Reader Leaders

School:: Avalon Elementary
Subject:: Language Arts
Teacher:: Holly Auckerman
Students Impacted:: 125
Grade:: K-5
Date:: August 18, 2022

Investor

Thank you to the following investor for funding this grant.

Roberta Walsh - $434.28

Impact to My Classroom

# of Students Impacted: 190

Overall, our goal was to create an opportunity for our upper elementary students to take on leadership roles and connect with their school community while sharing a love of reading. This grant has allowed us to do just that and more. At first, fifth graders were the only ones allowed to apply for these leadership roles. We received a plethora of applications and needed to weed through them because of how many were eager to become advisers for reading. As word spread fourth graders became interested, and keen to apply as well! Once students were accepted, they went through an orientation along with on-the-job training. Each leader as assigned a grade level and classroom in which they reported to every morning after breakfast to work on reading basics in the hallways as they went for the bell. Students were able to use various resources when working with their little reader classroom buddies. Each morning you could tell which activities were more favored than the others. Some preferred working with their leaders in small groups with flash cards, others loved to practice their handwriting on their whiteboards, and some just simply loved being read to. As a result of this funded grant, we saw an increase in student attendance and decreased tardiness in the mornings, as well as improved students’ self-esteem and conference. Our little readers were so excited to see their reader leaders in the morning and throughout the day as they notice them as they walk about campus. Overall, it not only provided in opportunity to give students leader roles, but also helped to build our school unity across grade bands. As we gear up for summer all our fourth graders have been asking if our reader leader program will continue next year.

grant photo

Original Grant Overview

Goal

The goal of READER LEADERS is to provide opportunities for students to take on leadership roles and connect with their school community while sharing a love of learning through reading.

What will be done with my students

Our plan is to pair up students from fourth and fifth grade with students in K-2 for morning reading empowerment and mentorship.

Reader Leaders will use a cart to transport their supplies and grade appropriate materials to their buddies during their time in the morning before the regular school day begins. Reader Leaders will be easy to spot on campus with their blue vests so that their little buddies can identify them.

Reading Leaders (4-5th graders) and their Littles (K-2nd graders) will work on whiteboards to practice handwriting, flash cards for sight words and fluency, paper for other printable activities, and BOOKS!

Benefits to my students

This program will allow younger readers to see what being fluent looks like as they have a model demonstrating reading skills. They can also acquire a positive role model within their school. The upper elementary students will be given the opportunity to take on leadership roles, promote good practices, and gain self-esteem.

This will also allow our Leaders and Littles to form bonds to carry them through their time on campus.

Reader Leaders and their buddies will be rewarded for their efforts and hard work on a weekly basis. They will each be given a punch card which will earn them Dragon Dollars (Our school wide reward system). With the money that they earn they will be able to buy items from our Literacy Store.

Budget Narrative

All materials will be purchased through Amazon Prime except for the rolling carts.

Rolling Carts = 29.99 per cart

Flash Card Sets = 24.99 per set

Vests will come in 10 pieces

Whiteboard, Markers, Easer Bundle set of 24

Bilingual Flash Cards = 13.01 per set

Talking Flash Cards = 20.99 per set

Items

#	Item	Cost
1	Safety Vests	$39.99
2	Rolling Carts (3)	$89.97
3	Sight Word Flash Cards (3)	$74.97
4	Whiteboard, Markers, Easer Bundle	$42.99
5	Bilingual Flash Cards (3)	$39.03
6	Cardstock Paper	$21.99
7	Talking Flash Cards	$125.34
	Total:	$434.28

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