Education Grant WinnerAndrea Colwell

Andrea Colwell serves as a librarian in Northside ISD, where she is deeply committed to making reading accessible, welcoming, and empowering for every student who walks through her library doors. With experience supporting a wide range of learners—including students with dyslexia and other reading challenges—Andrea has seen firsthand how traditional print can become an invisible barrier, turning curiosity into anxiety. Her mission is to dismantle those barriers and help students rediscover reading as something they can enjoy, not something to fear.

That commitment led to Reading Without Limits, a Firstmark Foundation-funded project designed to create a dedicated library collection of large-print, high-interest/low-readability books. With grant support, Andrea carefully selected dozens of engaging titles that look age-appropriate while offering increased spacing and clear fonts that reduce visual stress. These books are housed in a visible, welcoming section of the library and shared in collaboration with special education teachers and reading specialists, ensuring that students who need them most can access them easily and without stigma.

The impact is already unfolding. Students who once avoided books are beginning to browse, borrow, and read with confidence—sometimes for the first time. While the collection directly supports students with identified reading disabilities, it remains open to the entire campus, reinforcing a culture where accessibility benefits everyone. Through this project, Andrea isn’t just adding books to shelves—she’s restoring confidence, independence, and the joy of reading for students who need it most.