AmeriCorps Duval Reads Members are Inspiration to Children
“When we first met, Hector couldn’t recognize or write one letter, including letters in his own name. After five weeks of working with him, his teacher says he is one of her best students now. Not only can he write, recite, and recognize his letters, but now he is beginning to sound out words on his own.”
—AmeriCorps Duval Reads Member
AmeriCorps Members in Duval County are working hard to improve the abilities of children who are reading below grade level through the program Duval Reads! Established in 1999, the program originally consisted of 20 AmeriCorps literacy tutors in five Duval county schools. Eight years later, the program has expanded to 47 tutors helping 546 children in 10 schools.
Duval Reads does not just concentrate on tutoring, but seeks to grant children an overall love of books and reading. Recently, in an event co-sponsored by JCPenney, a Cedar Hills Elementary third grader was given the opportunity to have Byron Leftwich of the Jacksonville Jaguars visit her and her friends for a day. In another event, Heart of America worked with Duval Reads to give library and garden makeovers to Long Branch and Cedar Hill Elementary schools. After the makeovers were completed, every student in both schools was given several books to take home and share with his or her family. (more)
“I have worked with many kids who hated to read. Now every time they open a book their eyes light up,” said one AmeriCorps Member, “I even have students who look for me just so they can read a book to me. My goal is to make reading fun while teaching new strategies, and it seems to be working.”
AmeriCorps Duval Reads is administered by Volunteer Florida, the Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, and is locally supported by Communities in Schools of Jacksonville and their stakeholders.
For more information about AmeriCorps Duval Reads, or to join, please contact:
Carolyn D. Lynn, AmeriCorps Program Director
(904) 354-5918
jaxreads@yahoo.com
Communities in Schools of Jacksonville
3100 University Blvd. Suite 300
Jacksonville Florida, 32216 |
