United Way
United Way
of Greater Ki ngsport
Local United Ways and Ballad Health Announce 
Early Grade Reading Partnership

United Way of Greater Kingsport and the United WE READ Initiative are excited to announce their participation in a regional partnership between Ballad Health and seven area United Ways. With a $300,000 regional investment committed from the United Ways, Ballad Foundation, and Ballad Health employees, the momentum and support of this partnership ensures that United WE READ can continue to engage, empower, and equip all children, families, and the Greater Kingsport community with tools and strategies that build a literacy-rich culture, and a pathway to lifelong success, expanding on its successful programs and initiatives.
 
More can be read on the regional partnership through the stories that were reported via WJHL, Kingsport Times-News
and Bristol Herald Courier , among others.
United WE READ Highlights
Our unique model combines forces between two local school systems, networks afterschool and summer programs, involves key community stakeholders, and engages parents and caregivers. Through United WE READ our children are growing toward future success. Most recently, our United WE READ Summer Camp Read to Lead had a successful second year of implementation, and looks forward to a third year in 2019. Modeled around the successful statewide initiative, "Read to Be Ready,"  United WE READ's program seeks out students who were behind grade-level assessment in reading ability at the end of the spring semester. This program truly collaborates across our entire community and offers rising 1st and 2nd graders an opportunity to gain a love for reading, confidence, improve literacy abilities, build a personal library, and participate in weekly practical, real-world experiences, thanks to our partnerships with local businesses who offer college and career focused field-trips, and our teacher teams who offer individualized support and attention to each student. In 2018, we expanded to serve up to 60 students at 4 locations across Kingsport City and Sullivan County. On average, students showed a +16.5% gain in accuracy and comprehension over the 4 week program, and a +5.5% gain in areas such as motivation, value for reading, and self-concept as a reader (All assessments based on Read to Be Ready standardized questionnaire and passages).
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