How summer Read and Feed began

June 26, 2018

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Susan Morison is one of our Read and Feed tutors who is also a teacher. In 2012, Susan was a first grade teacher at Holly Ridge Elementary School, and she was concerned about one of her Hispanic student’s access to opportunities to continue working on essential reading skills during the summer.

She shared this concern with our founder, Jan Frantz, and asked if they had ever done Read and Feed over the summer break. Jan agreed that it would be beneficial to start summer programs to help students retain what they learn in school and not fall behind.

After identifying a location that was easy for students to access, we decided to pilot the first program with a mobile classroom at Maple Ridge Apartments. We held two sessions on Thursday nights for six weeks and enrolled 24 students. Several teachers from Holly Ridge volunteered, which made it extra-special for the students! Six years later,  some of the original students return to help tutor.

Susan says, “We have not been able to have a school year program due to resources being so stretched, but our kiddos ask every year, Are we having Read and Feed again this summer? And we are so excited to be able to say, Of course! See you there!”