In 2023, New Haven Reads was chosen as the Lead Literacy organization as part of the Mayor’s Tutoring Initiative (NHTI). The NHTI mission is to empower every student to reach their full potential in reading and math. In this citywide effort, New Haven Reads supports 10 afterschool organizations to help them learn a version of our tutoring program that they may teach their own students. Literacy Instructors visit and support all of these partners as they implement these programs. The NHTI now reaches over 600 students every week! The organizations using the literacy tutoring model based on NHR are LEAP, Boys and Girls Club, IRIS, Inspired Communities, Upon This Rock, and NHR. Four programs participate in the infusion model which is an adapted group learning model; Auntie Rose Day Care and Preschool, Solar Youth, and CPEN!
New Haven Reads is beginning our Summer Session Tutoring and we are in need of tutors! We currently have over 40 students waiting for a tutor – is that tutor you? Anyone interested in becoming a tutor should act fast!
We are starting this program by welcoming 12 students twice a week and we will double the program to 24 students over four days beginning in January! Students will follow our regular, one-on-one tutoring model that is based in the science of reading.
Charlene Cua, NHR Associate Director, told us, “This Bishop Woods collaboration will have a significant impact on both the reading skills and the self-confidence of these students and we can’t wait to see them achieve their goals!”
We are still seeking tutors for Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30pm to 4:30pm to help us with the Bishop Woods program! If you or someone you know would like to volunteer at this location, please contact Fernanda at volunteer@test.newhavenreads.org. Full training and support will be provided.
New Haven Reads is grateful for the opportunity to create this partnership with the Bishop Woods team and expand our program in communities where it is needed. We look forward to lots of joyful learning and fun with this program expansion!
Name: Lizz Ladd Hometown: West Hartford, CT College and Major: Loyola Marymount University, BA Recording Arts Tutor Site: Willow Clubs: Math Club, Performing Arts Club Favorite Childhood Book: Good Dog, Carl
I first learned about New Haven Reads during a gap year serving with AmeriCorps. I came to the book bank to get books for the school I was serving at and I fell in love with the work of New Haven Reads. When I heard about the internship program, I knew that I wanted to be involved.
Interning this summer has taught me about youth and education through a nonprofit lens. I’ve learned about the many ways that New Haven Reads supports the community and shares the joy and power of reading. I love how New Haven Reads is student-centered and that each staff member is committed to doing everything possible to ensure that the kids receive an excellent literacy education and receive the support that they need to be successful readers. It’s incredible how dedicated they are to serving the New Haven community.
One program that I’ve become involved in is the math club. A staff member was telling me that a few summers ago, parents were asking for math support for their kids in addition to literacy support. Since New Haven Reads is always looking for ways to better serve families, the interns were asked to facilitate summer math programing. Twice a week, my volunteer helpers and I meet with students ranging from 2nd grade to 7th grade and work with them on different math skills. It has been a great experience to help students feel confident solving math problems and a great way to reinforce our students’ math skills before they return to school in the fall.
I’ll never forget the first student I tutored here. When my student, a little first grader, arrived at Willow, I learned that it was her first time here. She was a little shy at first, but once we got into our tutoring hour she began to loosen up more. About halfway through our session, she turned to me and said, “I love this place!” My heart melted!
I’m so grateful to KeyBank for the opportunity to be a part of New Haven Reads this summer and work with such incredible students. Thanks to this opportunity, I have been offered the position of Assistant Site Director at Willow following the end of the internship program. I’m so excited that this internship brought me to New Haven Reads and that I have the opportunity to continue supporting this wonderful organization and their students moving forward.
While summer is a great time to rest, relax, and have fun, it is also the perfect time to read!
Summer reading is important for young readers to continue learning, grow in their social-emotional development, and discover the joy and power of reading. Sitting down and reading with your child is also a great way to spend time together and share important lessons. To help you get started, we’ve put together our top 5 picture books to read with young readers this summer.
1. I Am Perfectly Designed by Karamo Brown A beautiful book about a father-son relationship, this story shares all of the lessons Karamo taught his son while he was growing up. This is a great opportunity for a parent to share with their child that they are perfectly designed and to help instill a sense of self-love and confidence.
2. The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn Another great story about the parent-child relationship, The Kissing Hand is from the perspective of a little raccoon who needs reassurance as he faces his first day at school. His mom finds an unforgettable way to reassure him whenever he feels scared. This simple story has beautiful illustrations.
3. Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman This story is all about the power of imagination and staying true to yourself! Grace wants to play Peter in her school’s production of Peter Pan, but her classmates point out that Peter was a boy and that he wasn’t Black. However, with the support of her family, Grace learns that she can be anything she wants to be. Amazing Grace will help you to teach your child that they can be anything they want to be, no matter what other people say.
4. We’re All Wonders by R.J. Palacio “Look with kindness and you’ll see wonder.” This book is the perfect tool for families to talk about empathy and kindness with young children. The story is written from the perspective of Auggie, a young boy who was born with a facial deformity. He talks about how other kids see him differently from them, even though he feels like any other kid. He says, “I can’t change the way that I look, but maybe people can change the way they see.” This story taps into every child’s longing to belong, and to be seen for who they truly are.
5. Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can’t Go To School! by Christina Geist In this fun, role-reversal story, mom, dad, grandma, and even the dog beg the kids to let them come to school. This story is helpful for parents with kids who are nervous about going to school. It portrays school as a desirable privilege that only kids and teachers get to have, and shows them that they are ready to take on the classroom!
So, there you have it! Our top 5 picture books to read with your kids this summer. We hope these stories help you to inspire your young readers and share with them some valuable life lessons. Happy reading!
