“She’s a reading fiend now; I can’t keep enough books in the house!”
Joan noticed that her daughter, Graci, was struggling with reading right from the start. “By the time she started first grade, it was something she never wanted to do,” Joan said. Joan even used to read Graci’s homework to her because she never wanted to read it herself. This was a big concern for them.
Graci made some progress in first grade, but she still wasn’t where she needed to be. Joan knew that everything would get harder in second grade and her fear was that Graci would experience the summer slide and be even further behind at the beginning of the next school year.
Graci’s teacher recommended the First Grade Summer Reading Camp through the Martin County School District, a United Way funded program. At first Joan was concerned that Graci wouldn’t be happy going to school over the summer. But, to her surprise, it turned out to be quite the opposite, “By the second or third day, she loved it. Within a week, no matter where we went or what we did, she read everything.” Joan said the program is an amazing tool for kids who don’t like to read. It offers a different setting and makes reading fun.
“She is a reading fiend now; I can’t keep enough books in the house!” Graci had picked up techniques from the program that she didn’t learn in first grade. She was able to use these and catch up to where she needed to be in second grade. “I could not be happier or more appreciative of the United Way and the First Grade Summer Reading Camp program. It has been amazing and I wish every kid could get to go.”
The First Grade Summer Reading Camp through the Martin County School District is one of 57 local programs funded by United Way of Martin County. Your gift sets Graci and thousands of other Martin County students on a path toward success in school. Change doesn’t happen alone. That’s what it means to LIVE UNITED.
