Realtors pledge time to students
September 14-20, 2015
Adkins McNeill Smith challenges other real estate firms to help kids improve reading skills
Realtors and staff from Adkins McNeill, Smith & Associates are challenging real estate companies in Little Rock to team up with them, Arkansas Kids Read and the Little Rock School District to help students in the early elementary grades improve their reading skills. Each volunteer will go into schools for one hour a week for 10 weeks, to help students who are struggling to read reach their grade level in reading comprehension.
“Reading is critical as a foundation for success in school and life,” said Wally Loveless, a Realtor with Adkins McNeill Smith. “The most important task is to insure that our children can read. Without the ability to read a child can have no vision for success in life professionally or personally, only a sense of shame. It is critical that the LRSD become one that people seek out because of its excellence. We can do that as a city. But everyone must get involved. For the long-term heath of the children and the city we must succeed in educating everyone. That is why Adkins, McNeill, Smith is involved.”
Adkins, McNeill, Smith will become a “Partner” with ARKids, which requires you have at least five volunteers in the program.
“We are asking other real estate companies to come along side and join the effort to give these children tools with which to succeed in middle school and high school,” Loveless said.
Others looking to participate and contribute met on September 8 at the Hillary Rodham Clinton Children’s Library in Little Rock to kick off the 2016 Tutor Recruitment Campaign, a county-wide initiative that trains and places tutors in all three Pulaski County School Districts.
“There are hundreds of children in our community who need our help to improve their reading skills,” said Charlie Conklin, executive director of AR Kids Read. “They need us to read to them, read with them, and to give them a boost in their confidence that comes from having someone care about and encourage their academic success.”
The campaign’s goal is to recruit 600 tutors who agree to participate in a one hour training session, and volunteer one hour a week for ten weeks, supporting first through third grade students scoring below proficient on the state benchmark exam. Forty-four elementary schools participate in the program.
Little Rock Superintendent Baker Kurrus, North Little Rock Superintendent Kelly Rodgers and Pulaski County Superintendent Dr. Jerry Guess were present and all encouraged the public to sign-up to volunteer with AR Kids Read, as well as other school volunteer opportunities. Last year, AR Kids Read recruited 475 tutors for the three districts.
National and state data shows that nearly 70 percent of students in Central Arkansas have not mastered reading by the fourth grade. In Pulaski County alone, more than 9,000 children in kindergarten through fifth grade are not reading at grade level. Predictions are that 65 percent of those not reading at grade level will become high school drop outs, will struggle to find employment, and are at risk of entering the criminal justice system.
During last Tuesday’s event, a $70,000 matching grant initiative was announced, made available through the combined efforts of Fifty for the Future, The Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, Arkansas Community Foundation and The National Christian Foundation. Donations made to AR Kids Read between now and December 1, 2015, will be matched dollar-for-dollar and used to grow the program in order to serve additional schools and students in Pulaski County. Other sponsors include Entergy, Fellowship Bible Church and The United Way, plus 17 other organizations and individuals.
If you would like to volunteer or make a donation go to arkidsread.org
Sources: AR Kids Read and Adkins McNeill Smith and Associates
