Last week was a celebratory one at READ USA! Our teen tutors who are AmeriCorps members were called to action to reflect on their AmeriCorps service in multiple ways during AmeriCorps Week. And while we are impressed nearly every day by what our teen tutors accomplish, last week they really shined brightly!
As part of AmeriCorps Week, we asked our teen tutors to answer the question, “Why do you serve?” and numerous tutors expressed their “why” in self-recorded videos. Their responses were honest, heartfelt, and inspiring about why they are a READ USA tutor! Check out some of their videos on YouTube here:
What also tugged at our heartstrings last week was when we asked our tutors to give peer shoutouts to their fellow tutors. Here are just a few that brought huge smiles to our faces about how much our tutors “see” each other:
Shoutout to Shelby, from Casey:
“I am writing this shoutout to you because I think it’s amazing how you do hand2mind [phonics lesson]. I have never taught one of those lessons, but from what I can see, it’s not easy. Additionally, I like how you and your students have an unbreakable bond, you guys get along so well, and they love you so much. I think it is cool that your students have rarely been absent – I think it’s because they like you. You are a very kind person, so I know that kindness transfers to all of your students. You are just the kind of person that this program needs!”
Shoutout to Cole, from Brody:
“I want to shout Cole out because of his ability to connect with his students. I feel Cole also does good on his flexibility and his ability to take on substitute students. Cole also has done very good at staying on top of all of his assignments required by AmeriCorps and READ USA.”
Shoutout to Pax, from Shelby:
“I am writing this shoutout because of how engaging and fun of a tutor Pax is. Pax is over the top and works to make his lessons the most fun they can be. All of his students enjoy tutoring. He teaches the lessons very well and has had multiple students on very high levels. He helped those students through the advanced books and even did such a good job a student exited the program!”
We might be a little biased, but we think our READ USA teen tutors and AmeriCorps members are some of the brightest stars in Duval County – and now you can see why!
Thank you to our tutors for participating in AmeriCorps Week last week and for showing your true colors about why you choose to impact the lives of younger students through READ USA! We are grateful for you!
Thank You, DCPS Board Members!
We had the honor and privilege of hosting two Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) Board Members last week to see our Workforce Development and Literacy Tutoring programming in action, and we are so grateful for the time they took with our students and teen tutors!
The Honorable Anthony Ricardo, District 1, visited the team at Lake Lucina Elementary and spent time meeting the tutors and teachers, observing tutoring lessons, and asking more about the program of our President and CEO Dr. Rob Kelly. He even gave Team READ USA a fantastic shoutout on his Facebook page! Thank you for joining us at Lake Lucina, Mr. Ricardo!
The Honorable Reginald Blount, District 5, visited Hyde Park Elementary last week. He was particularly interested in observing a tutoring lesson happen in real-time, and he watched our teen tutor Christian diligently work with her student. He also took the time to say hello to each teacher and tutor at Hyde Park – and shared his experience on social media, too! We are so grateful for your time and support, Mr. Blount!
Thank you to all seven DCPS Board Members for your ongoing support of READ USA Literacy Tutoring, our 2025 Book Fairs (kicking off next week! More here about that here), and most importantly, the students and teachers of Duval County!
#ICYMI: “Raising Readers” Special on Action News Jax Featured READ USA
Did you see Action News Jax Anchor Tenikka Hughes’ special segment “Raising Readers” on Monday evening?
If not, you can watch it here!
Tenikka has been a self-proclaimed book lover ever since she could open a book and understand the words on the page. Her personal passion for literacy and student success has parlayed into her career, launching Tenikka’s Books for Kids (#TB4K) which is now in its eighth year of collecting books to give to students for free across Northeast Florida. (The 2025 book drive is currently underway through March 29, and you can get involved here!)
Her Action News Jax Family Focus: Raising Readers segment featured multiple community organizations and partners who work with students to build their literacy skills – and Team READ USA was thrilled to be a part of it!
Tenikka interviewed READ USA Teen Tutor Taylor, her student Raykeah, and Raykeah’s mom, Mrs. Pough, about the Literacy Tutoring program and the progress that Raykeah has made in reading. We are beyond proud and elated at how Taylor and Raykeah represented Literacy Tutoring, and so grateful for Tenikka for inviting READ USA to be a part of her segment!
