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Aryelle Miller’s face lights up when her mentor, Sandra Babcock, comes to read with her. The Pinkalicious books are some of her favorites because her favorite color is pink. Babcock, too, enjoys the time she spends with Aryelle. As a Reading Buddy through the Rutherford County Schools Education Foundation, Babcock visits with Aryelle weekly and sometimes comes just to have lunch.
Rutherford County Schools Education Foundation and the RCS Elementary Education Department began transitioning the mentoring initiative in 2013, said Steven Helton, director of elementary education for Rutherford County Schools.
“When Communities in Schools of Rutherford County disbanded, one of the things we were concerned about was what would happen to the mentoring program they had,” Helton said. “With the Read to Achieve legislation, we knew mentors could play a big part in that.”
The Read to Achieve Program has a goal to ensure that every student in North Carolina read at or above grade level by the end of third grade and continue to progress in reading proficiency in order to read and understand complex texts needed for secondary education and career success.
While the mentor program is called Reading Buddies, mentors don’t just have to read with students, Helton explained.
“We are simply emphasizing literacy. Our mentors can develop literacy just by engaging in conversation with students, which is important for developing literacy skills,” he said. “Mentors can also help students with other subjects as identified by the teacher.”
The time commitment for being a mentor is small when compared to the impact it can make for a student.
“It’s less than an hour a week,” Helton explained. “A lot of children are often in situations that are challenging. Being a mentor is huge in making sure a student is successful in school.”
Training is required to be a mentor; during the 90 minute session participants are provided an overview of the program and given strategies for being a reading buddy. Trainings are held periodically at the county school’s administrative offices and customized trainings are available for civic and church groups.
The next Reading Buddies Mentor Training is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 26, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Rutherford County Schools Administration Building. If you plan to attend, please email Steven Helton at mentor@rcsedfoundation.org or call 828-288-2331.For more information on the program, visit http://www.tinyurl.com/rcsefreadingbuddies.
