Every year, ONE in FOUR students fails to graduate from high school on time.
What is ReadingPals?
ReadingPals is a statewide early literacy initiative that provides volunteer mentors for students from Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) to 3rd grade who may need extra help, utilizing one-on-one or small group settings.
ReadingPals is managed by The Children’s Movement of Florida and administered through 17 United Ways — with the help of numerous community partners across the state.
United Way of the Big Bend is changing this statistic. Now in its eighth year, ReadingPals is continuing to work to improve the reading skills of students in Gadsden and Leon County.
Last year, our 105 ReadingPals mentors provided mentoring services to 150 students in 19 schools totaling 2,835 hours. 4,050 books were distributed to students participating in this program for their home library.
ReadingPals relies on hundreds of volunteers every year to read one-to-one with students who have been identified as struggling readers.
-
Mentors are matched one-to-one with students in kindergarten, first, or second grades
-
Mentors report during the after school setting for one hour a week during the school year
-
Mentors choose the school and the day that best fit their schedule
-
Mentors utilize a curriculum created by LCS District and UWBB that is tailored to children’s reading needs
-
Mentors present each student with a brand new book every week
-
Mentors receive training from UWBB and the school district (includes background screening)