This is the first year of KidSmart for Anthony,* a second grader. On his first day at KidSmart he announced to Diana, KidSmart Program Manager, that he is not good at reading. We evaluate all of our students’ reading levels and Anthony was reading at a kindergarten level. Diana told him that if he wanted to improve his reading, she would help him but he must do his part and work hard. She instructed him that he must read for 30 minutes each day. Most days, Anthony reads one-on-one with a tutor. When that is not possible, Anthony uses RazKids, a computer based reading program. With this program, each time he finishes reading a book, he is prompted to answer comprehension questions. Every time he gets all the questions correct, he is so excited that he shouts out loud! Anthony has struggled but he did not give up. Eventually, he was able to summarize a story without needing to be prompted. Part of Anthony’s homework is to write his favorite part about the story he has read. At first, he would write about his favorite part in one sentence. Now not only does he tell what his favorite part is, he also writes why it’s his favorite part.
Anthony is excited to read and has improved by several reading levels. He often asks if he can continue reading when reading time is over. Anthony will be at, or close to grade level before the end of the school year! His mother says that she has noticed a great improvement in his reading and that he actually reads at home. Anthony is more confident, not only in reading but in completing all his homework. We thank God for the ways he is present with Anthony in his studies.
KidSmart is BCM’s after school tutoring program for elementary students like Anthony in first through fifth grades and operates Monday through Thursday from 3:00 – 6:30. Our program is designed to help students with homework, reading and other academic areas as well as build self-esteem so that students have confidence in school. We love to celebrate with Anthony and all our students when they complete their homework, learn their math facts, or move on to the next reading level and feel a sense of accomplishment.
If you are interested in being a part of KidSmart, we offer paid internships! KidSmart runs from the last week in August through the last week in May. This summer, our academic program, KidSmart Bridge, runs from June 29th through July 30th. If you have any interest in working or volunteering with elementary students check out what is available at bayshore.org or email volunteer@bayshore.org
*Name changed for privacy