Reading has always been a challenge for Kelsey, a second-grader who loves books and dreams one day that she could read and comprehend the words on the page all on her own. Research says that children struggle for the rest of their lives if they are not reading at grade level by the end of third grade. Those who read proficiently by the beginning of fourth grade are four times more likely to graduate from high school than those who do not.
Unfortunately, Kelsey was struggling to understand what she was reading. She was afraid to read aloud in class when called on by her teacher. Kelsey needed a solid foundation to get back on a successful reading path so she could fulfill her goal of graduating from college. Enter Colorado Reading Corps and a wonderful collaboration that’s made a difference for Kelsey and other students in Weld County since 2018.
“Sometimes my family members don’t really play with me that much,” Kelsey said. “That makes me feel bad for myself. Miss Watson (Kelsey’s tutor) is always reading with me every single day. Before I felt like I couldn’t read as much as other people could read. I’m not scared anymore.”
United Way of Weld County (UWWC) has teamed up with the Corporation for National and Community Service, Greeley-Evans School District 6 and Colorado Youth for a Change, which manages Colorado Reading Corps statewide, for this evidence-based nationally implemented program that helps students like Kelsey build literacy skills and increase reading proficiency.
The Colorado Reading Corps program features full-time tutors in Weld County schools providing daily one-on-one sessions with students. In Greeley, tutors serve in elementary schools whereas in Fort Lupton they serve in a preschool setting.
In the first half of the 2020-21 school year, 157 students worked one-on-one with a tutor to build their literacy skills, and 78.4 percent of students were at or above target.
The work of UWWC and Reading Corps is another great example of how our community works together to get greater results. Students like Kelsey in Weld County need the one-on-one support that our Reading Corps tutors provide every day during the school year. I hope our community will continue to provide programs like this that make a difference for children.
Jeannine Truswell, president and CEO of UWWC, says the Colorado Reading Corps project in Weld County is a great example of the private, public and nonprofit sector working together to achieve results.
“We know that making sure all children learn to read at the start of fourth grade is essential for success in school, in the workforce and in life,” Truswell said. “Reading Corps is a proven best practice for helping children reach this goal.”
Deirdre Pilch, superintendent of Greeley-Evans School District 6, says making a donation directly to United Way of Weld County www.unitedway-weld.org/donate to Colorado Reading Corps will go to helping fund a tutor.
“We have lots of kids who still need an awful lot. And we, as the adults, have the obligation to figure that out,” Pilch said.
On Friday, April 2, from noon to 12:50 p.m., UWWC is hosting an online community forum on Reading Great by 8, one of UWWC’s five initiative areas, to discuss the work of and partnerships needed for helping children thrive in Weld County. Register for the forum at www.unitedway-weld.org/listen. We hope you will join us and find out more about all of the ways that we are working to make Weld County a better place for children and their families.