Name: Owen Lamothe Hometown: Hamden, CT College and Major: Middlebury College, Arabic and International Politics and Economics Tutoring Site: Bristol Street Clubs: Chess and Math Favorite Childhood Book: Goosebumps Series by R.L. Stine
When I first walked into the Bristol Street site on January 31st, 2019, to interview as part of the process to be a tutor, I would never have expected that I would have the opportunity 3 years later to experience all that New Haven Reads has to offer. I was a busy high school freshman who could only come into tutor 1 hour a week, and for that small window of time, I always took the chance to observe the staff, tutors, students, parents, and everyone in between all coming together to learn and have a blast while doing it. This feeling remained constant throughout my three years at Willow Street. When I found out about the KeyBank Summer Intern position, I jumped at the chance to join the community in a larger role.
My favorite part of the summer so far has been leading and helping with the Bristol Street summer clubs. New Haven Reads is a community of learners, no matter what role everyone plays. When I lead the chess club, I’m surrounded by eager chess students and volunteer helpers that bring a lot of chess experience to the club. Every meeting people meet each other where they’re at and we have so much fun playing chess, getting to know each other through icebreakers, and beating the heat inside at the chessboard. As someone who is passionate about language learning, I had a really meaningful day on July 20th, when I had to put my Arabic skills to the test to help translate information about the Vision to Learn program. In moments like these, being a KeyBank Intern at New Haven Reads allows me to interact with many members of the amazing greater-New Haven community and for that I am extremely grateful.
It is amazing to be back in-person with New Haven Reads this summer! Every day when I walk into the Bristol Street site I can sense the same sense of enthusiasm amongst everyone there. I am so lucky to be able to dive deeper into this community and help support our students in having a fun and productive summer. Thank you to the entire New Haven Reads organization and community for this opportunity. I also sincerely appreciate KeyBank for this internship opportunity. Thank you and have a great rest of the summer!
Marty has been volunteering with New Haven Reads for about 7 years. Marty decided to start volunteering after hearing about NHR through the Yale Club of New Haven. To him, New Haven Reads sounded like a very rewarding program. He spent three years volunteering at our Dixwell location before becoming a tutor at our Willow Street location.
Marty has worked with many different students over the years. When asked what keeps him coming back to NHR, Marty responded with “the amazing feedback that I get from the students.”
Marty’s favorite book is Catch 22, while as a child, his favorite book was The Jungle Book.
Helena has been tutoring at Bristol Street and online for about 4 years. She began her journey at New Haven Reads in the spring of 2018. “I wanted to give back to the community and I was excited to do so through reading, an activity that I love pursuing myself,” says Helena.
Helena’s passion for giving back to the community through reading is what attracted her to New Haven Reads. It has been her experiences with the amazing kids at New Haven Reads that keep her coming back over the years. Helena describes a time that she has discovered a shared interest with a student. “The student I tutor is a bright kid with a passion for animals and science in general.” Helena, a PhD candidate in neuroscience, says she enjoys explaining things in a kid-friendly way and sharing scientific knowledge.
When asked what her favorite book was, as a child and now, she responded by making note of her love for Harry Potter books or anything fantasy. As a child, Helena spent hours reading them secretly at night when she was supposed to be sleeping. Currently, she still enjoys reading fantasy and sci-fi, but has expanded her reading interests into other novels and literature.
Isabella has been a volunteer at Bristol Street for eight months. She began her journey at New Haven Reads as an intern for her Psychology program at the University of New Haven. “I chose New Haven Reads because I love working with kids and I knew it would be a rewarding experience. I couldn’t have been happier with my choice!” says Isabella.
While at New Haven Reads, Isabella has displayed her versatility. In addition to tutoring, she has also been frequently sought out to translate newsletters and phone calls for our Spanish speaking families. Describing this experience, she explains that “it was nerve-wracking at first because I am not completely confident in my Spanish, especially when taking phone calls. After a while, I learned that it was irrelevant whether I spoke flawless Spanish or not. Instead, what matters is that I am assisting these families in getting the most out of their New Haven Reads experience. I am aware that many families who work with New Haven Reads do so in their native language. I believe I am assisting those families and the program in communicating more effectively.”
When we asked Isabella what keeps her coming back, she responded with her reason being because “I wanted to keep the bond as well as the progress I created with my students. I couldn’t bear to miss out on watching as their skills grow.”
When Isabella was a child, Number the Stars was her favorite book. Her favorite book today is The Help. The books that move her while providing insight into real life issues are her favorite reads.
Keriany has been a volunteer at Science Park, Willow and Bristol street for 7 months. She discovered and started this journey with New Haven Reads as a volunteer at our Science Park location in the fall of 2021. “As I continued to provide my services at New Haven Reads, I immediately knew that I wanted to continue helping children read,” says Keriany. As a result, she pursued an internship for the Spring 2022 semester.
Following this transition into an internship, Keriany is now working with students at Willow and Bristol street as well. “Being at Willow has given me the opportunity to help English as Second Language learners. This is a special moment because I was a Dual Language Learner during my childhood,” she says. “Now I am able to help translate conversations between parents and directors on sites and think outside the box to create engaging sessions to practice comprehension or morphology. But the most fulfilling part is to help encourage our children to become future leaders,” Keriany explains.
When asked what keeps her coming back, she responded with, “A sense of purpose is what intrigues me to assist in serving the community at New Haven Reads. My soul is filled with joy to see children improve in their speech, while having fun. That is the reason why my heart’s desire is to do this every day.”
Her “all time favorite book as a child” was If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff. Currently her favorite book is Still Me by Jojo Moyes, which is a part of a trilogy that she finds fascinating.
