Literacy AmeriCorps

LITERACY AMERICORPS PALM BEACH COUNTY

Literacy AmeriCorps Palm Beach County is a national service program that recruits recent college graduates to provide literacy services to adults, children and youth in our community. This "domestic literacy Peace Corps" contributes over 42,500 hours per year by tutoring and teaching, providing reading enrichment activities for children, participating in community service projects and recruiting community volunteers.

In return for their year of national service, participants in this program, known as AmeriCorps members, receive a modest living allowance, an education award and health insurance. Literacy AmeriCorps provides opportunities for leadership development, professional growth and resume building. Many of our graduates have described their year of service as life changing. To learn more about the benefits and responsibilities of participation please read more information on the following pages: 

2009-2010 Program Outcomes:

  • 526 adult learners were assisted with reading and English.
  • 448 children received tutoring and literacy enrichment to improve reading skills.
  • 315 volunteers were recruited to participate in community service activities and contributed 1,350 hours of service.
  • 487 at-risk youth were coached, tutored and mentored for academic success.

PROGRAM IMPACT

On the second day of the new semester, Jamal met me and told me that he was going to do whatever it took to graduate. So I signed him up for some online classes (to make up for missing credits) and we made a plan for the new semester. If he fell behind in a class, I would call him in and we’d work on missing assignments. So far he is passing all but one of his classes this semester. I am proud of the progress that Jamal has made and he knows it. I think it drives him to make even more.

 Seth Blakeslee, Graduation Coach

I’ve been reading with a 9-year old girl, helping her gain confidence in reading while bringing her reading skills up to grade level. At first she was incredibly shy, stumbling over words and getting frustrated by her mistakes, being near tears every time we read together. Now, her reading has improved drastically and she is capable of reading more challenging books with very few errors. When she makes a mistake, she hears it and goes back and corrects it and is able to tell me whether she reads a passage excellently or not, and what she could do next time to fix any errors. Reading is easier for her now and she is improving every day and very soon she may not need my help as her reading tutor any more!  

 Katie Coleman, Tutor and Teacher

 

  

Literacy AmeriCorps is a state AmeriCorps program in partnership with Volunteer Florida, The Governor's Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service and The Corporation for National and Community Service