ReadingPals looking for 200 volunteers in 2013-14

Want to make a difference in a child’s life?
Join ReadingPals, a program in its second year with the United Way of Manatee County and its Women’s Leadership Initiative in partnership with the Manatee County School District and the Children’s Movement.
Funded by Carol and Barney Barnett of the Barnett Early Literacy Initiative, it targets the reading skills of Manatee County kindergarteners and requires only one hour a week from volunteers.
“With only 60 minutes a week, each of us can help transform the lives of our community’s children through a mentor/teacher relationship that can be life-altering by increasing the probability of success in school,” said Philip Brown, United Way’s chief executive officer. “Do you remember an adult who had a major impact on your life as a child just because they cared about you so authentically? Become one of those adults to our children as a ReadingPal.”
It takes place from September through May and is a one-on-one, guided reading program for kindergarteners attending four of the county's Title I elementary schools.
The site locations and times are:
• Ballard Elementary School, 912 18th St. W., Bradenton; Tuesdays or Thursdays, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
• Blackburn Elementary School, 3904 17th St. E., Palmetto; Tuesdays, 9:20-10:20 a.m.
• Daughtrey Elementary School, 515 63rd Ave. E., Bradenton; Tuesdays or Thursdays, 8:15-9:15 a.m. (awaiting approval).
• Rogers Garden Elementary School, 515 13th Ave., W., Bradenton; Tuesdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
The goal is to enlist 200 volunteers for this 25-week program.
Each volunteer will be matched with two students and divide their hour-long session between each student to give them one-on-one attention.
Interested?
Contact Sandra Holmes at 941-748-1313 or via e-mail at sholmes@uwmc.net.