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YMCA READS!
Selected as an Outstanding Innovative Project by the Sarasota County Schools Partners in Education Program, The YMCA READS! Program is the result of a collaborative effort between the Florida State Alliance of YMCA’s, the Department of Education and local county school districts.
The READS! Program is driven by volunteers trained in a research-based curriculum who tutor elementary school students in reading. Referred by their participating schools, children attend the after school program two days a week at their school improving reading performance. Students are evaluated regularly to ensure that progress is made toward Florida’s reading performance expectations.
Trained volunteers work 1:1 or in small groups with the children. A certified educator at each site works along with volunteers providing professional expertise and support. Ongoing training is provided.
The South County Family YMCA provides the READS! Program at two locations:
- Garden Elementary in Venice
- Myakka River Elementary in the Englewood/Port Charlotte Area
The YMCA READS! Program has received enthusiastic responses from parents, students and teachers including a teacher from Garden Elementary, “The YMCA READS Program is a big asset to Garden. Thank YOU!!”
The Program is offered free of charge to families. Membership in the YMCA is not required.
Volunteers Needed
The READS! Program is always in need of qualified, committed volunteers to help children learn to read. If you have a desire to teach children and a large heart, please help us bring the gift of literacy to a child. Seniors and or High School Students are welcome. A minimum of 1 hour per week is all that is needed to help a child.
Click here for brochure and volunteer sign up form.
For program and volunteer information contact:
Linda Ware in Englewood
941-475-1234
Shartrina White in Venice
941-375-9107
http://www.volunteerfloridafoundation.org/
June 2009 YMCA READS State Conference held at the Venice YMCA!
This past year Florida had 19 YMCA READS sites throughout the state. The Program Coordinators of each of the sites, along with the State Coordinator, Madeleine Hennings, met at the South County Family YMCA in Venice for the READS state conference. The conference this year focused on Reading Comprehension Instruction and the new school assessment tool, FAIR (Florida Assessment for Reading Instruction). YMCA READS! is a unique partnership between participating YMCAs, schools, parents, students and the community to meet the educational and developmental needs of low-income primary age children. The primary focus of YMCA READS! Programming is improving students’ reading grade level equivalency through mentoring and the use of a research-based, data-driven literacy curriculum. In addition, children’s socio-emotional and physical needs are also addressed. Mentors work to instill character development, core values and relationship building. After participation in a READS! Session, scholarships for after-school program services are made available to YMCA READS! Students. Structured and supervised after-school services help meet the need for a safe environment. Physical needs are addressed by providing nutritious snacks, sports and recreation in order to help fight childhood obesity. Click here to read full article!
