READ USA is tremendously honored, grateful, and elated that David & Monique Miller are serving as our Presenting Sponsors for the 2023 Peace in the Pages event, taking place on September 28 this year.
We sat down with David & Monique who graciously shared their perspectives on the importance of literacy and how we as a community can help all children improve their literacy skills, and most importantly, find joy and build confidence through reading to create lifelong readers and learners.
Watch their inspirational remarks below:
We are so excited for David & Monique to join us at Peace in the Pages – and we hope you will, too!
Read more about our 2023 Peace in the Pages event here.
Six AmeriCorps VISTA Positions Available: Apply Today!
The AmeriCorps VISTA program has over 7,000 service members nationwide who help local nonprofits across the country expand organizational capacity to make positive change in their communities.
READ USA was honored to be selected into the AmeriCorps VISTA program, and we have six year-long service positions available!
The people in these positions will play an essential role in helping READ USA grow and expand our footprint to support even more children and teens in our community and beyond –
Follow the links below to learn more about each full-time, in-office AmeriCorps position and apply:
- Program Supervisor will work in close partnership with the Data and Research Director and CEO to ensure the success of the AmeriCorps VISTA Program at READ USA. This position will train, develop, and supervise AmeriCorps members and serve as a liaison between READ USA and AmeriCorps host sites and funders. Email Holden Scyster at holden@readusainc.com for more information and to apply.
- Development Associate will support the sustainability of READ USA through partnership building with private funders and other development activities.
- Logistics and Scaling Associate will provide logistical support to the READ USA Literacy Tutoring program and support expansion.
- Grant and Proposal Writing Associate will seek out and apply for grant opportunities while helping maintain positive relationships with funders and stakeholders.
- External Communications Associate will help enhance external communications by collaborating with the communications team to identify and pursue opportunities to creatively develop digital and printed content.
- Volunteer Recruitment Associate will help develop and implement a comprehensive volunteer recruitment and management process.
- Tutor Recruitment Associate will help develop and implement a comprehensive teen tutor recruitment and management process.
If you have any questions about READ USA’s AmeriCorps VISTA positions, contact Holden Scyster at holden@readusainc.com.
Calling All Teens! Apply Today to be a Tutor.
READ USA’s Literacy Tutoring program begins again this fall at Duval County Public Elementary Schools!
Literacy Tutoring is an ideal opportunity for teens who are passionate about their community to earn $15/hour while improving the lives and educational futures of elementary students.
How Literacy Tutoring Works:
Teen tutors use pre-written lesson plans to deliver high-quality reading lessons to help elementary students improve their literacy skills. READ USA provides extensive training, onboarding, on-site support, and resources to teen tutors. Tutors have one-on-one access to supervising teachers during all tutoring sessions, who oversee, coach, and guide tutors in lesson delivery.
Who We Want:
- Teens and young adults aged 16-21 (high school or college).
- Teens with the ability to work Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays every week from 2:00-6:00 p.m.
Teen Tutors Can Expect:
- $15/hour for 9-12 hours of work per week.
- Transportation (if needed) to and from the selected elementary school.
- To participate in a mandatory two-day onboarding and training session – dates TBA (tutors are paid for the training session).
- To pass a national Level II background check, reading screener, and drug screen.
Want to hear from a Teen Tutor about their experience? Click here to watch.
Children’s Book: A Sick Day for Amos McGee, by Philip Stead
Illustrated by Erin Stead
International Day of Friendship is celebrated on July 30. This is a day to celebrate the role that friendship plays across all cultures. It is all about promoting togetherness and kindness and bringing people together.
A Sick Day for Amos McGee is a beautiful story of friendship and acceptance. In the book, we learn that
Amos is a punctual man who arrives at the zoo early each morning and spends his day providing the animals exactly what they need.
One day, however, Amos wakes up with a terrible cold. He decides that he won’t make it to work. Because Amos is a reliable friend, his dear friends start to wonder where he is. Getting worried, the animals leave the zoo and travel to Amos’s house. To comfort Amos, each animal stretches beyond his or her fears to help their friend recover. They spend the day at Amos’s small, cozy home and offer him comfort and companionship while he is sick. Soon it is bedtime, and the animals and Amos all tuck in for the night because another big day at the zoo lies ahead.
Submitted by Kathi Hart, Tutoring Program Content Specialist
Parent Education Corner: Building Background Knowledge
Background knowledge is a critical component in determining a student’s success in reading comprehension. When our children have a lot of experiences to draw on, they have a better chance of making connections with what they read.
The sooner children start to build up their store of knowledge, the better. Experiences with family will allow children to gather knowledge about themselves, others, their neighborhood, and their world.
You are helping your child build background knowledge when you:
- Play games and engage in make-believe play.
- Explore together. Head outside to plant a garden, watch birds and other wildlife, or go online to watch a video of polar bears in their natural habitat.
- Answer questions! And provide feedback about children’s ideas that help them expand on what they know.
- Visit different places in the community together, such as the ice cream shop, library, park, bakery or grocery store. Talk about what they see, hear, smell, and taste.
- Share and read aloud all kinds of books and informational texts that introduce children to a variety of people, places, experiences and ideas.
Sharing everyday experiences and reading and discussing books are great ways to help children build background knowledge and increase their understanding of what they read. Building background knowledge can be fun and a great way to end summer vacation!
Submitted by Kathi Hart, Tutoring Program Content Specialist
Do you have any questions or ideas for the Parent Education Corner? Anything you’d like to learn? Let us know here!