The Youth Literacy Program has had a successful year! Our volunteer tutors and interns worked with 165 scholars throughout the last year, and we are so grateful for their commitment and support. Some of our tutoring pairs will continue their work throughout the summer, and our interns will provide intensive literacy support for scholars enrolled in our partner summer camps.

Our volunteer tutor, Karen, serves at the Christine W. Avery Learning Center and shared, “This has been one of the most joyful experiences of my life! My student has made tremendous progress since February, and I hope to work with her again next year.”

Laurel is one of our interns at Literacy Together. She works at Youth Transformed for Life, and she had this to say: “Literacy Together has been an incredibly valuable experience for both me and my scholar. One of the biggest obstacles we’ve been working through is a general intimidation of reading big words or books. We use a lot of rhymes, pictures, and hands-on activities to break words down into individual sounds in an engaging and memorable way. This past year, I’ve noticed not just his skills improve, but also his patience, receptiveness, and excitement about reading. At the beginning of the year, my student refused to read words with four letters. Now, he dives into words like “hamburger” with no hesitation! Seeing the progress he’s made in such a short amount of time is so encouraging and really shows the power that a little extra help can have on both a student’s academic performance and perception of reading.” 

The Igniting Superhero Readers Summer Internship starts June 17, and we have already hired 95% of our interns for the program. This summer, we’ll work at the Christine W. Avery Learning Center, Youth Transformed for Life, and the YMCA at Johnston Elementary, serving 60+ students across eight weeks. Interns will undergo training in order to deliver 1:1 instruction to young scholars in need of support with their foundational literacy skills.

Our interns will also receive professional development from community partners, including Misfit AVL, First Bank, UNCA Career Center, United 4 Youth, and more. If you know someone between the ages of 15-23 who would be interested in joining our internship program, please encourage them to complete our application before May 31. 

The Youth Literacy Program will also welcome and train new volunteers in September for the 24-25 school year. We will predominantly volunteer in the afterschool programs, but there are other options as well. Sign up to volunteer during the next school year!https://lit-together.org/volunteer-roles-literacy-together/become-a-volunteer/

Learn more about the Youth Literacy Program

The Youth Literacy Program has had a busy summer supporting summer campers across our community. We hired 30 young adults (photo) to participate in our summer internship program. We have provided 1:1 reading tutoring to over 90 elementary-age students this summer. We worked with children attending the summer camp programs at Youth Transformed for Life, the Christine Avery Learning Center, and the YMCA summer camp located at Johnston Elementary School. 

Being a part of these summer camps has been a fantastic experience and a privilege. 

Learn more about the Youth Literacy Program and the Igniting Superhero Readers Summer Camp

 

Great news! The Youth Literacy Program has expanded the paid internship program to include the W. Buncombe Elementary School after-school program run by the Asheville YMCA. Three Erwin High School teens participating in the M.A.N.O.S. program were selected for this internship.

The M.A.N.O.S. program (Mentoring and Nurturing Our Students) offers mentorship, support, and resources to help students achieve their academic and career goals. The program works to cultivate a culture of academic achievement, social engagement, and community accountability among Latino youth. 

Some of the activities and services offered by M.A.N.O.S. include academic tutoring, college and career exploration, leadership development, and community service opportunities. The partnership with the Youth Literacy Program is a terrific avenue to support these goals!

The interns provide 1:1 reading tutoring to elementary-age students in the after-school program. The interns received training on effective literacy instructional strategies and have been provided resources and materials to use with their students. The tutoring pairs meet Monday through Thursday during the Y.M.C.A. after-school program to work on literacy skills, including phonics skills, vocabulary development, fluency, and reading comprehension. In addition, the tutors use literacy games, children’s literature, and engaging lessons to inspire the students to become strong readers. Learn more about the Igniting Superheroes Readers internship. 

Learn more about the Youth Literacy Program

Our Youth Literacy Program has expanded its paid internship program to include the Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, a program within the City of Asheville Parks and Recreation. Five teens participating in the Stephens-Lee after-school program were selected to be paid interns to provide one-on-one reading tutoring to elementary-age students enrolled in the after-school program.

The interns received training on effective literacy instructional strategies and have been provided resources and materials to use with their students. The tutoring pairs meet twice a week to work on literacy skills, including phonics skills, vocabulary development, fluency, and reading comprehension.

In addition, the tutors use literacy games, children’s literature, and engaging lessons to inspire the students to become strong readers. We’re so excited about this new partnership!

Lear more about the Youth Literacy Program.

Igniting Superhero Readers is a paid internship opportunity for young adults to provide 1:1 tutoring to elementary-age students. The interns work in the Youth Transformed for Life and Christine W. Avery Learning Center after-school programs. They provide support with reading skills, inspire the kids to become strong readers, and develop a love for reading. This is Charlotte W., a current intern, and in this video, she talks about her experience tutoring kids. Thank you! Read what other interns said about their experience.