January marks National Mentor Month and Scholastic is excited to share real-life stories of the positive impact mentors can have on students and their communities through literacy.
With 52% of kids saying they enjoy going to community events that involve reading, and 95% of educators agreeing that every student can benefit from having a one-on-one mentor, there is an incredible opportunity for students and adults alike to connect through literacy not just in January, but all year long!
With a focus on cultivating positive relationships and a culture of inclusion through mentorship, countless schools have harnessed the power of Scholastic R.E.A.L. to recruit and equip caring individuals from the community to take part in the literacy-based mentoring program. Here are some heartwarming examples of what happens when communities come together to read and build lasting connections:
-
Memphis students engage with community leaders - watch here
-
Recently, Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) collaborated with Scholastic R.E.A.L. to bring mentors into the classroom to read aloud and have engaging conversations about the title.
-
Through this program, which is now in its second year, MSCS says that 45 male volunteers consistently sign up to read to students, empowering young learners across Memphis to see themselves as life-long readers.
-
Mentors become reading role-models for young students - watch here
-
In Springfield, IL, men are volunteering through a unique program initiated by Scholastic R.E.A.L. and Springfield Public Schools called “Real Men Read.”
-
Each month, a volunteer comes into the classroom to read to students and give them each a free book to take home and keep forever, fostering a lifelong love of literacy.
-
Let's Get Real: A conversation with the Urban Collaborative on literacy, mentorship and the power of community and families - watch here
-
Christian Adair, Executive Director of the Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center, and Dwaine Millard, VP, National Sales and Partnerships for Scholastic Education Solutions, both speak to the importance of how literacy can be used to empower students and volunteers in a recent episode of Let’s Get Real.
-
Christian shares that, “When the whole community started to feel valued, it created an atmosphere that everyone was in this to help our schools…Everyone wins when we bring mentoring around literacy.”
-
Home libraries expand with help from mentors - read more here
-
Last year, four schools in the Bronx harnessed the power of Scholastic R.E.A.L., a literacy-based mentorship, to give school leaders and community-based organizations the tools they need to recruit and equip mentors.
-
The program continues to nurture a love of reading within students by giving them their very own books to take home and keep forever.
Educators using Scholastic R.E.A.L. continue to report that the program leaves a positive impact upon students and their motivation to learn, and mentors also share that the experience is unlike any other.
Committed to building lasting community and family engagement, Scholastic R.E.A.L. is proud to offer support to schools, districts, public libraries, and organizations the resources and framework they need to succeed in establishing strong mentoring relationships.
To learn more about Scholastic R.E.A.L click here, and be sure to follow @ScholasticEdu on X!
