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Title : Project GROW

District : 7980

Countries : U.S.A. 

Topics : literacy, school, children

Contact : John Annick, Past Rotary Club President

The Rotary Club of Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S.A. wanted to expand their efforts at an elementary school in a poor section of Bridgeport where they had worked for several years. With the help of the assistant principal, who is a Rotarian, the school identified the third grade as a target because many third graders are at risk of not passing into the fourth grade due to poor reading skills. Members of the Interact Club were recruited and trained to work with the third graders as tutors. Members of the Rotary Club and the Rotaract club at the University of Bridgeport were recruited for adult literacy tutoring i.e. the parents of the third graders. Rotarians talk with the parents on topics such as budgeting, parenting, working with the school to optimise their children’s education, reading with their children and selecting age appropriate books and materials. The local Literacy Volunteers of America chapter provided the training and support for both groups of tutors. A grant from The Rotary Foundation provided funds for the first eight months of the project. In this way, the entire family is provided with opportunities to read.