United Way’s Schools of Hope aims to bolster kids’ reading skills

Lizbeth Ponce, 6, breezed through “Pine Lake,” a short story about two hikers, and tackled a list of first grade vocabulary words with long vowel sounds like “bike” and “ride.” But she stumbled over the word “some,” wanting, naturally, to pronounce it with a long “o” sound.

It’s the kind of reading error that could go unnoticed in a room full of 20 other students. But volunteer reading tutor Candace Demeduc, looking over her shoulder, was right there to catch it.

“This is a tricky one,” she said, pronouncing “sum.” “Tap it and say it three times.”

The Robert L. Stevens Elementary first-grader flashed an adorable smile as she got it right on her second try.

“Great job, sweetie,” Demeduc said. “High five.”

Ponce has been getting one-on-one help with reading through a United Way program called Schools of Hope, which matches volunteers with first- and second-graders to help boost early reading proficiency.

“If you get them early, you are going to take care of so many problems,” said Demeduc, a retired teacher who has been volunteering for three years. “We’re closing the gap early.”

Only 43 percent of Sonoma County third-graders and 28 percent of Mendocino County third graders read proficiently, according to the latest standardized testing data. Schools of Hope has 450 volunteers in 35 North Coast schools, providing individual coaching for young readers and welcome aid for busy teachers.

“Some kids need more practice with someone who really listens to them,” said Margo Addison, a reading teacher at Robert L. Stevens, which has 44 Schools of Hope volunteers sponsored by JDS Uniphase. “It’s been great. The volunteers bring and energy and a good feeling. They are so proud of their individual students.”

United Way of the Wine Country is recruiting volunteer reading teachers. Schools that have the greatest need for volunteers are in Santa Rosa, Petaluma and west Sonoma County, according to Jennifer O’Donnell, a United Way program officer.

“We specifically target the kids that are in the middle,” she said. “They do an assessment at the beginning of the year. The kids that are lowest are often receiving services already through a reading specialist or some other targeted intervention. It’s those in the middle that often don’t receive that extra practice and help.”

Schools of Hope volunteers work closely with teachers, O’Donnell said.

“Just the fact that these community members are giving up their time to be in the classroom makes the teachers feel so supported,” she said. “We provide the teachers with a framework for the tutoring, but Schools of Hope is not a curriculum itself. The teachers really are the ones who know best what the students need and they are the ones that provide the lesson plan and activities for the tutors working with the students.”

The minimum commitment for volunteers is 30 minutes per week, and teachers see the same student over the course of the semester. One-hour orientation sessions are Thursday, Friday and Monday. A free background check and TB test are required. To learn more about volunteering, visit www.unitedwaywinecountry.org.

You can reach Staff Writer Matt Brown at 521-5206 or matt.brown@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MattBrownPD.