United Way's Reading Buddy Program Brings Community to Schools
to volunteer as a United Way Reading Buddy!
Help Local Children Achieve Literacy!
The United Way Reading Buddies program is a vital volunteer program that impacts grade-level reading success for local kids. Volunteers work directly with students on a weekly basis and have the power to help boost academic achievement for a child - setting the right track for a brighter future. Studies show that if a child is not reading at grade level by 3rd grade when they reach the stage where they need to “read to learn,” it greatly impacts their ability to graduate on time.
During the 2017-2018 school year, over 200 Reading Buddies were placed in 30 elementary schools in Lewis, Mason and Thurston counties with our volunteer Buddies serving over 995 students. 94% of students showed improved test scores between Fall and Spring!
"The biggest highlight for me is to see the excitement on students' faces when I show up to help them learn!" - Local Reading Buddy volunteer
Extra reading practice with a caring adult builds student confidence and stronger readers!
Reading Buddies lend community support to schools and teachers and help create a positive reading experience, giving students extra encouragement. One hour a week with a struggling reader is all it takes to make a difference!
Thank you to our Reading Buddies Program Sponsor!
For more information, contact Chastity Pennington at chastity.pennington@lewiscountyuw.com or (360) 748-8100.