Our Community Can Take Struggling Students on a Meaningful Journey Toward Literacy
By Angie Matthiessen, Executive Director - United Way of Charlotte County
Books are everything! We always encouraged our daughter Leah to read and initially she really struggled as a reader. I was a nervous momma and worried about her future. It was her elementary school teacher, Ms. Simonik, who brought the joy of reading to life. Leah has infused herself into a wonderful world of books. Now, in high school and close to graduating, all she wants to do is read, travel the world, and write. Yes, I’m her mom, but she is a beautiful writer.
The state of Florida has embraced evidence-based reading in its curriculum, and we are proud to be part of a collaborative that is a support to Charlotte County Public Schools. We can only do this work through Reading Buddy volunteers and that includes you!
Charlotte County Reads (CCR) is a collaborative among Charlotte County Public Schools, United Way of Charlotte County (UWCC), Boys & Girls Club of Charlotte County and the YMCA of Southwest Florida. Each month, representatives from these organizations meet to work through the strategic objectives and monitor the progress of the Reading Buddy program.
Exposing our children to reading is a joy they can experience. Reading Buddies are community volunteers who participate in a training to review the pillars of the program and then commit to volunteering at least one day per week with a student in one of many locations throughout Charlotte County.
This week Reading Buddies were celebrated during an awards lunch and two Reading Buddy award winners were announced. Congratulations Brian Daily and Cindy Ehrat from the Boys & Girls Club of Charlotte County! Cindy commented, “I always told my students that reading is the key. If you can read well, you will go through life successfully. When students find books they can read successfully, it boosts their confidence and self-esteem. They want to move to the next level in reading.”
CCR has a bold goal that 75% of the students in the Reading Buddy program will be reading at or above grade level proficiency by 2028. This is a grassroots initiative with UWCC recently funding much needed volunteer coordinators at the Boys and Girls Club and at the YMCA. UWCC is seeking volunteers as we grow Reading Buddies. Program growth has strong potential to lead to more funding which leads to more resources and more students benefiting from intentional and evidence-based mentoring.
If you, as an engaged member of the Charlotte County community, are interested in volunteering please contact Jill Swan, Family Empowerment Director for UWCC at empower@unitedwayccfl.org. Jill will be happy to discuss the program and send you sign up information. The next training is Wednesday November 8th at the Family Services Center in Port Charlotte! Please email Jill to register!
Ultimately, we want to bring a joy and love of reading to struggling students. With your help, we can take students on a meaningful journey - from viewing reading as a task to understanding how to decode words to the point of comprehension and enjoyment. There will be numerous opportunities to volunteer with UWCC in the coming months. We look forward to your participation and investment in our community! For more information, please visit unitedwayccfl.org/volunteer.
For more information about United Way of Charlotte County’s mission: Mobilizing the power of our community to break the cycle of poverty, please contact Angie Matthiessen, Executive Director. She can be reached at director@unitedwayccfl.org.