Friday, June 20, 2014

Overcoming Summer Learning Loss

Blog post written by Melissa Simmermaker, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Program Manager
A recent photo from the Oskaloosa
Summer Lunch Program


As research continues to confirm the benefits of utilizing summer learning programs to help close the achievement gap for disadvantaged youth and overcome learning loss for all students, Iowa Reading Corps is partnering with local United Ways to utilize the people-power of AmeriCorps to ensure more Iowa students have access to the educational and nutritional supports that they need to succeed.

While Iowa's 10, full-time Reading Corps AmeriCorps Members wrapped up the school-based portion of their terms of service in May and June, they are continuing to serve their communities through summer tutoring, enrichment, and/or feeding programs in June and July. In partnership with local United Ways, members are collaborating with community volunteers to provide more opportunities for children and youth to receive access to summer enrichment and literacy activities while also receiving a nutritious meal. By combining access to educational and nutritional supports, local United Ways and school districts are paving the path to closing the educational gap that often widens for disadvantaged youth over the summer months.


In Ames and Dubuque, Iowa Reading Corps has partnered with the United Way of Story County (UWSC) and the Dubuque Community Foundation to place six, minimum-time Summer AmeriCorps Members at the UWSC and St. Mark Youth Enrichment to provide additional support for local summer enrichment programs. In Story County, Summer AmeriCorps Members are partnering with Story County AmeriCorps*VISTA Members and Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Members to implement an innovative summer learning and feeding program with the Ames and Nevada Community School Districts. In Dubuque, four Summer AmeriCorps Members are serving with the St. Mark Youth Enrichment Summer Academy to provide enrichment activities for students who have just finished kindergarten or first grade.

While the positive impact of Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Members is targeted upon literacy tutoring provided during the school year, we're proud to highlight the impact that members are having in their communities throughout the summer months. Summer programming would not be made possible without the support of local United Ways who also provide match funding for members' living stipends. What an exciting opportunity to continue strengthening the bridges between school and community!

Friday, June 13, 2014

Looking Forward to Year Two

Blog post written by Nicole Belding, Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps Member serving at Washington Elementary.

Today is the last day of school. Reflecting back to the beginning of the school year, I remember sitting in the Reading Corps Training Institute last September and feeling nervous about mastering a set of tutoring interventions. Fast forward nine months, and I cannot express how much I have learned and all the experience that I have been afforded as an Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps member. With end-of-year field trips and assessments, the past month has provided some hurdles for ensuring that students were able to meet with me each day to receive their Reading Corps tutoring.

Now that I have worked my way through the "bubble kids" at my school who are just below grade level in reading, I'm now able to tutor the students who are a little farther below grade level. It is taking a little longer for these students to reach grade level and exit from the program, but we know that this is normal. After deciding to serve a second term of service with Reading Corps, I'll be able to just pick back up in the fall with these students and get them off and running with tutoring. I find myself repeating this statement over and over again, but I cannot express how much this position means to me. I have thanked our principal at Washington as often as possible for giving me this opportunity and I am very excited to be back here again next year.