In 2012, United Way of Southeast Alaska partnered with Coeur Alaska and the Juneau School District in order to work toward improving the literacy skills of elementary students in the area. Coeur Alaska said it would invest a total of $75,000 over the course of three years.
Recently Coeur Alaska presented UNSEAK with an additional $25,000 for the LEARN UNITED: Reading Tutor program. The goal of the program is to help students read at their grade level by the completion of the third grade.
“We are very pleased to continue our partnership with United Way and the Juneau School District,” said Wayne Zigarlick, general manager of Coeur Alaska’s Kensington Mine. “We’d like to thank reading tutor coordinator Lisa Worl and the many volunteers who are making a positive long term difference in the lives of these students.”
This school year, the program has 24 volunteers signed up to be reading tutors. Though they are primarily at Riverbend and Gastineau, the program is expanding to Harborview. Tutors receive training from literacy coaches in the district and are then matched with a student to work with for the school year. Training includes instructional tips for teaching students the alphabet, phonological awareness, word decoding (phonics), high-frequency words, fluency and comprehension. During one to two 30-minute sessions each week, reading tutors provide students with reading practice, discussion on book content, simple reading instruction and confidence-building motivation.
Lisa Worl, Reading Tutor Coordinator, says “We’re thankful for the Reading Tutor volunteers. This program is all about helping kids who need a little extra help with literacy. With the extra attention and time the kids get with their tutors, not only improve their literacy skills but also learn to enjoy reading!”
Lisa Worl can be contaced at readingtutor@unitedwayseak.org.
