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[MICHIGAN]Samples of America Reads Challenge Federal Work-Study Programs and National Service Initiatives
Consortium Involving BOSTON UNIVERSITY, HARVARD UNIVERSITY, NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, PINE MANOR COLLEGE, SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY, TUFTS, U. MASS-BOSTON, WELLESLEY COLLEGE, and WHEELOCK COLLEGE
America Reads Contact: Dianne Morales
Jumpstart, 93 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02110
Telephone: (617) 542-5867
Fax: (617)542-2557
Number of FWS students in consortium: 49
Jumpstart is a non-profit organization specifically geared to providing school readiness activities to children and their families, while providing young people who are mostly college students with a training program that results in early childhood certificate. Jumpstart engages young people in service to their communities by preparing pre-school age children to enter school.
Members are paired with a pre-school age child, engaging the child and their families in schools readiness activities, particularly around early childhood literacy. Members garner community interest and support through an annual Children Across the City day where parents, their children, and other community members are introduced to a variety of learning activities for preschool age children.
Jumpstart recently held a training for tutors and program directors of AmeriCorps.
In total there are 99 Work Study students in numerous colleges in New York, Boston, Washington D.C., and Connecticut.
In Boston, there are 49 Work Study students located at the following schools: Boston University, Wheelock College, Harvard, Tufts, Wellesley College, University of Massachusetts at Boston, Pine Manor college, Suffolk University, and Northeastern University.
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
President Jon Westling
America Reads Contact: Ruth S. Shane
605 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts
Email: rshane@bu.edu
Telephone: 617-353-3551
Fax: 617-353-3924
Number of FWS Students: 150
Number of Districts: Boston Public Schools and Chelsea Public Schools
The Boston University Initiative for Literacy Development (BUILD) began its program in the fall of 1997 in response to ReadBoston and the America Reads Challenge. The BUILD committee represents a unique collaboration among several divisions of the university including the School of Education offices of graduate financial aid and of public school partnerships, the Office of Financial Assistance/Student Employment, the Community Service Center, the Department of Athletics and the Office of Student Affairs. These offices have shared the planning and implementation of the initiative with respect to recruitment of tutors; provision of non-work/study funds for project administration, tutor supervision and training, and transportation; identification of sites; and fund raising for additional books and materials. Our work stems from a twenty-three year partnership with Boston (Massachusetts) Public Schools and a ten year management agreement with Chelsea (Massachusetts) Public Schools. Under the supervision of the Boston University/Boston Public Schools Collaborative, two doctoral-level graduate students from the School of Education serve as Coordinators for the BUILD program which currently operates in eleven area elementary schools, after-school programs and community centers.
Our goal is to provide elementary school children with more opportunities to be engaged in literacy development through tutoring and literacy-enhancing activities. A staff of over 150 tutors engage 300-400 children from first to fifth grade in activities such as pen-pal programs, reading from the classics, in-class tutoring and word games. Under the supervision of the Graduate Student Coordinators, a team of lead tutors, most of whom are graduate students in the School of Education and the School of Social Work, serve as site coordinators. Lead tutors meet weekly for debriefing, training and problem solving. Support and supervision for the tutoring cadre is provided daily at each site following tutoring sessions. Tutors have established structures for their sessions with the children. For example in one after-school program, the tutors begin by gathering in a circle with the children to review the afternoon's agenda. Next, everyone breaks into small groups to write from a daily prompt. After their writing session, children read books to each other in small groups or listen to tutors read from a classic such as "The Hobbit." The session always ends back in the large circle. At other sites, tutors provide support with homework such as writing science reports, developing new vocabulary, or reviewing a history text. One in-class tutor wrote in her log, "Today Lucia was so excited when I walked into the room she asked if we could start reading right away!"
DEAN COLLEGE
America Reads Contact: Emily Pfeiffer, Massachusetts Campus Comact VISTA
99 Main Street
Franklin, MA
E-mail: epfeiffe@dean.edu
Telephone: (508) 541-1943
Fax: (508) 541-1549
Dean College is a private two-year school located in Franklin, Massachusetts. Dean College has taken on the America Reads Challenge in the form of a scholarship opportunity called the Community Service Scholars Program. Sixty Dean College first-year students serve as reading partners to children in the Franklin Public School system, Franklin Human Services Department, Forge Family YMCA, Franklin Public Library, and the Franklin Children's School. The program is sponsored by an After-School Grant from the Massachusetts Campus Compact and the Massachusetts Service Alliance. Additional funding was provided by Putnum Investments.
