As our longest standing literacy program, Reading Buddies is an opportunity for kids to get weekly one on reading time with our volunteers. This school year, we are thrilled to have buddies in all of the K-2 classrooms at Julia de Burgos Elementary and Potter-Thomas Elementary. We hope to eventually be able to expand this program to our other partner schools, as well.
We know that literacy scores throughout the country are continuing to be of great concern. Being a part of Reading Buddies is allowing volunteers to have a direct impact and help build a strong educational foundation for our young people.
Our volunteers are trained and then paired with students that they see each week – getting to know their interests, building up trust, and seeing their progress along the way. Some of our volunteers are retired educators, but many are folks who simply love children and are passionate about supporting literacy initiatives in our city. Buddies take turns reading to each other, playing literacy games, and helping to build upon the incredible work going on in the classrooms by teachers.
We are grateful for our partner schools where the teachers and staff could not be more welcoming or supportive. We know they are all working so hard and it’s great to see that our Reading Buddies are able to lend a helping hand. Teachers have let us know that the kids can’t wait for their reading buddies to come each week and in some cases, teachers have made sure that every kid in the class gets a turn because it is such a fun and worthwhile experience. One teacher recently shared, “My students look forward to Thursday when their buddies come. They are so excited to spend time working with someone one-on-one. These buddies are so very pleasant and dedicated. We are lucky to have them!”
Martina, our Literacy Director, oversees the program and makes sure that the kids, teachers, and volunteers are all having good experiences. She checks in and leads meetings with volunteers where they can share best practices, hear about new resources, and exchange stories. Our Library Coordinators, Alex, Ms Guzman, and Kate, make sure that buddies have a place to focus and help find books that the kids will enjoy.
Our reading buddies all love what they do and have been having very positive experiences working students this year. In fact, one of our newest volunteers asked to double her time after falling in love with the program after just her first day. Another volunteer said, “This is my 3rd year doing Reading Buddies. It’s a really nice community and I’m glad to be a little part of it. An added bonus of being a veteran of the program is when I run into kids I worked with in prior years. Major, a third grader now and a little too cool for school, will give me a fist bump if his friends are around to observe. If not, he’ll give me a quick hug before anybody can witness it. Eva and Esaiah, big-shot 4th graders now, made a point to come to the library when they knew that Wednesday was my Reading Buddy day. We had a mini-reunion with hugs and high-fives all around. And one of my current first grade Buddies, on maybe the 3rd or 4th week there this past fall, before I thought she really knew who I was, came running out of the crowd on the playground to give me a big, unapologetic hug. That set the tone for a really good day.”
Buddies are seeing growing confidence in their readers and regularly describe their students as being enthusiastic to show off their reading skills and excited to share a new story. It’s also a way to remember that small actions can make a difference even if it’s as simple as making a child smile, being a listener, or helping a teacher feel supported. “I had a first grader say to me with excitement ‘I can read!’ after we finished one of the Biscuit books. What more can I wish for?”
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a Reading Buddy volunteer, reach out to us at info@historicfairhill.com. You can read more about additional literacy initiatives here – Fairhill Readers; Wondrous Wednesdays; More Parent Assistants; Re-opening Bethune’s Library; Family Workshops
