Cleveland Reads' Projects
Prime Time for Peer Tutors with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lorain County
In Lorain County, Big Brothers and Big Sisters are taking on an additional role by serving as tutors as well as mentors to their Little Brothers and Little Sisters. In the Prime Time for Peer Tutors program, the Lorain County Big Brothers and Big Sisters have expanded on their traditional mentoring roles to also become reading tutors to help build important literacy skills with their Little Siblings. The Bigs are excited about their new role, “It will be nice to be able to help my Little in a positive way. We like to play basketball and board games, but I think reading together is more important and just as much fun.”
Prime Time for Peer Tutors Collaboration with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District
Prime Time for Peer Tutors, a partnership with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, was a peer tutoring program to help prepare third grade students for the spring Ohio Achievement Test in Reading. Tutoring sessions were conducted by seventh and eighth grade students under the supervision of a site coordinator. Many tutors expressed great personal satisfaction in being able to help another person in a meaningful way (“I like that I am giving a child the chance to become a better reader and improve her future”). Learners reported that they “love to read now that they know they can read better.” Confidence soared! One child wrote, “I came to tutoring and learned more each day.”
Early Learning Reading Room and Family Literacy Program at Arbor Park Village
Cleveland Reads has entered into an exciting collaboration to establish a pre-school children’s library at Arbor Park Village in Cleveland. With funding from several generous supporters, books and furnishings have been purchased to create an on-site space dedicated to childhood literacy. The space will be known as The Early Learning Reading Room. Weekly story hours, hosted by senior residents of Arbor Park, will take place in the reading room and will help to enhance pre-literacy skills for the youngest residents of Arbor Park.
Garden Valley Growing Together Project
Throughout the year, Cleveland Reads provided a series of seminars designed to provide “information you can use” to adults living in the Garden Valley Community.
The Growing Together Program consisted of guest speakers and instructional seminars. Participants enjoyed each of the programs. One participant said, “I like the speakers. I especially liked the class on budgeting my money better. I loved all of the sessions.” Another participant stated, “I like the different activities that we do in class and the speakers on domestic violence and family mental health were great. The dentist was also very good.”
Summer Prime Time Club at the Garden Valley Community Center
What happens when you bring together enthusiastic high school age tutors, a group of eager 6-10 year old inner city children, and books? Magic!
This summer, Cleveland Reads sponsored a reading enrichment program in Garden Valley. By providing a meaningful summer learning experience for these school-age children, Cleveland Reads attempted to bridge the summer learning gap experienced by low income children.
It was gratifying to watch joyful children race into the Garden Valley Community Center for each tutoring session. One girl said, “This isn’t like school. This is really, really fun!” Another child said, “My tutor is the nicest person in the world. She is helping me to learn to read and she makes me feel good about myself.” Equally gratifying was the response of the tutors. One tutor said, “I wanted to do this so that I could help other people and that is exactly what I am doing. Tutoring someone has made me realize that I can make a difference in the life of another person.”
