Interested in making the difference in the life of a child? The Read With Me! Program is looking for volunteers to work with elementary students to encourage and improve reading pronunciation and comprehension. You may find yourself being read to by a student or reading a book for a small group. Read With Me! recruits volunteer "Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles" through organizations such as the Senior Center and Hands on Santa Clarita.
Becoming a Read With Me! volunteer means more than providing individualized assistance to a student's learning experience. It means developing a mentor relationship between you and a student, harboring mutual respect and admiration. One volunteer "grandma" notes that she gets excited to see her little friends each week and enjoys helping them improve their reading, writing and arithmetic. Phyllis Miller believes it's the best thing she's done for herself in a long time, because "sharing with these young people has put a song in my heart and a spring in my step. How great it feels to be needed."
The SCV is staying on the cutting edge of national elementary education through the Read with Me! mentorship program. Nationwide, schools have been integrating mentorship programs because of its proven benefits to both students and volunteers. Consistency is important and volunteers are encouraged to commit to one or two mornings per week for a six-month period; but the program may also be flexible to your schedule. Contact Ann Unger, Executive Director, at 661-414-4465.
