Book Club and Literacy

Program Overview

Book Club/ Literacy Club: At The Malone Center, our core values are Excellence, Collaboration, Diversity and inclusion, accountability, and, last but not least, Integrity. In keeping in line with our core values, we believe in supporting our youth beyond school bells, and that means in afterschool programming and their homes. Through our educational advocacy and collaboration with Lincoln public schools, we have identified that literacy is an area of improvement for children of color. To address this issue, we provide educational resources and enrichment opportunities to support youth's literacy development and ensure they can access the same educational opportunities as their peers.

For youth who cannot read at their reading levels, we offer targeted interventions and specialized support to improve their literacy skills. Our program includes one-on-one tutoring, small group instruction, and individualized learning plans to help these students catch up to their peers and develop a love for reading.

Cost Info

Student and Volunteer Success Stories

One remarkable story from two volunteers involves a 12-year-old boy named “Josh" his name was changed for confidentiality purposes. This participant was struggling with behavioral issues that hindered his progress in school. He just lost his dad to incarceration and his mother was struggling to overcome addiction. With dedicated support from two consistent volunteers each week, Josh began to navigate a path toward self-improvement and self-confidence. Through mentoring sessions and peer support, homework assistance, and wellness activities, he gained valuable insights into managing his emotions and making better choices. As a result, his behavior transformed remarkably, leading to an overall improvement in his academic performance. Volunteers working with Josh state they are glad they stayed committed to him every week, as he is no longer in a personal behavior plan in school and his morale is much better." ~(Volunteers)

Another inspiring story from a Malone volunteer revolves around “Shaina", her name changed for confidentiality, a shy and introverted student with low self-esteem.
“With the assistance of a committed volunteer, Shaina gradually developed confidence in her abilities. Through personalized tutoring sessions aimed at addressing her academic weaknesses, she not only experienced significant grade improvements but also discovered her true potential.
By offering guidance, encouragement, and personalized assistance to her while she was facing challenges, I was able to play a role in enabling her to thrive academically while fostering positive behavioral changes."~(UNL volunteer)

A young girl, age 9, with behavior issues, enrolled in our program. She was quiet and withdrawn, refused to participate in activities, and was not interested in any programming offered. After evaluation with our peer support staff and therapist, she was put into our peer support program and started participating in our Flying Classroom STEM program. Flying Classroom's PK-12 STEM+ supplemental curriculum facilitates student engagement through expeditionary and immersive learning experiences. Through live virtual sessions and hands-on design challenges, youth build a solid foundation in STEM+ as they prepare for college, careers, and life beyond the classroom setting. The curriculum is aligned with national standards, and content is differentiated by grade band. This allowed her to connect to her peers in a safe and secure environment, and she gradually opened up and was actively participating in the activities. Through consistent coaching and positive reinforcement, she eventually gained the confidence to open up and began to participate in activities. She also developed strong relationships with her peers and the staff. ~(Out-Of-School)