Making a buddy Reading Buddies make a difference By Bethany J.

Royer Originally published in the Piqua Daily Call January 25, 201 P!"#$ % &he ability to read and to do so 'ell, (an pro)ide a li*eti+e bene*it to a (hild. ,-e really are helping the (hild prepare *or li*e, *or s(hool, reading is the (ornerstone o* all learning,. said /reg 0orro', R12P 3Retired and 1enior 2olunteer Progra+4 dire(tor *or Coun(il on Rural 1er)i(es o* their ne' Reading Buddies Progra+ *or pres(hoolers that 'ill partner 'ith $ 5earning Pla(e pres(hools. Coun(il *or Rural 1er)i(es ser)es 5ogan, 1helby, 0ia+i and Dar6e Counties. ,1o+e studies sho' that i* a (hild struggles 'ith reading at that age and i* it isn7t better by third grade, then they are going to 6eep struggling,. 0orro' said. ,&hat leads to *rustration in the (lassroo+, 'hi(h (ould lead to 8u)enile o**ensi)es, dropping out.. $((ording to 0orro', studies ha)e also sho'n that (hildren o* lo'9in(o+e ba(6grounds entering 6indergarten ha)e an a)erage ,000 'ord )o(abulary, 'hile their +iddle in(o+e (ounterparts ha)e 20,000 'ords. !* inter)ention is delayed until age se)en, :5 per(ent o* (hildren 'ill (ontinue ha)ing di**i(ulty and, ,$ lot o* *a+ilies 8ust don7t read 'ith their 6ids, one on one,. said 0orro', 'ith tea(hers unable to pro)ide one9on9one attention to ea(h (hild in a (lassroo+. $ progra+ su(h as Reading Buddies (an +a6e up the di**eren(e by pro)iding the e;tra boost, dire(tion, and *o(us su(h at9ris6 (hildren need. 0orro', 'ho is *airly ne' to the *a(ility, ha)ing (o+e on board in 1epte+ber 2012, 'or6s 'ith *ederal grants to engage seniors, 55 and better, in )olunteer opportunities su(h as Reading Buddies, 'hi(h is also open to anyone 1< and o)er. ,!t7s )ery +u(h a)ailable to 55 and older, but 1<, you (an do it,. said 0orro', 'ho gre' up in 0ia+i County, 'ent to graduate s(hool and returned to li)e near *a+ily 'hen he 'as hired on as dire(tor o* the progra+. ,!t7s a great 8ob.. 1o *ar, a sear(h *or )olunteers in 1helby County has pro)ed su((ess*ul 'ith nearly 20 indi)iduals responding to ad)ertising. 0orro' is hoping *or +ore, as he belie)es the true su((ess behind the progra+ lies in people reali=ing that reading to a (hild does not ta6e a lot o* 6no'ledge, 6no'9 ho', or ti+e. ,!t7s a unique thing that doesn7t ta6e long, or a load o* training to do, and its a +ini+al (o++it+ent,. said 0orro'. ,!t7s 8ust go in there, spend an hour and read to *our or *i)e 6ids.. &raining 'ill be pro)ided *or )olunteers 'ho pass a ba(6ground (he(6 and physi(al 3both pro)ided *ree o* (harge4 and ha)e their o'n transportation. &he *irst orientation 'ill be held *ro+ > a.+. to 11 a.+. ?riday, ?eb. 1, at Coun(il On Rural 1er)i(es, 201 R.0. Da)is Par6'ay,

Piqua. ,&here 'ill be ongoing support and they7ll be in the (lassroo+ 'ith tea(hers,. 0orro' said o* (ontinued, on9hand assistan(e *or )olunteers. ,-e ha)e, right in9house, all the e;perts to pro)ide the training, the best pra(ti(es to read to 6ids. !t7s a really good *it *or us.. ?or the re+ainder o* the s(hool year and ne;t, Reading Buddies 'ill *o(us on pres(hool9aged (hildren, 'ith e;pansion the *ollo'ing year to higher grade le)els, up to se(ond grade, so that e)ery (hild has an opportunity to read in the progra+. &hose interested in being a )olunteer +ay (onta(t /reg 0orro' at 3> :4 ::<95220 *or +ore in*or+ation. ,!t +ay see+ li6e it7s )ery si+ple but the +ost si+ple things that 'e do +a6e the biggest di**eren(e, it doesn7t ha)e to be this great 3big4 thing that you do to +a6e a di**eren(e,. 0orro' said. ,By reading to a little pres(hooler you (ould be (hanging the (ourse o* so+eone7s li*e..