Thank you to Taylor, Raykeah, and Mrs. Pough for your involvement in this segment – and our immense gratitude to Tenikka and Action News Jax for continuing to uplift the importance of literacy! Thank you also to the many READ USA partners featured in the segment, including Kids Hope Alliance, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Jacksonville Public Library, and others!
(P.S. – Did you see the cameo of Cornbread – the fictional character created by our READ USA Board Member and DCPS Teacher Vincent Taylor – in the segment?!)
Thank You, Mr. Racine!
The Jacksonville Jaguars and the Jaguars Foundation have been tremendous partners of READ USA since our beginning. From Literacy Locker Rooms to volunteering at READ USA Book Fairs to financial support of our mission and programming, the Jaguars have a special place in the hearts of Team READ USA. They have truly helped make our work possible!
Last week, we had the opportunity to celebrate a very special person who has been with the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation since 2000: Peter Racine, President of the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation. Peter has dedicated his career and his personal life to uplifting the lives of others and he has been instrumental in the Foundation’s grant making, community outreach, and other charitable initiatives that he conducts on behalf of the Khan family and the Jaguars team. You can read more about Peter and his incredible career here.
“Peter has been the cornerstone of the Jaguars Foundation, helping to make it one of the most respected levers of support in our community,” shared our President and CEO Dr. Rob Kelly. “I am so thankful for the many years of support READ USA has received from the Jaguars Foundation under Peter’s leadership. Peter deserves all the best in his retirement – although he will likely be busier than ever with his mission work, lay-pastor role, and spending quality time with family and friends. From team READ USA, we extend a heartfelt ‘thank you and congratulations!’”
Thank you again, Peter, for everything you have done for READ USA and for the many, many people and organizations who have benefitted from the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation! Your influence and impact will be felt for years to come. We wish you a most wonderful and highly deserved retirement!
Children’s Book: Listen: How Evelyn Glennie, A Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion by Shannon
Illustrated by Devon Holzwarth
Evelyn Glennie is an award-winning solo Scottish percussionist who is also deaf. As a child, she learned piano and clarinet and loved playing music, but when she began to go deaf at age 8, she was told she should no longer pursue music. Imagine something as fantastic as music, silenced forever?!
Fortunately, a music teacher believed in Evelyn and helped her to listen by feeling sound. A parallel to Beethoven’s struggles, this picture book biography does a fantastic job of making sound come alive on the page. Evelyn Glennie spoke at a TED Talk in 2007, called “How to Truly Listen,” and played the xylophone for thousands. Watch her play the xylophone here as well.
Submitted by Dr. Robert Kelly, Jr., READ USA President and Chief Executive Officer
Parent Education Corner: Oral Language: The Foundation of Learning
Oral language plays an important role in your child’s learning as it represents their thinking. It is the foundation of literacy and academic success. Providing opportunities for your child to talk plays an important role in supporting language growth and development. (Fountas and Pinnell, 2021.)
Here are some tips about how to create a rich language environment in your home:
- Children learn what they hear: Repeated exposure to words, books, and conversation allows a child to learn new words and develop strong oral language skills.
- Children learn words for things and events that interest them: Rather than trying to divert a child’s attention, talk about what they are looking at and what they show an interest in.
- Children learn best in meaningful contexts: Playing and engaging with your child creates many learning opportunities. For example, when playing with blocks, you can model spatial language, e.g., “Put the yellow block behind the green block; under the red block; between the blue and orange block.”
- Children learn best when they are engaged and interacting: Talk with your child rather than at them, expand on what the child says, comment on what the child is interested in, and ask your child lots of questions.
- Children need to hear a wide range of examples of words and language structures: Quality is important, not just quantity. Talk with your child about lots of topics, read a wide range of books, and sing lots of songs and rhymes.
Submitted by Tabetha Cox, READ USA Chief Programs Officer
Do you have any questions or ideas for the Parent Education Corner? Anything you’d like to learn? Let us know here!