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Appleton reading program makes a difference
By Lori Blakeslee

When Carol Anderson talks about “her kids,” tears well up in her eyes. Carol is a volunteer for Horizons Elementary School’s United for Reading Success program. The program began in 1996 at Horizons and its purpose is to provide one-on-one reading assistance for first graders.

United for Reading Success was designed by retired Appleton school teachers Mary Furlong and Beth Tobler. The program design includes four distinct parts:

1. Shared reading, where volunteers read stories to their students.
   
   
2. Letter and word recognition.
   
   
3. Sight vocabulary, where students work on words they are learning in the classroom. Volunteers use games such as “Go Fish” to make the activity fun.
   
   
4. Students read two stories chosen by the classroom teacher. This activity helps students with vocabulary, comprehension and fluency.

The classroom teacher and the reading specialist identify students for the program. However, parents must give permission for their child to participate. According to first grade teacher, Jean Scherer, student progress is significant because the lesson plans correspond with the curriculum.

Volunteers for the United Reading for Success program participate in a half day of training to become familiar with the lesson plans. The volunteers also have a substitute list, so if someone is ill, students will still receive services each day.

“The program is so well designed, that anyone can be a volunteer,” said Carol Anderson. “I enjoy the kids and they give me something back. Too many kids don’t have an adult at home who can give them that one-on-one attention.”

Individuals interested in volunteering for the United Reading for Success program, which is available in several of the elementary schools, can call Noreen Boselie at 920-832-6124 for more information.

Posted December 2, 2002