United Way says reading program a success

Editor's note: The following story has been edited to clarify the number of students who participated in the program.

The United Way has identified solid reading and literacy skills as key components for success in school and life. To help children achieve this success, the United Way of Southeast Missouri offered its Read to Succeed program to more than 200 kindergarten and first-grade students in the Cape Girardeau School District.

The goal of the program was to advance 85 percent of the students' reading levels by one grade. For 30 to 45 minutes, four days a week in the spring and fall semesters, students would sit with one of the more than 150 volunteers to read books designed specifically for the program.

When the organization received the results of the program, it said 98 percent of students had advanced their reading levels by at least one grade.

Nancy Jernigan, United Way of Southeast Missouri executive director, said the importance of those results goes beyond helping children learn to read; it sets the course for their future.

"A lot of these kids are from low-income families and might be told very often that 'Hey, you can be great,'" she said. "Good reading skills, right off the bat, can help build self-esteem and confidence. Research of other similar programs show that the skills they learn now stick with them; they don't just stop in elementary."

Jernigan also said children not reading on grade level by third grade are five times more likely to drop out of school. Poor literacy skills also are a common denominator among prison inmates, she said.

"Literacy is really just that important," she said.

In the four years the United Way of Southeast Missouri has offered the program, this is the first year it was offered at all five public elementary schools: Clippard, Franklin, Schrader, Jefferson and Blanchard all had 16 to 24 kindergarten and first-grade students participate in the program.

Read to Succeed program director Monique Johnson said the biggest challenge facing the program was not encouraging children to read, but finding enough volunteers.

"It's a valid program that's highly researched and highly used," she said. "Our greatest challenge is always getting enough volunteers. We have many volunteers that take multiple time slots and have been here since the beginning and done a lot of great work, but each semester we're always trying to recruit new volunteers."

Because the volunteers are working with young students during school hours, Johnson said they must first undergo a background check. Next, they are introduced to the materials used and trained in proper use.

"All of the books come in a series and each series progressively becomes more difficult," Jernigan said. "Each book has little hints printed at the bottom, with questions to ask for comprehension or a reminder to praise the student periodically. There's also a section at the beginning that lists all the phonetics."

The books go as high as third grade reading level chapter books and students work on each series until they can read the books with few or no errors.

To keep students engaged during the summer, the Jackson and Cape Girardeau public libraries also hold the books used by the program on reserve for parents to check out and read with their children.

Johnson and Jernigan noted the success of the program was largely a community effort. They are currently recruiting volunteers for next semester, beginning in early September. Those interested may contact Johnson at 573-334-9634 or readtosucceed@unitedwayofsemo.org

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

430A Broadway, Cape Girardeau, Mo.