The YMCA READS! Program is active at the McGurn YMCA Afterschool Program in Gainesville, FL and at the Bradford-Union YMCA Afterschool Programs in Starke, FL. The program provides free reading tutoring to students below the reading level for their grade.
To find out more information please visit the following websites:
www.volunteerflorida.org and www.floridaymcas.org
Background:
In July of 2005, the Florida Alliance of YMCAs choose the North Central Florida YMCA as an initial test agency for the YMCA READS! Program, created to improve reading abilities amongst students in low income areas. NCF YMCA received a grant to subsidize the endeavor and choose the McGurn Family YMCA as the facilitating branch. The program will serve first and second grade students from Rawlings and Metcalfe Elementary Schools. In September 2005, the agency was awarded additional funds to facilitate a second site in Bradford County at Southside Elementary School.
Program Design:
Students will be nominated for participation by representative school boards using scores on the Dibbles Reading Assessment and prior academic performance as primary selection criteria. Final selection of students will be made based on the recommendations of the school principal, teacher and reading specialist. Confirmed participants will receive no cost child care through the YMCA AfterSchool Care Program and two one-hour tutoring sessions per week. The tutoring will be conducted by trained volunteers and will occur on a one to one basis.
Curriculum:
The AfterSchool KidzLit Curriculum Guide will be the core tool used for instruction in YMCA READS!. The Systematic Instruction in Phoneme Awareness, Phonics and Sight Words (SIPPS) curriculum will be used as supplemental instructional material when necessary. Additional activities may be designed in cooperation with school reading specialists, teachers and the YMCA READS! Coordinator. All curriculum will be secular, neutral and non-ideological in nature, as specified in grant guidelines.
Desired Results:
Primary results of YMCA READS! are to improve participants’ academic development and performance, increase the number of students scoring at Level 3 or higher on FCAT by the third grade and increase scores on the DIBELS Reading Assessment Test (DIBELS). In cooperation with the YMCA AfterSchool Program, secondary desired outcomes are as follows: reduced number of behavior referrals and suspensions, improved school attendance, improved attitude toward school, improved homework and class exercise abilities and overall attitudes and behaviors regarding healthy lifestyle choices.
Current Indicators of Success:
As of February 28, 2006, 97% of the students enrolled at the McGurn YMCA READS! Site have shown significant improvement in all areas of DIBELS, in both the Fall and Winter assessments. In addition, school issued behavior referrals have decreased 65% since the program’s inception. After only four weeks of tutoring, every student at the Bradford County Site has raised their scores, in all categories, of the DIBELS Winter assessment. Between the two sites, 31 of the 75 students, are now reading at grade level.
To volunteer with the YMCA READS program in Starke or northeast Gainesville, please download a volunteer application and return it to the Bradford County YMCA (Starke) or McGurn Family YMCA (NE Gainesville).
For more information, contact:
Kourtney Mitchum
READS! Coordinator
McGurn YMCA Program Director
1303 NE 23rd Ave
Gainesville Fl, 32609
