January Updates | Lead to Read KC

Reaching New Audiences

Have you seen our digital billboards off I-35 in Westside Kansas City and I-70 near 18th and Vine? We're excited to use this new platform to recruit more Reading Mentors and supporters. The billboards also feature a message from Patrick Mahomes reminding kids to read for 15 minutes every day. We're thankful to the 15 and Mahomies foundation for their partnership on Read for 15, the initiative to encourage children to read every day for 15 minutes outside of school! Learn more at 15andthemahomies.org/programs.

Hoot Tutoring Update

Lead to Read KC partners with Hoot Reading to improve literacy skills for students across the metro. Together, we connect students with qualified teachers who provide one-to-one, evidence-based virtual tutoring using Hoot Reading's impact-proven instruction.

Since 2021, Lead to Read KC and Hoot Reading have tutored more than 800 children in Kansas City, and 98 percent experienced immediate reading gains. Students participating in fall 2022 programming improved the following skills:

Decoding: Students on average increased 4 points.

Reading comprehension: Students on average increased 3.3 points.

Sight words: Students on average increased 3.6 points.

Fluency: Students on average increased 2 points.

This summer Lead to Read KC is bringing the tutoring program to the Boys and Girls Club, Upper Room and the YMCA.

Mentor Get a Mentor

January is National Mentoring Month, and you can help us fill eight new classrooms with Reading Mentors! Reach out to family, friends and colleagues to encourage them to become volunteers, and you’ll be rewarded for your efforts.

Recruit just ONE Reading Mentor to get entered into a raffle for a $50 gift card to Ruby Jean’s Juicery. Recruit TWO or more Reading Mentors, and you’ll ALSO receive a FREE Lead to Read KC T-shirt.

Ready to recruit?

Learn more >>

Raise a Glass for the Love of Lit

Lead to Read KC is the featured charity partner at Casual Animal Brewing Company , located at 1725 McGee St., in January and February! Two dollars of every pint of Local Motive beer sold goes directly to Lead to Read KC. You can bring your friends and family and gather any time during the two months at Casual Animal to support our organization.

Or join us at one of our events next month:

Love Lit Happy Hour on Thursday, Feb. 9, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Click here to join us.

Lit Lovers Trivia Night on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. Get your book-smart team together and join us! Entry fee is a $20 donation per team. Click here to register your team of up to eight!

Tips for Reading Mentors

We hope our Reading Mentors have enjoyed getting back into the classrooms this semester. You are making a difference. The learning loss due to school closures is still being felt. Do not be discouraged if your student is still struggling. Learning recovery may take several years for many students. Below are some tips and tools to help make the most of each reading and mentoring session:

Take a few minutes to chat and connect with your student. Check out this list of questions to start a conversation.

Talk with your student about the book’s subject matter to increase background knowledge and help with comprehension.

Remember that reading to your student helps with fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary.

Practice sight words with your student. Learning to recognize sight words is key to reading success. Your Site Coordinator can provide you with sight words for your student.

Encourage your student to read for 15 minutes outside of school every day, especially if they are part of the Read for 15 program. Ask your student about where and what they read at home.

Visit our Training Resources page for more videos, articles and tools to help make the most of your reading sessions.

Wherever kids may be waiting, they could be reading! That’s why Lead to Read KC has more than 40 Reading is Everywhere^SM Book Distribution sites across the Kansas City area. This month we look at River of Refuge.

River of Refuge provides an alternative to families living at pay-by-the-week motels in Kansas City with transitional living arrangements and the resources needed to be successful in permanent housing. One of those resources is access to books for young readers thanks to Reading is Everywhere.^SM

“Because many of our families have been homeless for a period of time prior to working our program, I would doubt they’ve thought about book access for their children,” Pam Seymour, River of Refuge executive director, said. “Reading is an extremely important part of a child’s education and the perfect opportunity for parents to spend time with their children.”

“We see books being taken often,” Seymour said. “And for many, it’s the first book they get to keep. There’s something about having a book of their very own that puts a smile on a child's face.”

We are grateful to River of Refuge, and all of our Reading is Everywhere^SM partners helping us build a stronger community of readers.

From the “funny papers” to comic books to graphic novels, learn more about the impact of bite-sized text, illustrations and sequential art on young readers.