Reading with Realtors 2009

Reading with Realtors just wrapped up another successful year at the James Simons School in downtown Charleston. My husband Hayden and I have participated in this program since it started in 2007. Area Realtors visit the school once a week for an hour. So far I have worked with three very bright 3rd graders. They'll read to me for about 40 minutes and then we'll chat about what they are learning in school or play educational games for the remaining time. The kids LOVE having their reading mentor visit each week. My reader Shayniah would literally jump out of her seat when I would pick her up in her classroom on Tuesdays.
Teachers at the school personally select children who they think have the potential to improve their grades and test scores. The children are tested at the beginning and end of each year and in the third grade for example, the grade level average of improvements for end of year testing was 7.2% improvement and the third graders who participated in the Reading with Realtors improved by 10.2% on average. We definitely think the program has been a success and I commend our Realtor Association for creating such a wonderful opportunity for us to give back to our communityHere is a picture of a few of the kids that participated in the program this year at our year end picnic last week. We held a book drive and Daniel Island Real Estate participated by being a drop off location. At the picnic each child was given a new backpack full of books to take home for summer reading. They were so excited to have their own books to read this summer!