Training sessions for the literacy program that serves at-risk Students in Hartford and Bloomfield will be held in West Hartford.

Submitted by Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford

Children’s Reading Partners is seeking volunteers to read one-on-one with at-risk preschoolers in Hartford and Bloomfield this spring. Its Preschool Pals program matches trained volunteers with children who need extra help to get ready for kindergarten.

Children who lack a strong foundation of literacy skills early in life are more likely to fall behind in school and more likely to drop out. (Source: “Reading to Young Children: Indicators of Child and Youth Well-Being,” Child Trends Data Bank, June 2015). Reading with a caring adult helps young children develop the skills they need to succeed academically, such as appreciating stories and recognizing letters, words and numbers.

Preschool Pals volunteers complete a simple application and attend a training session, then select a weekly, 30-minute time slot to read with a child. The program lasts 10 weeks, and anyone age 12 or older can volunteer.

Training sessions will take place Thursday, Feb. 22, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., and Tuesday, Feb. 27, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Community Services Building, Zachs Campus, 333 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford. Prospective volunteers must attend one of these two sessions. To learn more or to register, please contact Ronni Breiter at 860-727-6129 or [email protected].

Children’s Reading Partners, part of the Jewish Community Relations Council at the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, serves at-risk public school students in Hartford, Bloomfield, East Hartford, New Britain, Manchester and West Hartford. Volunteers of all faiths and backgrounds are welcome. Learn more at www.jewishhartford.org/childrens-reading-partners.

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