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[NEVADA] Samples of America Reads Challenge Federal Work-Study Programs and National Service Initiatives
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT KEARNEY
Chancellor Gladys Styles Johnston
America Reads Contact: Renee Besse, Assistant Director of Financial Aid
University of Nebraska, Student Affairs Building
Kearney, NE 68849
E-mail: besse@platte.unk.edu
Telephone: (308) 865-8520 Fax: (308) 865-8987
Number of FWS students: currently 10
The University of Nebraska at Kearny began planning for implementation of America Reads in June 1997. There are ten University of Nebraska at Kearney students serving as America Reads tutors in nine Kearney public elementary schools. The UNK students are serving as tutors in grades kindergarten through third grade. The elementary school places the tutor in the grade or grades based on the needs of the elementary students. The tutoring in being done during the school hours, but they plan to extend the hours and days to meet the needs of the students and teachers as our program grows.
The ten students serving as reading tutors are all Elementary Education majors. To select our tutors we developed a recruitment plan in July. First our office sent out letters to Elementary Education majors who were eligible for workstudy. This letter informed the students about the America Reads program and what their role would be as a reading tutor. If the UNK student was interested in participating, they mailed our office back an information sheet stating their interest in the program and the hours they would be available to work.
After receiving a remarkable response of information sheets back from the students, we set up a meeting with all the elementary principals and the Kearney Public School assistant superintendent. At this meeting, we all reviewed the information sheets and discussed the program and what needs the principals wanted to meet. At this time, we agreed to have the students send a letter of interest, resume and three references. Then, we arranged interviews with the students and principals. Three principals would interview one student at a time. The principals placed the students in nine different elementary schools based on the schools' needs and the students' availability. The principals as a group came up with six standard interview questions for the prospective tutors. Then, we did background checks on the selected tutors. This is a requirement for the Kearney public school system. Dr. Glen Powell, Professor of Elementary Education at UNK, conducted two hours of basic reading training with the tutors before they entered the school system. Our America Reads tutors work directly with the classroom teachers and principals. Most tutors work anywhere from 5-15 hours a week. America Reads tutor, Tara Heil, says, "I have learned so much being a reading tutor. This experience is going to prepare me for teaching as well as benefit the children."
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