The Greenwich United Way recently awarded 450 students participating in the Reading Champions program during the 2016/17 school year. Each student completed the literacy program at one of 14 sites where tutors utilize the Reading A-Z program to help improve reading fluency. Reading Champions tutors presented their students with a certificate of achievement, Reading Champions medal and book at each site location ceremony. The Reading Champions program is in its ninth year and 137 trained tutors volunteered at 14 locations, 10 public elementary schools and four after school programs.
“Our end of the year ceremonies are special,” said Greenwich United Way Program Coordinator for Reading Champions, Marie Wardell. She continued, “Each child develops a positive connection to reading with their tutor through this program which is why it is so successful. We all enjoy celebrating together at the end of the year. Students are proud of themselves and tutors feel the tremendous impact they’ve made in the community. These celebrations are a great way to kickoff summer and build excitement for summer reading!”
Each Reading Champions site is assigned a liaison who coordinates with the literacy specialist and site directors to ensure the program runs flawlessly during the year. The following are volunteers at each Reading Champions site: Betsy Coons at Old Greenwich School, Patricia Santonocito at International School at Dundee, Marie Wardell at Cos Cob School and YWCA of Greenwich, Marie Rubino at North Mianus School, Mary Jay at New Lebanon School, Bobbie Walker at Julian Curtiss School, Suzanne Sullivan at Riverside School, Susanna Trudeau at Hamilton Avenue School, Happy Pappas at North Mianus School – Kindergarten, Barbara Kavanagh at North Street School, Joanne Steinhart at Glenville, Joan Lowe at Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, and Julie Gibian at Byram Archibald Neighborhood Center.
A private “Tea for Reading Champion” volunteers was held on June 8, at the Woman’s Club of Greenwich. The event honored the hard work of the Greenwich United Way Reading Champions volunteers. This year, the Greenwich United Way invited Diane Garrett of Diane’s Books to keynote. Garrett told stories of how she was “caught” by reading as a young child.
Reading Champions Ambassador, Kaitlin R. DeBellis, was in attendance and presented Volunteer Program Coordinator, Betsy Coons, with a gift and expressed her thanks to all volunteer tutors. “Teaching a child to read is opening up a world of possibility that was not there before,” said Debellis. She continued, “I designed this bracelet as part of the ‘Everyday Hero campaign’, for X Jewelry. Today I am here to present this bracelet to our very own everyday hero – Betsy. Her dedication, love and passion for the program are a gift to all of us, most especially the students. She is a Greenwich United Way Reaching Champions Everyday Hero as are each and every one of you.”
A tutor application can be found on the Greenwich United Way website under the Volunteer tab greenwichunitedway.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2016-17-Reading-Champions-Volunteer-letter-and-application-REVISED-FEBRUARY-2017.pdf. Mail application to Marie Wardell, Greenwich United Way Reading Champions, 1 Lafayette Court, Greenwich CT 06830 or email the completed form to Marie Wardell mwardell@greenwichunitedway.org
For more information or to support the program with a donation, please visit greenwichunitedway.org
