In the heart of the community, a quiet revolution is happening, one book at a time. Through the Everybody Wins! Vermont program, local students are not just learning to read – they’re learning to love it, thanks to the dedication of caring adult mentors.
Everybody Wins! Vermont connects community members with students at Brookside Primary School and Waitsfield Elementary School for one-on-one reading sessions. Mentors meet with their students for an hour each week during school lunch and recess. These sessions are a time for connection, where pairs read together, play games, and build a bond that goes far beyond the pages of a book.
Organizers report that the impact of this simple commitment is profound. As one second-grade teacher said, “Everybody Wins has had such a positive impact on the children. Every mentor was carefully matched with students and they always looked forward to the program weekly. I heard so many comments about positive experiences. ‘This was the best year ever!’ ‘My mentor knows so many cool things!’”
Both students and mentors benefit from the experience. Students gain a reliable, supportive adult who helps them develop a passion for literacy, while mentors say they find the experience incredibly rewarding.
To meet the growing interest from students, the program is seeking more community members to join the program at both Brookside and Waitsfield. Everybody Wins! Vermont is actively recruiting adults who can commit to one hour a week during the school year from October through May. The more mentors who join, the more students can benefit from this life-changing program.
Organizers gave a huge shout-out to all the past and present mentors for their time, energy, reliability, and for being fun, supportive adults in their mentees' lives. Their dedication is building literacy and lasting bonds that strengthen our entire community.
For those who can spare an hour a week to make a lasting difference, Everybody Wins! Vermont would love to hear from them. For more information or to sign up, visit https://everybodywinsvermont.org. For questions, contact
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