To the Editor:
Dr. Seuss was right in saying, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
As we begin a new school year, we know that data from both state and national sources continues to show that children in kindergarten through third grade are struggling to read. Many are not reading at grade level by third grade. The pandemic set back students in the earliest years, and we still have a lot of work to do to ensure that students have strong starts as new readers.
In Syracuse, just 13% of children were reading on grade level by third grade on the 2022 New York state assessments, falling from 22% in 2019. At the same time, experts say that with the right support, 95% of children can learn to read. As a community, we must do all we can to reverse this learning loss in the largest school district in Onondaga County. By volunteering just one hour a week as a Book Buddy, you can make a tremendous difference in the early literacy outcomes of children in Syracuse. The gift of reading is powerful!
The Book Buddies program relies on volunteers from across the community to offer one-on-one early literacy support to students. In the 2023-2024 school year, we are expanding into more Syracuse elementary schools, and we are recruiting more than 500 volunteers to work with students. We need your help! If you are looking to share your time to help a child develop vital tools for success in school and in life, please consider becoming a Book Buddy.
The Book Buddies program is a win-win-win. Students love the one-on-one attention from caring adults, schools appreciate the help as they work to develop stronger and more confident readers, and volunteers see firsthand the progress their Buddies make. Volunteers consistently give positive feedback about their experiences and the relationships they develop with their readers.
If you can share an hour a week to support our community’s earliest readers, we invite you…
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