Albuquerque Reads is the Chamber’s decades-long running literacy program, and it takes a village to ensure the program is consistently making strides.
For more than 20 years, the Chamber has partnered with Albuquerque Public Schools to bring reading tutors into Title I schools to boost kindergarten and first-grade literacy skills through Albuquerque Reads. While the school year is winding down, we’re looking to increase our tutor ranks for next school year and give volunteers plenty of time to schedule the brief required training session later this summer.
Our tutors spend 90 minutes of one-on-one time each week with students at three Title 1 elementaries (Atrisco, Bel-Air and Whittier), learning and practicing critical reading and writing skills using a teacher-designed and supervised curriculum. The program also provides each child with at least 20 books throughout the school year so they can keep practicing their skills at home with family.
This year – with the help of these sponsors and 169 dedicated tutors – Albuquerque Reads has been able to:
- Tutor 130 students a month,
- Provide two take-home books to 200 students a month – that’s 4,300 books this school year, and
- Provide backpacks and school supplies to more than 200 students in December.
We at the Chamber are very dedicated to Albuquerque Reads and are so impressed with the progress the students make every year – from how their drawings and writings advance over the year to how confident they have become with their tutors when they open a book and read!
For more information on how to become a tutor or support this program’s work, please check out abqreads.com or contact program director Kayla Nelson at [email protected] or 505-843-7323.