Sixty Dean College students serve as reading partners for pre-school and elementary school age children. Community Service Scholars work with 4 schools in the Franklin school district. Training is ongoing for tutors through monthly training sessions and bi-weekly reflection groups. The Community Service Scholars Program has put together a training handbook. The Massachusetts Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA coordinates the America Reads Program. We use program evaluation forms for the reading partners and the community partners. Evaluations can be obtained by contacting the MACC VISTA coordinator. We have promoted our efforts through the local media advertising our new programs in newspapers.
LASELL COLLEGE
President Thomas deWitt
America Reads Contact: Jill Chadsey, VISTA Coordinator of Public Service Programs
Center for Women in Public Service 1844 Commonwealth Ave.
Newton, MA
Email: jchadsey@lasell.edu
Website: www.lasell.edu
Telephone: (617) 243-2348
Fax: (617) 243-2326
This fall, the Center for Women in Public Service at Lasell College created an America Reads partnership with the Ellis Mendell Elementary School in Roxbury, MA. This program is the first afterschool program for children in this school district. The main focus of the program is to increase the children's reading ability and help foster a love of reading. Students have responded to the America Reads Challenge with great interest, however, we often find ourselves competing with college's course schedule. The program is coordinated by 2 Early Childhood Education majors at Lasell and overseen by the AmeriCorps*VISTA Public Service Coordinator on campus. Twenty-five Lasell students are paid with federal work study funds and receive all training, supplies, and transportation from the college.
Tutors work individually or in reading pairs (1 tutor, 2 children) with children in grades 2-4. We are currently implementing portions of the KY-READS model, developed by Mike Houston, Director of SLICE/KY-READS. The tutors are equipped with a book folder ( cover describes the book, inside provides conversation questions and activities), book, curriculum, child's folder and basic supplies (paper, pencil, crayons, glue, markers, etc.). Tutors receive monthly training and participate in bi-weekly reflection sessions.
LESLEY COLLEGE
President Margaret McKenna
America Reads Contact: Dean of Students, Marlene Godfrey
29 Everett Street
Cambridge, MA
Email: khottens@lesley.edu
Website: www.lesley.edu
Telephone: (617) 349-8530
Fax: (617) 349-8558
Number of Districts: 2
Lesley College has long been committed to both literacy and community service so the America Reads Program was a natural fit that generated a lot of interest among students, faculty, and staff. Many of our America Reads tutors, both undergraduate and graduate, come to the program with previous classroom experience.
With the help of a Massachusetts Campus Compact VISTA, we have had a large response from our students, alumni, faculty, staff, and the community. We have linked up with other Lesley literacy initiatives, including the School of Education's Hood Project and the Reading Recovery Program in order to support existing projects while also establishing new community connections. Several of our School of Education faculty provide a 12 hour initial training and on-going trainings that incorporate important elements of Service-Learning.
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
President Richard Freeland
America Reads Contact: Lisa Hirsch
204B Churchill Hall, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave.
Boston Massachusetts
Email: lhirsch@lynx.neu.edu
Telephone: 617-373-3700
Fax: 617-373-3701
Number of FWS Students: 20
Partners in Reading was created in the fall of 1997. We operate through the Office of Educational Opportunity Programs and Service Learning at Northeastern University. We have employed approximately 45 work study students and 20 volunteers in the past two quarters. Some of our volunteers are using their experiences with the program to fulfill a pre-practicum for elementary education. We plan to expand to more than 50 reading tutors by next fall.
Our main focus in the community involves after school programs in the Roxbury and Dorchester neighborhoods of Boston. The children participating in these programs are in grades one through five. We do reading activities in small groups in order to reinforce the literacy work being done in school, as well as spark the children's interest in reading for pleasure.
