Let's Celebrate! 🎉

June 2022 Newsletter

Reading Power Announces New Program Director

Reading Power has proudly selected Kristin Fine, MEd, previous Associate Director of Programs, as its next Director of Programs.

A former first grade teacher and reading specialist, Kristin has been with Reading Power for eight years in roles ranging from volunteer tutor, assistant site coordinator, and site coordinator to the program's Associate Director. "I'm thrilled to accept my new position as Director of Programs to ensure under-served children in Lake County receive the resources and support they need to become successful readers and lifelong learners," Kristin shared.

In her new role, Kristin will manage a professional staff of 18 and a volunteer force of over 200 tutors to bring one-to-one tutoring to students needing literacy intervention. Additionally, she will partner with newly appointed CEO Lisa Bulzoni, MEd, and the Board of Directors in the organization's goal to extend, expand, and enhance programming in Lake County, IL, and beyond. "With Kristin's background in education and vast experience with Reading Power, I cannot think of a better person for this role at this time," Lisa stated.

Congratulations, Kristin!

Celebrations Mark the End of Reading Power's 19th Year

As the days heat up and the academic year winds down, Reading Power's students and staff take time to celebrate the year's achievements and spend time together.

2022 Author's Day

First and second grade Reading Power students worked hard to author and illustrate their own books this spring. They shared their published books with classmates and the Reading Power family during Author's Day last month. In addition to strengthening literacy skills, this project promotes creative thinking, handwriting, and self-esteem.

Take Me Out To The Ballgame!

Special thanks to Wayne and Kathleen Messmer for joining our end-of-year celebration at LEARN 6. The couple are longtime Cubs national anthem singers and Kathleen is a former Reading Power tutor. Our students had a blast singing along to many summertime classics!

A Fresh Perspective

I spy with my little eye… Reading Power students and tutors took advantage of the warm weather and fresh air this spring by bringing their tutoring sessions to the great outdoors.

Meet Beth Zender, Reading Power Volunteer Coordinator

Reading Power welcomes Volunteer Coordinator Beth Zender, MS, to our staff. A former Communication Arts Teacher at Adlai E. Stevenson High School, Beth holds a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences and a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Illinois. Teaching reading has always been a passion of Beth's and is one of the reasons she volunteers as a tutor at LEARN 10. In her new role, Beth will help grow our tutor roster to meet the needs of more students in Lake County and beyond.

RP: Beth, tell our readers how you became involved with Reading Power.

BZ: I had been a stay-at-home mom since 2011, so before my youngest went off to kindergarten in 2019, I started looking for a nonprofit where I could give some of my extra time. I missed teaching and wanted to return to the classroom. I've been tutoring first and second grade at LEARN 6 since, and I love it! It's the highlight of my week. As the Reading Power motto says, "Tutor one child. Change two lives." It is certainly true for me. I've learned much from being a tutor and met many wonderful people.

RP: What's your favorite part of tutoring?

BZ: My favorite part of tutoring is getting to know my students and watching them grow over the year. Sure, I'm proud to see their Oral Reading Fluency scores increase and hear about their gains on the standardized tests from their homeroom teacher, but none of that compares to the growth I see in them as young people. I love seeing them become more confident, resilient, and persistent when facing challenges. Those things are harder to measure but seeing that growth is so rewarding.

RP: What do you want others to know about getting involved?

BZ: Quite simply, the need for one-to-one literacy tutoring has never been greater in Lake County. We all know that the pandemic was hard on school children; teachers across America are dealing with significant learning losses in their students. However, the pandemic revealed the severity of the inequity in our education system. Under-resourced schools couldn't pivot as easily, and these communities' learning losses have been much greater. The good news is that early intervention, like Reading Power tutoring, has proven effective. Reading Power serves students scoring below the 25th percentile on standardized assessments. By the end of the year, over 80% of Reading Power scholars are on grade level. You can see those results every day in the classroom, but we need more volunteer tutors to make it happen!

Welcome aboard, Beth! We are so glad you're here!

Know someone who should join us tutoring next fall? Send Beth an email with the contact information and she will personally reach out.

EMAIL BETH TODAY!

Those That Can Do, Do. Those That Can Do More, Volunteer.

What a night! We recently hosted our annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner to celebrate a fantastic year with our volunteer tutors who power our program. Thank you for all you do to foster the promise of literacy!

Reading Power tutors: Lisa Moser (seated), Laurie Dolan (left), and Kathy Miller (right)

Reading Power Co-Founder and Board member Mary Jane Hender (center), Board member Rob Davis (left), and Site Coordinator Marla Guziec (right)

Assistant Site Coordinator Kate Bulzoni (far left), tutors: Aimee Lewis, Laurie Mann, Michelle Kaplan, Rachael Deutsch, Lori Berk, and Director of Programs Kristin Fine (far right)