Youth Literacy

Program Overview

While North Carolina has seen an increase in the number of adults with college degrees from 22.5% to 27.8%, Salisbury adults percentage of 23.5% hasn't increased in 16 years. The need for additional support for youth and education is great, especially in the earlier years.

According to the National Research Council, "academic success, as defined by graduation, can be predicted with reasonable accuracy by knowing someone's reading skill at the end of third grade."
3rd grade is when children make the transition from learning how to read to reading to learn. Children who struggle with literacy at this stage tend to fall further behind their peers as time passes and are four times more likely than proficient readers to leave school without a diploma.

This school year we are launching a pilot program at Hurley Elementary School. We need committed volunteers to meet with an assigned 3rd grade student at at least once a week to work specificially on literacy. These students will be picked by the school as at risk for falling behind and the materials will come from their respective teacher. No lesson planning required! The school is fully committed to this program and will provide the materials and the space required.