TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) —Learning to read is an important skill for every child.
"Our volunteers consistently come back to us and tell us that this is the best part of their week," said Lisa O'Meara, Reading Seed Program Director.
Literacy Connects is in great need of volunteers just like Karen Smith.
"A volunteer position that I never thought could be this much fun," said Smith who volunteers as a reading coach for the Reading Seed Program.
"We know from teacher feedback that when these kiddos come back into the classroom, they have a confidence, and they have an excitement about learning that they didn't have before they participated in the program," said O'Meara.
The program works with schools in need to help students in kindergarten through second grade with literacy.
"Literacy is just the keystone. If you want to be a scientist, it starts with literacy,"said O'Meara.
"So, you see a complete change over the course of a year with them just coming into their own and being able to tell you I want to read about this and I want to read about that when maybe they came in not wanting to read much about anything," said Smith.
O'Meara says it is pretty simple to volunteer.
"We have a phenomenal training so there is absolutely no prior education experience necessary to participate in this program," said O'Meara.
"So, the children get to choose the subjects they read about the books they read the characters that they're really interested in if they love dinosaurs we get to read about dinosaurs. we get to follow their lead," said Smith.
With the students taking the lead, volunteers often get to see the passion for reading grow right before their eyes.
"They get to kind of shed the weight of the world and go visit with three kiddos who are just amazed by some of the things that we just take for granted because we're adults," said O'Meara.
It's those special moments that keep volunteers coming back.
Volunteers can sign up through January to attend a volunteer information session.
Please click here for more information.
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