How about some good news? Stacy Sells at CJRW sends a report on announcements this week of book giveaways at six elementary schools in Pulaski County.

It’s part of AR Kids Reads, an organization Sells chairs, which recruits and trains tutors to work an hour a week with 2nd and 3rd grade students in dozens of elementary schools. So far, 400 tutors have been lined up. Stacy says 200 more are needed to be sure that somebody is reading every week with every student that needs help.

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The goal is to get every — every — elementary student in the county to grade-level reading skills. When you can read, you tend to do better in just about everything.

The Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and AETN participated in this week’s events.

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Want to help? There’s a website with more information.

More info:

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AR Kids Read is a high-impact community service strategy that leverages the power of volunteer tutors in Central Arkansas’ 2nd and 3rd grade classrooms. Because current test scores indicate that 31 percent of Central Arkansas fourth graders read below grade level, the goal is to help children attain reading level proficiency by the beginning of 4th grade. AR Kids Read has over 400 reading tutors who provide one hour of tutoring to almost 1,000 second and third grade students in 46 elementary schools in the three Pulaski County school districts. We do this with the support of more than 50 Partner organizations from business, churches and area civic organizations.

Funding for this initiative comes from start-up grants provided by the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, The Heart of Arkansas United Way and other community sponsors.

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