This is a very exciting year for The Literacy Project! As we go into our tenth school year of teaching students, we can’t help to be grateful for helping over 9,000 children in need. We had great success last year and plan to showcase three of our students who excelled tremendously in their reading skills this past school year at our upcoming annual gala this October. A celebration of “The Magic of Reading” will take place at the Balboa Bay Resort honoring the students who strive for success through our program and the local community who supports them. We are so excited to celebrate all that we have accomplished this past decade and look forward to helping many more generations of students in Southern California.
It’s no myth that illiteracy is a threat to the success of our youth. Studies have shown that many students begin to fall behind in literacy levels by the time they reach fourth grade. After that, their ability to catch up decreases significantly, while their chances of dropping out and giving up on school increases inversely. Our mission here at The Literacy Project is to provide the extra care and attention to students at risk of falling behind from their peers and build their confidence to succeed. Not only do we help students learn to love reading, but we provide a fun, socially interactive environment for students to learn together, all while doing what children love the most – playing games with their friends!
We have instilled new confidence in students from our program who have gone from fearing words to finding a love and passion for reading. One of our teachers, Ms. Nancy, from the Coachella Valley School District says the difference she sees in her students is inspiring, “It’s amazing to see all their little faces when they say a right sound, the big smiles and big eyes show how proud they are of themselves. Sometimes it’s just that confidence that they need to become a better reader and to learn to actually like to read.” We’ve been able to help children improve their literacy skills and overcome the insecurities of illiteracy. They no longer see reading as a challenge, but as an adventure.
In the upcoming years, while we continue to support and mentor students in our homelands of Orange County, we are also planning to bring The Literacy Project to new areas. Last year we inducted a new chapter of the program in Utah and are currently looking forward to branching out in Arizona as well. Our foundation provides lifelong skills to children in need, all while teaching them to have fun and make friends. The difference we have made in thousands of students lives over the past ten years is something we will never forget. We will continue to build new hope and confidence in students across the county and in our new chapters.
