Celebrating AmeriCorps Week: Becoming Reading Partners for a Day

Each year we look forward to AmeriCorps Week and the chance to highlight the incredible impact AmeriCorps members are making throughout the nation. Reading Partners is fueled by our 250 AmeriCorps and VISTA members and the support of our partners at the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).

This year, AmeriCorps Week takes place March 9-13, and Reading Partners is celebrating by hosting a national tutoring event. On the last day of AmeriCorps Week, our senior AmeriCorps members will open the doors to reading centers in 12 metro areas across the country. During the event, volunteers and fellow national service supporters will provide the critical make-up sessions our students need to ensure they end the year closer to their grade-level in reading.

Reading Partners New York hosted our first ever AmeriCorps Week tutoring events in 2013. The team thought it would be a great opportunity to engage the community in serving students in New York City schools. The events were planned and facilitated by Reading Partners’ AmeriCorps members and staff  and included a discussion on the achievement gap, new tutor trainings, tutor make-up sessions, and a reflection on national service.

The events turned out to be a huge success, delivering 120 tutoring sessions to students and engaging the community in meaningful dialogue about education and national service. The New York team was pleased to have CEO of CNCS Wendy Spencer and Executive Director of the New York State Commission Mark Walter in attendance.

We decided to take things a step further in honor of AmeriCorps 20th Anniversary in 2014, hosting “Celebrating Service: AmeriCorps 20th Anniversary” events in reading centers across in the nation. AmeriCorps and VISTA members planned and hosted events, engaging other local AmeriCorps members, partners, and politicians to serve as volunteer reading partners for the day. In all, Reading Partners AmeriCorps members:

• recruited 264 volunteers
• delivered 398 tutoring sessions to students
• facilitated over 18,000 volunteer hours to students

In the spirit of celebrating AmeriCorps and the huge impact AmeriCorps members make across the country, Reading Partners will be partnering with other local AmeriCorps programs to bring volunteers in for this year’s national day of service.

AmeriCorps and VISTA members from organizations such as Jumpstart, Teach for America, City Year, Playworks, AmeriCorps NCCC, Habitat for Humanity, and California Conservation Corps will be joining Reading Partners AmeriCorps and VISTA members in our reading centers to become reading partners for a day.

Thank you AmeriCorps members for all you do to get things done for America.