"Neighborhood Readers" Program at Sheboygan Elementary School

Link to December 29 Sheboygan Press article, "Well-Read".

Excerpt: For nearly 20 years, retirees living in the James Madison Elementary School neighborhood have been spending time once a week with second-graders listening to them read. It's part of an initiative known as Neighborhood Readers.

"Children need repetition. They need lots of practice to become good readers, and even if they are good readers, they still need lots of practice," said Lynda Larson, a Madison School retired teacher and founder of the Neighborhood Readers program.

"I become a better piano player by playing those pieces over and over again and I think it's the same with reading. We live in a society where families are busy and don't always have time to listen to children read, and they need that practice."

The one-on-one support, extra reading time and relationship-building is not only good for the students who continue to learn and thrive, but also for the citizens who give their time every week.