I am so pleased that we are engaged with reading support at Burroughs Molette Elementary School and the new Reading Academy partnership with the Boys and Girls Club this year, and will continue to do so. I hope you take note of the opportunities to get involved elsewhere in this week’s News You Can Use, although I’ll say more about those opportunities here as well, for those who make it to the end. Reading is an essential life skill for everyone, which means helping a child to read pays dividends well beyond the investment we make in them when they are young. Reading sets the stage for success in school, and beyond, a truth to which everyone reading this can attest.  

I also think reading is a good place to focus because it is such a big part of my life. I come from a family of readers. My cousin once hypothesized that the Purdy family must have some kind of gland in our posteriors, because when one of us sits down, we pick up something to read. This is not a medical condition related to books alone, of course. I’m the person who reads the boxes and bags that my food is in, and anything else within reach! Truly, from an early age, I was reading everything I could get my hands on.  

I grew up in a family of readers. My parents and grandparents were all avid readers and so was my sister. We had hundreds of books at home, plus whatever we could devour from the library.  In the days before cell phones distracted parents, allowing them to zone out, it was books that cast a spell, especially on my father. It was a joke that when he sat down to read, he just tuned out the rest of the world; sometimes you had to touch him to get his attention. Some folks do it with newspapers, too. Cell phones make it easier to tune out, but it’s always been a vocation hazard for a parent!  

Reading with young children is the number one thing parents can do to help their children learn to read and find success later. It is difficult for me to imagine that there are kids who grow up without being read to, or grow up without access to books, magazines, and newspapers at home, and yet it is a common reality for many children. It is not always because parents can’t read. Many folks simply don’t like to. If we don’t help kids learn to love to read, however, they will miss out on a lot.

At Burroughs Molette, we’re doing two things to help reading. First, we have a small group of tutors trained to help kids who have dyslexia. Under the guidance of parishioner T Boles, these volunteers work with kids in the school twice a week, for forty-five minutes. Over the course of three to five years, they will essentially teach these children, who often struggle to read otherwise, a new way to learn to read. This is an especially great joy to see, because these kids need a program like this or they risk falling through the cracks of a large system that isn’t designed to help them. We need a few more volunteers who can make a commitment to a student during the school year for several years; we have identified more kids in need of this special assistance. T can provide the training and the materials, and it is OK for tutors to miss a week here and there for travel. If this sounds like something you are interested in, I hope you’ll contact T about the program. Her email address is t.cousins@lakefamilies.com.

We are also trying to boost reading results at Burroughs Molette by providing reading incentives to first graders who read a book and are able to show comprehension of the story (a verification that they read the book). As they earn points from reading books, we will have volunteers who will provide special opportunities for them to “spend” their points on fun prizes or special parties. In addition, we hope that we can get some volunteers who will read to kids in the classroom as they do their group reading. This will multiply the ability of the teachers to focus on the students who need a little more one-on-one and small group attention. If you can help with the reading in classrooms or with the rewards program, please contact Sarah Kreimborg or Tisa O’Cain. Their emails address are rest1950@gmail.com and tisaocain@gmail.com, respectively.

We are also partnering with the Boys and Girls Club on an Early Literacy Academy in Brunswick.  This program focuses on three-year-olds and their parents, using song and play to teach the alphabet and the fundamentals of reading. There is a population in Brunswick that is vulnerable when it comes to early reading success and studies show the earlier we can help a child learn, the more successful they will become in school and beyond. The program meets for half day sessions at the McIntire Court building, and volunteers can help in the classroom as the staff leads the programs. If you would like to know more, or volunteer, please contact Mary Helen Moses. Her email address is maryhelenmoses@gmail.com.  

As you can see, Christ Church is committed to helping children learn to read. It is truly one of the greatest gifts we can give, and will pay dividends well beyond today. We also work hard to feed and clothe kids through other outreach efforts. Reading initiatives make it more likely that they will have a chance to break out of a cycle of poverty and find stability on their own later in life.  

If you have an hour or two a week, at a minimum, you can make a difference – a BIG difference.  I hope you will prayerfully consider doing so! The next time you pick up a book, or a newspaper, or read your way down your social media feed, give thanks for those who helped you learn how to read. Your life would have been very different without their help and support!

Tom+

Gracious and loving God, giver of all good things, who has bestowed upon us the ability to learn and grow; thank you for teachers, parents, and all those who have helped us learn to read.  Thank you for giving us the capacity to read and all the wonder that comes through our reading.  Help those who are learning to read the patience and perseverance they need to be successful.  May we use our skills to our betterment and that of the world and the people we share it with.  Amen.

Photo Credits:  Books, Abhi Sharma via Flickr.  Blocks, Rain Love AMR via Flickr.