Programs like Read United from the Heart Of Indiana United Way are working with schools to bridge the literacy gap.
Brad Meadows is Director of Communication and Public Relations at Anderson Community Schools.
“So by targeting these students that we considered those bubble kids or bubble students, ones that we think, ‘Hey if they get a little more attention a little more one on one, we can really see some growth,’ and we have seen that.”
More than 40 Read United volunteers work in Anderson Community Schools. That includes Kim Williams. Each volunteer gets two students for two 30-minute sessions once a week. Volunteers use games, books, and other activities to help build reading skills, comprehension skills, and wonder.
“Just to help them to continue to build some joy and love for reading,” she said. “That it’s not something that they have to hate to do. That they actually look forward to it every week and they can see that growth in what they have been able to do over the course of the year.”
The effort is showing results. Anderson schools saw a more than 10 percent increase in the number of students that passed the most recent IREAD test. Students who don’t pass IREAD-3 are held back to repeat third grade. In Indiana in 2005, around 3,000 students were held back.
“I love that excitement that they have when they read a difficult word, or you know, just last week I was with one of my girls, and she said, ‘Look how much we’ve read!’” said Williams, who is also Vice President for Resource Development and Marketing at Heart of Indiana United Way.
Anderson’s increase in the number of the district’s passing students is the largest increase in the state. And this impact can only be described in one way.
“It’s just pride,” said Williams. “I had one of the two kids I was working with last year who – a teacher came up to me towards the end of the year and was so excited to say how awesome this little boy had done, and that he has passed his I-READ and just saying, ‘Did he tell you?’ and he just had a big smile on his face because it was something that you know that he struggled with, so he was able to reach that goal.”
Currently, Muncie Community Schools does not have any Read United programs, but United Way is hoping to get some up and running in the future. That district does have MuncieP3, an after-school and summertime program at Longfellow Elementary School.
The Heart of Indiana United Way continues to sign up community reading volunteers.
This article appeared on Indiana Public Radio.