Volunteer Mike Ward reads to students

at Franklin Elementary School in Keene.

Courtesy photo

Below are quotes from two teachers:

“America Reads enhances classroom instruc-
tion by giving a student individual time to focus
on weak areas and keeps that student focused.
My experience is that they feel good about what
they do with the volunteer and it helps them feel
special. It helps boost their self-esteem.”
“America Reads gives struggling students
individual attention that a teacher cannot. It
also gives them the confidence they are lacking.
All of these study skills improve educational
outcomes.”
And two volunteers had this to say:
“When I enter the room and I see delight re-
flected in the young students with whom I work,
it certainly gives a special impetus for me to

Building a Foundation
pursue this undertaking with more fervor.”
“This is my second year in the America Reads
program and I volunteered with kindergarten
America Reads Program Provides and 1st grade. I love everything about it – school
and teachers and students are eager and won-
Literacy Support for Young Students derful!”
For the upcoming 2018-2019 school year

D
Contributed by America Reads
America Reads volunteers are needed in Fran-
eb took what she already knew about in Keene and part of nationwide initiative to cestown, Marlborough, Troy, Drewsville Head
first-graders – they often learn best promote literacy and provide literacy support Start and Swanzey Head Start. The only prereq-
by doing. She asked each student to to area children in pre-K to 3rd grade through uisites to participate in this program are a pas-
choose from Fritos, Doritos, Chee- the use of volunteer adult tutors. The stories sion for reading and for working with children.
tos, or Lay’s snack baggies, shake the bag up above work to exemplify what is at the heart of The commitment is one hour, once a week.
and then dump it out. What emerged were five the America Reads program – tutoring sessions Want to become involved? The next steps
easy words on index cards that she had them that make reading fun to foster a lifelong love of are to contact RSVP to complete an interview
play with until they were in an order that made reading. and application process, criminal background
sense. Laying a proper foundation of literacy at check and references check. The final step is to
When each child read his or her “Sentence this time is imperative since children at these attend a four-and-a-half-hour training session
Snack” aloud, the giggles alone told her the activ- ages are just learning to read, and later in life in September where volunteers learn about
ity was a success! they will need to read to learn. Research has why students may struggle with reading and to
Nancy knew her idea would be a hit with her shown that children who struggle with reading gain an understanding of the learning process,
2nd-grade students. In her animated voice she in the early grades are at risk of falling behind as well as strategies they can use to support
read from “Harvey Potter’s Balloon Farm:” their peers in all other subjects, dropping out students.
“No one knew exactly how he did it. Some folks of school and facing limited employment op- Being an America Reads volunteer is an easy
say that it wasn’t real – that it was magic. But I portunities as an adult. They are also likely to and enjoyable way to give back to the com-
know what I saw, and those were real, actual bal- experience a lack of self of self-confidence both munity and to help build a better future for
loons growing out of the plain ole’ in and out of school. children in the Monadnock Region. For more
ground.” Students involved in the program welcome information about becoming a volunteer or
When she pulled out a balloon and started the undivided attention from a dependable bringing America Reads to your local school,
blowing, twisting and tying it, until it transformed role model who provides them with encour- contact RSVP at 603-357-6893 or rsvp@mfs.org
into a pig, they wanted to know how she had agement and motivation to acquire necessary or visit monadnockvolunteercenter.org. The
learned to make balloon animals. Her plan to reading skills. Educators are appreciative of the Monadnock RSVP Volunteer Center, which
introduce non-fiction books had worked! extra time and support their students receive. serves Cheshire and Hillsboro counties and is
America Reads is a program administered Volunteers feel helpful and fulfilled because the a program of Monadnock Family Services, a
by the Monadnock RSVP Volunteer Center effects of their time are tangible. Monadnock United Way agency.

8 parentexpress • August 2018