Archive for the ‘Featured’ Category

Name: Da’Veona Parker
Hometown: New Haven, CT
College and Major: Albertus Magnus College; Psychology in Counseling and Mental Health with a concentration in Criminal Justice
Clubs: Arts and Crafts Club, Elephant and Piggie Club
Favorite Childhood Book: Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss 

I was looking for an internship my Sophomore year of college. While looking I knew that I wanted my first internship to be impactful not only for myself but for those that I am working for and with. I knew I wanted to be involved as much as possible and very hands on, so when I came across the opportunity to be a part of New Haven Reads I was more than happy to accept.  So after the interview New Haven Reads had all of these qualities and with hopes of being offered the position I felt like this is the place that I needed to be. I was very excited especially since I knew that working with kids is something that I hope to continue to do in the future. 

From my first day at my Willow Street internship site, I was thrilled to be a part of the experience. From being able to help different kids from different backgrounds. To learn how to approach them throughout the weeks of the internship; such as writing, reading, and spelling. While having so much fun being creative running the Arts and Crafts Club. As well as the Elephant and Piggie Club to teach them about life lessons that they are going to take with them. Seeing smiles on their faces as I am teaching and tutoring them they have never learned before. I also loved seeing how they are able to express themselves in different games that we will play at the end of the hour each day. 

Each tutoring session taught me that every kid comes with their own style of learning. From the start of my internship, I knew being flexible and adapting to different situations was something that I will be stronger at.  Every time I enter a new session I am always very open minded to what the kids would want to do but never lose sight of the goal of the program. Which is to help them keep their skills strong while summer is occurring. I have enjoyed the weeks that I have been here and I am more than happy to continue this internship for the rest of my time at New Haven Reads. 

 I am very grateful for the opportunity to work at New Haven Reads this summer. It has given me so much insight on what I can expect in future careers working with kids. This is my first experience as an intern, and I am sure that it is one I will forever mention. I have met many people who have taught me wonderful things and made my working environment one of the best I’ve ever experienced. I can’t wait to finish the summer and learn many more things while also being a good role model for the kids that love it here as well.

Read all about the end of our summer and back to school  below!

Back to School 2024

New Haven Reads once again participated in the Elm City Freddy Fixer Parade! This year marked the 57th year this parade was held in New Haven. New Haven Reads helped to kick off summer reading by handing out almost 1,000 books to children lining Dixwell Avenue on Sunday. It is one of our favorite days of the year and we are already looking forward to 2025!

To read more about the parade from the Arts Council of Greater New Haven click here.

Written By Boaz Kaffman

3PM dismissal at Fair Haven School gets busy. On Grand avenue, cars jumble and honk. A slew of patient parents stand on the stone front steps of the school’s stately façade. The day outside–bright, windy–must call like nothing else. Out and about, the unmistakable yellow line of school buses carve out into the branching streets of Fair Haven Streets, carrying clamoring children back to the home they left this morning and, most likely, would have rather never left.

Yet, even inside of Fair Haven School, there is still a considerable amount of programming yet to happen. Activity swirls and excitement is palpable. Kids babble to one another, swinging lunch boxes and gathering coats. Some attempt furtive runs across the halls, anxious not to be caught by the nearest administrator. Stories are digressed upon. Lines of kids stream from class to cafeteria to gym in bubbling lines–children enthusiastically inquire to one another, “Do you have after school today?” 

It’s easy to see the allure of these programs. Soon after the school day ends, clubs convene for chess, drawing, activities in the gym, and more–the kids chat and play with animation, seeking out interpersonal time that the class structure might stifle.

New Haven Reads has joined Fair Haven as, what might be considered, an honorary after-school club. On the fifth of March with three students, our pilot program began, running a tutoring hour from 3:15 to 4:15 twice a week. It is the fifth location for New Haven Reads and was supported by the Grand Avenue Learning Corridor Partnership’s initiative to equip schools like Fair Haven School with more resources and expanded learning opportunities in order to nurture the capacity of schools as community hubs. 

This community and space of nurturing is the exact environment we seek at New Haven Reads. Our program, through an hour-long, one-on-one tutoring system working through a curriculum of structured literacy–from decoding words to reading comprehension and vocabulary, promotes intellectual curiosity and character growth! At Fair Haven, we hope to continue to expand its capabilities and welcome even more students next year as well as add two more days of tutoring on Mondays and Wednesdays.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I accompany our (now) four students from the office to the library downstairs where their tutors are waiting for them. We sit around a large,  jigsaw-puzzle-shaped table. Settling down, soon, a focus takes root in the room–this focus insulates from the flurry of dismissal outside and yet retains enthusiasm. Even though, for all intents and purposes, New Haven Reads is an educational program, a similar interpersonal zeal has already been registered in our initial students as they have settled down to enjoy one-on-one attention. Whether it’s getting set in their workbook, placed in Lexia, or learning the rules of UNO alongside their tutors who are re-learning the elusive rules themselves, there is an energy in the atmosphere. It is something that takes root, something that sets in, something ineffable and yet undeniably present, which might only be described as that aura which occurs only around those distinct, rare zones of time which makes them feel larger than life, if not, simply put, just special. This description might seem like an overwrought, vaguely mystical hyperbole, but I do believe it captures the essence of an hour that, in standing, represents much more than the sum of its parts.

I hope this might galvanize you to come and join us there–the program is just beginning and we’re looking forward to bringing in more kids, tutors, and seeing in which direction the journey takes us.

We had a wonderful visit with Senator Richard Blumenthal and Mayor Justin Elicker to discuss our congressional earmark. This award is for one year and will be used to build our internal organizational capacity to incorporate more Structured Literacy throughout the organization. Structured Literacy practices follow the Science of Reading creating an even more structured, explicit, and differentiated model focusing on the foundational aspects of learning to read. This investment in training and added implementation will enable New Haven Reads to expand our programs to meet the current and future literacy needs of our student population.

Thank you for celebrating Reads Across America Day and supporting New Haven Reads! We can’t wait to share all the ne books with our students!