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A middle school reading program from E3
The middle grades are pivotal in the development of literacy skills. It
is during these years that students shift their focus from learning to
read to using reading to learn. Strong literacy skills in grades
6 through 8 pave the way for success in high school and beyond. And
while we've made great strides in elementary reading skills, these
skills drop dramatically in middle school and high school. In fact,
nearly half of all students do not meet the tenth grade standards for
reading in Oregon. ( See benchmarks.)
Literacy Partners connects community volunteers with identified
students who share their love of reading and help students improve their
reading skills by doing simple reading excercises.
Community Update
Literacy Partners, a reading mentoring program, was created by E3, the Eugene School District and the Eugene Chamber of Commerce in 2004. Through this partnership, employers provide volunteer mentors to work with middle school students on reading skills at least one hour per week during the school day. Mentors are trained to work with students to build reading confidence and literacy skills such as comprehension and fluency.
Since the program's start, over 150 students have been mentored at least once a week by volunteers from local employers. In addition, employers have provided financial resources to help each middle school cover the cost of coordination and materials. Early results are promising, and the district plans to continue the program in four middle schools during the upcoming school year.
While E3 no longer plays an active role in the daily operation of the program, we are continuing to evaluate the effort and promote its successes. We are also extremely pleased to see the strong partnerships between local employers, the Eugene Chamber of Commerce and the school district continue as more and more employee volunteers get involved in supporting schools and student achievement.
If you are interested in getting involved in Literacy Partners in Eugene contact:
Eugene Chamber of Commerce
(541) 242-2350
Thanks! 2006-2007 Employer Partners
Brevis Internet Technologies
City of Eugene
First Tech Credit Union
Hershner Hunter
Invitrogen
Key Bank
Oregon Community Credit Union
PacificSource Health Plans
Selco Community Credit Union
Umpqua Bank
Current Project Oversight Team
Barbara Bellamy, Eugene School District 4J
Dave Hauser, Eugene Chamber of Commerce
Mark Herbert, Oregon Community Credit Union
Gary Pierpoint, Retired
George Russell, Eugene School District 4J
Craig Smith, Hershner, Hunter, Andrews, Neill & Smith, LLP
Thank You Founding Leadership Team!
CAWOOD
Committed Partners for Youth
Eugene Chamber of Commerce
Eugene Education Fund
Eugene School District 4J
Eugene Weekly
Hershner, Hunter, Andrews, Neill & Smith, LLP
The Justis Group
Lane Business Education Compact
Lane Community College
Oregon Festival of American Music
Pacific Benefit Planners
Pape' Bros., Inc.
QSL Communications, Inc.
SELCO Credit Union
Umpqua Bank
University of Oregon Career Center |