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Ventura County Reading Association
Honor Council Since 1983

What is VCRA?
The Ventura County Reading Association (VCRA), an affiliate of the California Reading Association (CRA) and the International Reading Association (IRA), is a professional organization for teachers, student teachers, administrators, librarians, instructional assistants, parents, and everyone committed to literacy efforts in Ventura County. VCRA promotes excellence in the teaching of reading and language arts through meetings, conferences, and publications. Each year, VCRA forwards the cause of literacy through a variety of dynamic events and activities focused on practical application.

The Ventura County Reading Association has been awarded Honor Council status from the International Reading Association more than twenty times since 1983. This award is bestowed upon councils that demonstrate excellence in the area of membership, programs, and community service. VCRA members are proud of the International Reading Association’s recognition of local efforts to promote literacy in Ventura County.

A proud daughter reads her "masterpiece" to her mom at the Young Authors' Faire.

A Look Back
When an early childhood association disbanded in the nineteen sixties, a few loyal teachers held on to their aim of promoting literacy. This group of teachers, including Gen Gunis and Hilda Harder, met in a Pleasant Valley District building and, by the mid nineteen sixties, formed the Ventura County Reading Association (VCRA), an affiliate of the California Reading Association (CRA) and the International Reading Association (IRA). The Ventura County Reading Association has actively supported literacy in Ventura County for more than forty years.