NORTH SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
President George Traicoff
America Reads Contact: Creda Carney
1 Ferncroft Road
Danvers, MA
Email: ccarney@nscc.mass.edu
Website: www.northshore.edu/
Telephone: (978)762-4000 ext. 4309
Fax: (978) 762-4021
Number of FWS Students: 21
NSCC america reads tutors were recruited from our early childhood education program and early childhood development program. Our tutors are going into the classrooms in grades K-3 to assist teachers with those youngsters experiencing reading difficulities. NSCC STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE AMERICA READS CHALLENGE. This initiative will not only increase the literacy of those tutored but also provide an exceptional learning experience for the tutors, that will enhance job opportunities.
ROXBURY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
President Dr. Grace C. Brown
America Reads Contact: Celeste Thomas
1234 Columbus Ave Financial Aid Office
Boston, MA
Email: cthomas539@aol.com
Telephone: (617) 541-5322
Fax: (617) 541-5390
Roxbury Community College and ReadBoston work together to make the program a success. Recruitment and Publicity and Program Coordination was done through the Financial Aid Office. ReadBoston provided trainings, materials and placement and evaulation. RCC's ReadBoston partners did an excellent job and gained rewarding experience. We hope to increase participation for the 98/99 year. Great initiative!
SIMON'S ROCK COLLEGE OF BARD
President Leon Botstein
America Reads Contact:
Eve Caimano
84 Alford Road
Gt. Barrington, MA 01230
Email:
ecaimano@simons-rock.edu
URL:
www.simons-rock.edu
Telephone:
413/528-7297
Fax:
413/5287339
Number of Students:
Number of Districts:
SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE
President Randolph Bromery
Contact: Mary Pilch
Address: 263 Alden Street
City: Springfield
State: MA
Zip Code: 01109
Email: mary_pilch@spfldcol.edu
Telephone: (413) 748-3110
Fax: (413) 748-3022
Number of Students: 62
Number of Districts: 1
The SC program began in summer '97 with 10 students tutoring in a city park and rec program called Golf and Read (inspired by Tiger Woods). If the kids participated in the reading program, they were eligible to be instructed in and play golf. In the fall 35 tutors worked in daytime classrooms and in afterschool programs; in the spring we had 62 students in additional schools and afterschool programs. Principals and teachers applaud the program and our SC tutors LOVE their work. They enthusiastically report that they are feeling a connection with the community as a whole, and more specifically, with the issues that affect the lives of the children in Springfield. America Reads is a powerful program for everyone who is involved. We expect it to continue to grow and flourish.
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, AMHERST
President William Bulger
America Reads Contact: Lucille R. Leli
243 Whitmore Admin Bldg
Amherst, MA
Email: l.leli@umassp.edu
Website: www.umassp.edu
Telephone: 413 545-9582
Fax: 413 545-1722
WHEATON COLLEGE
America Reads Contact: Claudette Newport, Student Financial Services
East Main Street
Norton, MA
E-mail: cnewport@wheatonma.edu
Telephone: (508) 286-3862
Fax: (508) 286-8276
Wheaton College's America Reads Program is dedicated to forging mutually beneficial relationships with community organizations committed to literacy education as a means of enriching the personal lives of young children and the quality of life for our community as a whole.
Twenty-two Wheaton College FWS students currently serve as reading partners to pre-school and school age (K-3) children in the towns of Norton and Attleboro. Students works at 9 agencies and schools including 6 public schools in Attleboro, Project Connect: Family Network, and the Norton and Attleboro Public Libraries.
WILLIAMS COLLEGE
President Harry C. Payne
America Reads Contact: Robert K. Buckwalter
Williams College, Baxter Hall
Williamstown, MA 01267
Email: Robert.K.Buckwalter@williams.edu
Telephone: 413-597-2483
Fax: 413-597-3955
Number of FWS Students: 35
Number of Districts: 1
Recruitment has been through Financial Aid interest forms, which has yielded more applicants than we have been able to use. We have 35 tutors in grades K - 5, assisting in the local school during the regular class day hours. In addition, we are beginning an afterschool homework tutoring session for reading which will take place at the local library.
Morale among tutors, teachers and students has been high. We are in the process of developing evaluation tools for both tutors and training materials. Training has been handled by the Title One teaching staff, who are paid by the college for these services.
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This page last updated October 21, 1999 (saw).