I am beginning my 14th year as a volunteer reader for kindergarten and first grade students with less opportunity. My students are all English Language Learners living below the poverty level. I continue to be a reader because, as a retired bilingual elementary school teacher, I know that hearing the language in well written books and seeing engaging, supporting illustrations will stimulate a child's desire to read.If they want to read, it will make the teacher's job of teaching them to read much easier. children need books in their homes and this program makes it possible for me to give each child two new, quality books every year to start or add to their own personal libraries. They can hardly believe that they really get to keep the book. Their eyes light up when they see their own name on the bookplate I put in every book. Students often come up to me and tell me that they still have the books that I gave them years before and that they have read them many times as well as shared them with other family members. They tell me that they keep the books in a safe place where the dog can't chew them or their baby sister can't mess them up. They tell me that they get public library cards and check out the books that I have read to them.When I see the children and hear their comments, I know that my time is well spent.
A literate population make a country strong. Rolling Readers helps the United States reach that goal, one child at a time. I am pleased that I can help in some small way.
I have been a Rolling Reader volunteer for a number of years at a low income school in my community. I read to three 3rd grade classes each week and look forward to my time with the kids even more than they enjoy my visit. As a retired educator, I appreciate the role that Rolling Readers is playing in helping students with literacy in San Diego, especially in low income and low performing schools.
Rolling Readers is an organization that operates with confidence about the importance of its work and with the belief that its cause is worthy of attention of contributions from individuals at all levels. I recently attended an organization reception attended by Scott Horsley, White House correspondent for NPR, who was also a Rolling Reader. Also in attendance were a number of local civic leaders and major donors in the community. This event and its success, as well as other events that preceded it and followed it, is particularly impressive given the new leadership in the executive director's seat. In a relatively short amount of time, Rolling Readers has succeeded in putting its name, cause, and work in the public consciousness. There is renewing passion and excitement for the work this organization is doing.
