Help Readers 2 Leaders improve literacy proficiency every Thursday at West Dallas STEM School!

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Why we need YOU: The COVID-19 pandemic has made a devastating impact on the education and quality of life for thousands of Dallas children. Research indicates that students who are low-income, African American, and/or Latino will bear the brunt of the crisis, experiencing up to a year of learning loss (New York Times). In Dallas, the pandemic is compounding existing systemic divisions between students. In 2021, 59 percent of white third graders were reading on level, compared to 26 percent of Latino students and 22 percent of African Americans, according to Dallas education advocacy coalition Commit. This matters because third graders who are behind in reading are 4-6 times less likely to graduate from high-school than their on-level peers (Annie E. Casey Foundation). Readers 2 Leaders needs your help to increase the number of students reading at or above grade level by working one-on-one with struggling readers.

What is Readers 2 Leaders: Readers 2 Leaders (R2L) is a local non-profit organization serving the West Dallas area with the mission to develop and grow the reading skills of underserved Dallas children ages 3-12 so that they succeed in school and graduate prepared to live productive lives. In 2020-21, R2L served over 1000 students through our In-School, After-School, Summer Camp and Coaching programs. Our reading intervention program for students takes place during the school day at 13 DISD elementary schools in Dallas and 2 After-School Programs sites.

What will I do as a volunteer: Reading Buddies (volunteers) are a key part of our programs and provide the essential reading comprehension assistance to a student once a week . As a Reading Buddy, you will help a child develop their comprehension skills through reading high-quality literature to them. Above all, you will be a positive role model who encourages them and makes reading fun!