May 31, 2022
Quarterly Newsletter: June 2022
Program updates
Keep calm and keep tutoring this summer!
We’re looking for in-person tutors to help reduce the impact of the summer learning slide for students in the Lowcountry. There are two locations for in-person tutoring this summer: Arthur Christopher Community Center and Charleston County School District’s summer school at Pinehurst Elementary. Tutoring sessions will take place Monday-Thursday from 9am-1pm. Volunteers can sign up for one or multiple 45-minute sessions each week. Returning volunteers should contact volunteersc@readingpartners.org directly to be added to the summer tutoring schedule.
New volunteers can sign up using the links below:
Volunteer Sign-Up Link
Register Here for Tutor Orientation
Fall into Tutoring: Sign up today!
We know the fall semester is two months away, but we are already looking forward to seeing many returning faces and meeting new ones. In order to serve more students, we need a total of 800 dedicated tutors for the 2022-2023 school year. Volunteers can work with a student once or twice a week. Signing up now will help us hit the ground running once school begins. If you, or someone you know, would like to sign up for fall tutoring in advance, please contact volunteersc@readingpartners.org or fill out this online sign-up form.
Community engagement updates
Turtles and Tunes Celebration at the SC Aquarium
On April 21, 2022, Reading Partners hosted Turtles and Tunes at the South Carolina Aquarium in downtown Charleston with tutors, donors, partners, and staff. It was a night of celebrating the organization’s accomplishments during the pandemic. Kecia Greenho, our executive director, opened up the night sharing the exciting plans for the upcoming school year. Also featured at the event was New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe who had an inspiring call to action for volunteers. Music was provided by local musicians, Jigs and Jones. Guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and spent time appreciating the many different native plants and animals that are found around the state. A huge thanks to the event sponsors: SC Aquarium, Emily Swanson, Nedra Hecker, Katharine Crawford, Richard Star, John Thompson and Pam Wilson.
Calling all service leaders: The Americorps application is open!
Who: WE NEED YOU! Become an AmeriCorps member today.
What: Support elementary-age students with their literacy skills, build your professional leadership skills, make connections, and give back to your community.
When: 2022-2023 school year
Where: Berkeley and Charleston County Elementary Schools
How: Apply Here
The application to apply for the 2022-2023 Americorps service year is open! As this year ends with many successes, we are preparing for next school year to continue to promote and provide equitable one-on-one tutoring intervention. Reading Partners is powered by the yearly leadership and service of Americorps members to support volunteer tutors and the students we serve in Berkeley and Charleston county school districts. If you are interested in educational equity and want to inspire the next generation of leaders and lifelong readers, please apply here.
Daniel Island author event benefiting Reading Partners
On June 29, The Daniel Island News Author Series will feature New York Times best-selling author Mary Alice Monroe and co-author Angela May as they discuss their most recent book “Search for Treasure.” The event will take place at the Daniel Island Club ballroom where guests can enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres, author presentations, and a book signing. Proceeds from the event will benefit Reading Partners. Click here to learn more and purchase tickets.
Development updates
Welcome to our new Development Director, Dawn Kahley!
The Reading Partners team is excited to introduce our new Development Director, Dawn Kahley. Dawn received her Bachelor’s degree in Business from West Virginia Wesleyan College. After working in retail for many years, she used her business acumen to serve the non-profit sector. She has worked for several small and large nonprofits such as Planned Parenthood, Trident United Way, and Pet Helpers strategizing their growth and development plans. The mission of Reading Partners has her excited to work on raising funds to help elementary school children within the Lowcountry.
Three new board members join Reading Partners South Carolina
We are excited to welcome three new members to the South Carolina board. Each brings their own unique perspective, talents, and passion for Reading Partners’ mission.
Chris Singleton
Chris Singleton is a former professional athlete drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2017. Following the loss of his mother in a racially motivated mass shooting, Chris has now become an inspirational speaker and best-selling author who has shared his message of unity and racial reconciliation with NFL and NBA teams as well as multiple Fortune 500 companies across the country. He shares his message with over 70 organizations and over 30,000 students annually and resides with his spouse Mariana and his sons CJ and Caden in Charleston, SC. You may recognize Chris from our Diverse Books Project video. Check it out here!
Gerald Stinson
Gerald Stinson is a Reading Partners volunteer and has dedicated his life to service. He served over three years of Active Duty in the Air Force and seventeen years in the Air Force Reserves. When asked why he decided to join the board, Gerald said, “Whether in the military, volunteering or in my church, this devotion to service led me to Reading Partners where I have served as a volunteer for three years. As a volunteer, I have seen firsthand the impact that Reading Partners is making in the lives of those they serve. Therefore, I wanted to be more involved.” Gerald recently received the Community Champion award from the National Reading Partners organization to honor his dedication to serving students. He explains his reason for volunteering with Reading Partners in this video.
Kenny Harrell
Kenny Harrell is the managing partner of the Joye Law Firm. Kenny has been practicing law since 1988 after graduating from the William and Mary School of Law. He has been widely recognized for his legal skills, having been named as Charleston’s Workers’ Compensation Lawyer of the Year and Charleston’s Personal Injury Lawyer of the Year at different times by the Best Lawyers organization. The Super Lawyers organization has rated him at a Top 10 and Top 25 lawyer in South Carolina. Kenny previously served as the president of the Injured Workers’ Advocates organization and has been the organization’s co-chair of its legislative affairs committee for 15 years. In the community, Kenny has served as the chair of the board of trustees for the Ashley Hall School in Charleston and he has served on numerous other educational and charitable boards. The Charleston Animal Society honored him with their Community Ambassador Award in 2019. Kenny and his wife Jeannie have three children and two grandchildren.
Take Reading With You online book drive success!
Thanks to the generous support of our board members and community, Reading Partners will add 4,000 new diverse books to our reading centers’ bookshelves next school year. Students take home twenty-five books throughout the year to build their home libraries. For many of our students, Reading Partners is the primary source of children’s books in their home.
One of our tutors recently asked her student Mason if he has books at home to read this summer. Mason said, “Yes, I have a lot of books in my bedroom from Reading Partners!” Mason went on to say that he doesn’t get many books from other places.
Thanks to you, we will continue to fill students’ homes with high-quality books that will be cherished for years to come. Providing students with books on topics they’re interested in improves their attitudes towards reading and increases their overall time spent with stories. Thanks to everyone who helped us bring reading to life!
