KOKOMO, IN / PRESS RELEASE – United Way serving Howard and Tipton Counties’ Board of Directors has announced a $9,000 grant to help fund the Read Up program through Carver Community Center.

Donations given through the Annual Fundraising Campaign, both individually and through workplace campaigns make this grant possible. United Way donors make it possible for Carver to provide children in first through fifth grade who are reading at below grade level, a four-week reading enrichment program to help children value reading and succeed in school.

“The Read Up program is imperative for our community,” said Dantá Rogers, Carver Community Center Executive Director. “Too often, our youth are at a disadvantage in their ability to read. Our Read Up program provides supplemental reading assistance for kids in grades one through five. The program sets a strong foundation for those youth who are struggling to read, and those who have a strong foundation are able to enhance their skills with additional reading. In our realm, reading at Carver goes beyond the written word; we read math, art, and social cues! Thanks to United Way for your help in funding this amazing program.”

The Read Up program offers activities that encourage reading in multiple settings, aimed to increase children’s fluidity and interest in reading. Children are assessed at the beginning, middle and end of the program through iReady to measure reading success. On average, Read Up helps improve the students’ reading by one grade level and by more than 40 percent between their pre and post-test scores.

“We are very thankful that our donors help fund a program that assists children in improving their reading skills,” said Jeff Young, United Way’s Interim President and CEO. “Reading at grade level or above is an indicator that these children are more likely to succeed in school and life, which can only make our community stronger.”

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