassie Porter Ken'Jayna Reeves