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Only $445.60 Needed

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Goal

In the wild, all members of a wolfpack are responsible for the care and upbringing of each and every member. Contrary to the villainous versions in myths and fairytales, wolves are known for their tight-knit family groups and their nurturing instincts. From hunting for food to teaching essential life skills, wolves go above and beyond to ensure that the entire pack thrives. The same is true at Deltona High School, home of the Wolves. The entire campus works together to support the academic growth of all of our students, from our 9th graders in Intensive Reading all the way down to our Early Childhood PreK Wolf Pups. Our “Readers of the Pack” guest reader program is designed to support the literacy growth of both of these high-needs groups on our campus.

Deltona High School is one of only a handful of Volusia County high schools with an Early Childhood Education Course and a fully functioning PreK classroom. As a result, we have a unique opportunity to support literacy development and spark a life-long love of reading in our youngest pack members by pairing them with high school students for read-aloud opportunities.

Additionally, we have a chance to provide extra literacy support to our students in 9th grade Intensive Reading in an authentic and engaging way as “Guest Readers.” Our new 9th grade students’ reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension still lags behind after years of post-COVID schooling, exacerbated by numerous teacher vacancies. The “Readers of the Pack” program will strengthen their foundational reading skills and provide consistent fluency practice opportunities while also modeling good literacy habits to our youngest wolves. At Deltona High School, the pack takes care of its own. 

What will be done with my students

In the “Readers of the Pack” program, guest readers will be chosen each week from the 9th grade Intensive Reading classes to read to each of the Wolf pups. In order for 9th grade guest readers to correctly model fluent reading for their Wolf Pup reading buddies, students will practice reading the texts during multiple practice sessions in Intensive Reading classes prior to reading to their PreK friends. Intensive Reading teachers will first model fluent reading of the texts for the 9th grade students and then monitor their practice during the course of the week. Teachers will emphasize proper rate, accuracy and prosody during reading practice through center rotations.

Though the content of the read-aloud stories will support the weekly themes of the PreK classes (ie. Pets, Reptiles and Dinosaurs, Arctic Animals, etc), the stories themselves have been chosen specifically as a result of their rich vocabularies, use of figurative language, rhythmic sentence construction and/or rhyming patterns. These literary features help to provide literacy support and strengthen the vocabularies and fluency skills of the 9th grade Intensive Reading students. Since PreK themes change weekly, each week will feature new texts to practice, offering 9th Grade Intensive readers a wide variety of texts to read aloud.

The Wolf Pup Guest Reader program focuses its efforts on the new B.E.S.T. ELA Expectations: (ELA.K12.EE.2.1) Read and comprehend grade-level complex texts proficiently and (ELA.612.F.2.4) Read grade-level texts with accuracy, automaticity, and appropriate prosody or expression. By providing consistent fluency practice with texts of varying levels of difficulty, the program hopes to improve the fluency and vocabularies of both Readers and Wolf Pups, and ultimately, lead to better reading comprehension for all.  

Benefits to my students

The benefits of reading aloud to young children are well-known:
• Supported cognitive development
• Improved language skills
• Preparation for academic success
• Developing a special bond with a child
• Increased concentration and discipline
• Improved imagination and creativity
• Cultivating a lifelong love of reading

But the benefits of reading aloud extend to teen readers as well. When teens read aloud, they engage with text more thoroughly. By pronouncing the words and sentences out loud, they process information more effectively to grasp the meaning behind the text. This practice also allows them to identify and clarify any confusing or challenging aspects, promoting a deeper understanding of the material. Providing an authentic purpose and audience for teens to read aloud provides motivation and ownership of the reading process.

Moreover, reading aloud improves communication skills. By reading aloud, teens improve their pronunciation, articulation, and intonation, thereby enhancing their speaking abilities. They become more fluent and confident in their communication, enabling them to express themselves clearly and effectively, a skill that has eroded in the advent of cellphones.

Research also shows that reading aloud can enhance cognitive abilities in teenagers. It stimulates their brain and enhances their concentration, focus and reading stamina. This practice also improves memory retention, as reading aloud requires the brain to process and retain the information in a more meaningful way.

Furthermore, reading aloud fosters a love for literature and learning in teenagers. By hearing their own voice bringing stories and information to life, they develop a deeper appreciation for the written word. This love for reading can lead to a lifelong habit of exploring new ideas, expanding knowledge, and becoming more empathetic individuals.

Self-conscious struggling teen readers will feel more comfortable reading aloud to an authentic and less judgmental audience. Younger Wolf Pups enjoy bonding with older students over shared stories. Both groups will benefit from experiencing the rich, creative language, vibrant illustrations, and satisfying stories found in well-chosen picture books. The pack that reads together, learns together. 

Budget Narrative

The funds will be used to buy a variety of high-interest, thematic titles to use in the Guest Reader program. The specific texts have been deliberately chosen to target the literacy needs of both the teen readers and PreK listeners. Selected texts include rich vocabularies, use of figurative language, rhythmic sentence construction and/or rhyming patterns. These elements support the literacy development in the PreK listeners, while at the same time, building reading fluency skills. At the conclusion of the program, purchased titles will be given to the Deltona High School Wolf Pup PreK program to supplement their existing class library (and to be used next year!). 

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