Every day in Chicago, we walked to and from the Reading League Conference, discussing everything we were learning. On our last day, just hours before heading home, we had one more item to cross off our Chicago Bucket List- find the Route 66 road sign. What we realized on our last walk was that each day we had been passing right by the sign marking the start of Route 66, aka “America’s Scenic Route.” We learned about this analogy years ago, when we were first entering this line of work. Finding this unassuming sign right before leaving town was a significant full-circle moment. During Dyslexia Awareness Month, we honor Dr. Fran Bowman, who dedicated her life to supporting students with dyslexia and empowering educators to guide them to success. Fran’s impact is immeasurable. Her legacy lives on in every person she has inspired and in the readers who continue to benefit from her work, especially those traveling Route 66. #trlconf2025 #opendoorspartnersineducation #dyslexiaawarenessmonth (fb)

We left Maryland Wednesday morning and by the afternoon we were sitting in our first session in Chicago. The 9th Annual Reading League Conference was three full days of learning, connecting, and hearing from leading experts in structured literacy. Educators from around the world came together to share experiences, insights, and reminding us why our work in literacy matters. We even found a little time to take in the beautiful sights of the city. We left Chicago inspired, energized, and with much heavier suitcases thanks to all the amazing swag and new resources! #trlconf2025 #opendoorspartnersineducation (fb)