Reading Partners teaches Baltimore city students to read

Originally published by Ron Matz at CBS Baltimore

WJZ’s Ron Matz was at Robert W. Coleman Elementary School Wednesday as part of the non-profit’s “bring a friend week.”

“We work with community volunteers. We bring them into neighborhood schools to provide one-on-one tutoring for students in grades kindergarten through fourth to help them develop the skills they need to be strong successful readers,” said Jeffrey Zwillenberg, executive director of Reading Partners Baltimore.

It’s the seventh year the program is in Baltimore, and they are looking for volunteers.

This year, we’re serving 15 schools, with a goal of 750 students, but we need the help of about 1,000 community volunteers to do that work.

Jaclyn Borowski, of Mt. Vernon, has been a volunteer for about a year, and started as a result of the bring a friend campaign.

“I actually had a friend who works for the Sun who was volunteering here, and through bring a friend week, I came with her and met her students and just loved it. So I’ve been back ever since,” Borowski said.

250 students are waiting for volunteers.

“Making that commitment of one hour a week is so easy, and the impact it can have on a child can literally change their life,” said Zwillenberg.