Start Making A Reader Today (SMART)
By Mindie Mosiman
Four years ago, I started a job with a new employer, and through our community outreach program, I learned about the SMART program. SMART is a state-wide program that aims to "Start Making A Reader Today" by identifying elementary-aged kids who need a little extra help with reading, and pairing them with adult volunteer readers twice a week throughout the school year. Students participating in the program also get to select and take home two books each month to help build their home library.
I started reading at McKinley Elementary in 2010. I've read with quiet kindergartners and excited second graders. I've read with several children whose parents don't speak English at home. Last year I read with special needs children. Over the course of the year, they changed from silent, non-participatory observers to actively engaged readers—excited to match pictures in the books we read with the story the words revealed. SMART has been a heartwarming experience for me, and I've had a lot of fun watching kids expand their reading horizons and interpersonal relationships.
Reading shifts are one hour each week, split into two 30-minute sessions with different children. Days and times for reading shifts vary by school, and I've always found the site coordinators to be very helpful and willing to work with my schedule requests. With SMART schools all over the state, there's sure to be one close to where you live or work.
Reading is both a powerful tool that provides the foundation for education and an outlet for entertainment. I love having this opportunity to help kids develop their reading skills in a no-pressure environment. You can learn more about SMART and sign up to be a reader on their website: getSMARToregon.org.
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