United Way of the Big Bend is changing this statistic. ReadingPals is continuing to work to improve the reading skills of students in Gadsden, Leon, and Madison Counties.
ReadingPals relies on hundreds of volunteers every year to read one-to-one with students who have been identified as struggling readers.
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Mentors are matched one-to-one with students in kindergarten, first, or second grades
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Mentors report during the after school setting for one hour a week during the school year
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Mentors choose the school and the day that best fit their schedule
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Mentors utilize a curriculum created by LCS District and UWBB that is tailored to children’s reading needs
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Mentors present each student with a brand new book every week
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Mentors receive training from UWBB and the school district (includes background screening)
For more information and to register to become a ReadingPals volunteer,please contact Rhonda Cooper at 850-487-8091 or rhonda@uwbb.org.
Getting Involved
Interested but aren’t sure you can give a full-time commitment? Here are other ways to get involved with ReadingPals:
- Be an Alternate– A ReadingPals Alternate serves as a “substitute” when a full-time ReadingPal cannot be there to read with their student. Alternates have the flexibility to go when it fits in their schedule.
- Deliver books– Each week, ReadingPals students take home a brand new book. We need help getting the books from our office to the different ReadingPals sites.
- Put sponsor stickers on books– Each take-home book has a personal label that allows the student to write their name in their book, as well as see all the sponsors who make ReadingPals possible. Every book (last year alone we gave out over 3,000 books!) must have a sticker in it! This is a great opportunity for large groups/companies.
- Assemble holiday and special projects– During special times of the year, students receive small projects/kits as gifts for their hard work (i.e. holidays, end of the year, or just because). This is another great opportunity for large groups/companies.
For more information about becoming a ReadingPals visit ReadingPals – United Way of the Big Bend (uwbb.org)
