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[MISSISSIPPI]Samples of America Reads Challenge Federal Work-Study Programs and National Service Initiatives
MANKATO STATE UNIVERSITY
President Dr. Richard R. Rush
America Reads Contact: Jill R. Moreland
P.O. Box 8400, MSU 37
Mankato, MN 56002-8400
Email: jill.moreland@mankato.msus.edu
Telephone: (507) 389-5119 Fax: (507) 389-5974
Number of FWS Students: Number of Districts:
For the 1998 Winter Quarter, Mankato State University has implemented a pilot group of students to participate in the AmericaReads program. These students tutor children after school on-campus. They are funded through the Federal Work-Study Program. The Financial Aid Office has been working closely with the Education Department at our insitution to ensure that the tutors are selected and placed to best meet the needs of the children they serve. For the current quarter, our AmericaReads tutors are focusing their tutoring services on elementary school children with disabilities. These tutoring services are being coordinated by Peg Ballard, a faculty member in our Education Department. Mankato State University plans to increase our tutors in the AmericaReads program to 40 to 50 for the 1998-99 Year. Feedback from students has indicated this program is highly beneficial to both our tutors and the children being tutored. We are looking forward to continuing to provide funds to eligible students to participate in the AmericaReads program. This program has been, and will continue to be, highly beneficial to our students, children and their families, and the community.
LAKE SUPERIOR COLLEGE
President: Dr. Kathleen Nelson America Reads Contact: Judy Nordeen
Address: 2101 Trinity Road
Duluth, Minnesota
Email: j.nordeen@lsc.cc.mn.us
URL: http://www.lsc.cc.mn.us/
Telephone: (218)733-7618
Fax: (218)723-4921
Number of Students:
Number of Districts:
Lake Superior College will be initiating the "America Reads" program fall semester 1998. We plan on recruiting students from our Teachers of Tommorrow organization and work with local elementary schools in ISD # 709 as well as area child care centers which will add a pre-literacy component to our program.
METROPOLITAN STATE UNIVERSITY
President Susan A. Cole
America Reads Contact: Susan Giguere, Director
700 E. Seventh Street
ST. Paul, MN
Email: Gigueres@msus1.msus.edu Internet Address: www.metrostate.edu
Telephone: 612-772-7706 Fax: 612-772-7738
Number of FWS Students: 10 Number of Districts: 2
The America Reads program at Metropolitan State University serves two local elementary schools. In one school, the tutors work for three hours daily with four first grade classrooms using the Reading Recovery method. In addition, the tutors assist in the schools "book club".Over one hundred students are served at this school. In the second elementary school, tutors work one-on-one with an average of five students per day, 2-3 days per week. These children are in grades K-4. The method at this school is a phonics-based drilling program, in which the tutors receive extensive training. Prior to being hired, students completed a job application, went through a brief interview, and received a background check.
Metro State offers all America Reads tutors the opportunity to receive academic credit for their participation in the program, through attending reflective seminars and doing additional study on the topic of children's literacy. Coordination of the America Reads program is done through the Center for Community-Based Learning, which houses many service-learning programs at Metro State.
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH
President Chancellor Kathryn Martin
America Reads Contact: Mary L. Cameron
10 University Drive
Duluth, Minnesota
Email: mcamero1@d.umn.edu
Telephone: 218-726-7912 Fax: 218-726-6144
Number of FWS Students: 67 Number of Districts: ISD #709
UMD in partnership with Independent School District #709 currently has 67 UMD students tutoring in grades 1-3. Recruitment occurs on a daily basis. There is a job announcement explaining the America Reads challenge posted on our job board, I also speak to classes quarterly.
Our tutors are trained by ISD 709's Reading specialist (this is mandatory). Students are paid for the training session which usually takes two hours. The school district also provided bus tokens for those students without transportation. It is my goal to continue to recruit and eventually provide tutors for students in grades 1-12. In July UMD will also take advantage of the additional funding for students and their guardians. UMD believes that this is an excellent program!
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
President Mark Yudof
America Reads Contact: Bill Wilson
E-mail: Wilso066@tc.umn.edu
Number of FWS students: 75 work-study students in the fall quarter
The University of Minnesota/America Reads Collaborative Initiative will address the literacy problem from a broad and collaborative framework. Generally, the goals are twofold: 1) To increase literacy for all children in Minnesota so that by the end of the second grade 95% are reading at grade level. 2) To create a collaborative network of youth serving agencies to ensure literacy is addressed with a comprehensive and uniform approach thereby creating a model for others to emulate.
The University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development will coordinate a comprehensive approach consisting of two tracks that unite children, teachers, tutors, and parents with numerous youth serving agencies under a research umbrella.
Track One: One focused track follows the pattern of the Early Intervention in Reading K-2 Literacy Project. This research based thrust links children with teachers, student teachers, interns and university professors in an initiative to make independent reading possible for every child by the time they enter the third grade. Currently, one hundred and twenty-two (122) undergraduate students enrolled in the Foundations of Education and Early Admissions program doing their practicums have been trained and placed in the Early Intervention Project serving 12 urban elementary schools. Their training prepares them to effectively coach and tutor students in 5 minute one-on-one and small group 15 minute sessions which helps the elementary students grow in their use and understanding of language and emergent reading abilities.
Track Two: The second track consists of a University coordinated approach to children via community based non-profit service agencies and schools. Currently, 13 libraries, 14 recreation centers, five additional elementary schools and five after school community based organizations, identified through the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, serve as sites for placement of the seventy-plus University work-study students. Work-study students receive training as tutors/coaches through the College of Education and Human Development prior to site placement and they will participate in ongoing biweekly reflective thereafter. Additional partners in the collaboration include the following: The University of Minnesota Alumni Association will recruit alumni from the 13 member societies for training and placement as tutors /coaches or to work with parent of students; Minnesota Literacy Council will develop a corps of adults who will be trained through the U of M to provide parents of children in the program with supportive literacy techniques; VISTA, RSVP and AmeriCorps will provide additional supportive services.
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA-CROOKSTON
President: Chancellor Donald Sargeant
Contact: Pamela Holsinger-Fuchs
2900 University Ave., 120 Bede Student Center
Crookston, Minnesota
Email: pholsing@mail.crk.umn.edu
URL: http://www.crk.umn.edu/newsevents/notices97-98/amreads.htm/
Telephone: 218-281-8505
Fax: 218-281-8584
Number of Students: 5
Number of Districts: 1
We have placed students in our public and private schools in Crookston. The students work one-on-one with students and in group reading. One of our students also works with an after school enrichment program. Future goals are to have our tutors and RSVP tutors working together with training programs and teaching.
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