Together with the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation, the Kansas City Chiefs Ambassadors and the Overland Park Rotary Club, we were thrilled to help kick off the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation's Read for 15 program last month.
 
The goal of Read for 15 is to encourage children—with the support of their parents and caregivers—to read for 15 minutes every day outside of school for 15 weeks. Lead to Read KC Reading Mentors are supporting the program by encouraging their students to read at home, helping them become strong readers.  
 
Many thanks to our partner school Brookside Charter for hosting such a wonderful kick off event—and to all our schools that are participating!
FALL READING SESSIONS

Students in 19 classrooms at 15 high-need schools have a personal Reading Mentor helping them catch up and keep up on their reading skills this semester. And, Reading Mentors and students are bonding over books! Diane Stecklein said this about her experience as a virtual volunteer: 

"Each week, I look forward to reading with my student, Alijah. Seeing her eyes light up, sharing laughter and watching her progress truly warms my heart. We've formed a bond, and at the end of each session, we share a virtual hug. It's incredibly rewarding and good for the soul!" 

Many thanks to all our Reading Mentors! Your consistent attendance is greatly appreciated by our students and staff alike. Remember that due to Thanksgiving, there are no sessions the week of Nov. 21. 

Not signed up yet? There's still time! If you've volunteered in a prior school year, simply email Hayley your preferred reading session(s). New to our program? Apply here. The current need is greatest for "Flextras" who fill in when a Reading Mentor needs to miss a session. You can volunteer once a week, twice a month, or as often as your schedule allows. You'll be a hero!  
AUTHOR VISITS

The social-emotional toll of the pandemic on children is something we can’t overlook. We have expanded our author visit program, which supports students' social-emotional skills. This fall, we're partnering with three local authors for read-alouds with 500+ students at five of our partner schools. There's more to come. Stay tuned!

TUTORING PROGRAM

And, 144 students at six of our partner schools are receiving online personalized tutoring three times a week from certified teachers via our new tutoring program with Hoot Reading. Of the 131 students who were assessed at the end of the first five weeks, 95 percent showed reading growth.

Schools can sign up for our second semester tutoring program by emailing Bev, Program Manager.
Looking for tips and tools to make the most of each reading and mentoring session? Check out our latest blog post. It includes questions to get to know your student, links to four one-minute training videos—as well as many other helpful tips.

You can view all our training resources here. And, see all our blog posts here. 

Have questions? Your Site Coordinator is here to help. Please reach out! Not sure whom to contact? Email Allison, Program Manager.
Did you know that improving literacy skills helps reduce violence and keep children safe? Literacy and violence prevention may seem like an unlikely pair. However, the link is clear.

Check out Lead to Read KC's letter to the editor in The Kansas City Star to learn more—and find out how you can help.  

Can't view the letter due to a paywall? You can read it here.
THANKSGIVING BREAK |  No reading sessions the week of Nov. 21.  

WINTER BREAK |  No reading sessions from Dec. 17-Jan. 10.  

STAY UP TO DATE | Follow Lead to Read KC on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. If you're a Reading Mentor, please watch for program update emails from your Site Coordinator.
10 years of creating a community of readers, one lunch hour at a time.