Every Friday at lunchtime, employees of local businesses and members of service organizations ditch the break room and spend 45 minutes reading with second grade and third grade students.
​
Denver Public Schools Superintendent Tom Boasberg is one of the reading mentors. “Power Lunch is a great opportunity to make a real impact on a student’s education,” Boasberg said. “I look forward to spending time working with my student, Francisco, and I can see how energized about reading he and his classmates are when we get together.”
​
When you give to Mile High United Way, you help support Power Lunch and the impact it has on both students and volunteers.
MEET TOM
MEET LAYDEN
Kerrin learned a lot about her young students as a tutor with Colorado Reading Corps (CRC), a strategic initiative of Mile High United Way. She found one student, in particular, to be particularly shy. He struggled with reading, and didn't want to look her in the eye when she first came to his classroom. Kerrin worked hard to build a rapport - every day, she tried to connect a bit more, and in time, her consistency paid off.
​
The students Colorado Reading Corps members work with come from many communities around the state, from varied backgrounds and circumstances. They range in age from kindergarten to third grade, and they each have unique challenges that CRC members address with evidence-backed strategies and interventions.
“By the end of the year, his confidence was through the roof,” Kerrin said. Not only his confidence, but his reading scores – he had become one of the 94% of Colorado Reading Corps students who show literacy improvement, thanks to their tutoring sessions. “I know he’ll be fine in his future – he’s worked so hard this year,” said Kerrin.
Layden struggled with reading. By third grade, it was clear that he was behind his peers. His mom was thrilled when he was selected to participate in Mile High United Way’s Colorado Reading Corps. About 28 percent of third graders in Colorado are not reading at or above grade level, and since third-grade literacy is the strongest predictor of high school graduation, programs like Colorado Reading Corps are critically important.
Colorado Reading Corps pairs students with tutors to work on reading skills using research-based techniques. Layden worked with his tutor, Mr. Lewis, every day for a full school year, and he made great progress. By the end of his year, he was not only excited about reading chapter books, but all of his school work was stronger.
“I can’t thank Mr. Lewis enough,” said his mom, Chandra. “He really inspired Layden.”
MEET KERRIN
Read the Stories
Your support helps Colorado Reading Corps and all the other programs that help students become strong readers.