Summer Literacy and ESL Program

The Faith Alliance has sponsored a free Summer Literacy Program for struggling 1st through 6th grade Lakota readers since 2015.  The program has served a total of 322 children from homes with little or no resources, very few books, and many with no technology access since its start.  On average, 36 children in grades 1 through 6 are served each year. 

The program is designed to help readers from low-income Lakota families to hold or even improve their reading levels over the summer. Traditionally, children experience a summer slide in reading levels and the impact is even more pronounced in low-income families due to lack of resources at home. 

In partnership with Butler County Success, Lakota Local Schools and grantors, The Faith Alliance has offered this program free of charge to children with financial as well as academic need since 2015. 

2023

42 Lakota students completed our 8-week summer literacy program.  The program taught students essential phonics and handwriting skills proven to improve literacy levels.  Busing, teaching staff, snacks, books and a personal Chromebook for each student were provided by the Ohio Department of Education grant we were awarded last year.  We hit our goal of having 1:1 student-tutor ratio most days this year thanks to many wonderful volunteers, including several high school student volunteers.  100% of the students who completed the program showed improvement on the end-of-program assessment!  Thank you to Dr. Christy Williams who developed the curriculum and continues to direct this program for our community!

2022

53 struggling Lakota students completed an expanded 8-week literacy program which equipped the emerging readers with phonics and handwriting skills crucial for success in the classroom.  Busing, teaching staff, healthy snacks, books, blankets, lunches and a personal Chromebook for each student were provided thanks to generous donors.  Four teachers, 3 Spanish speaking interns and 35 volunteers (averaging 15 a day) helped EVERY student to improve/achieve new literacy skills!

2021

37 Lakota students completed the 6-week literacy program.  Students practiced phonics, handwriting skills and played fun literacy games with the teaching staff, interns and many volunteers.  Personal Chromebooks were gifted to each student who completed the program.  The overall average success rate of the program in 2021 was 100 percent!  Success is measured by testing before and after the class. The average success rate means that 100 percent of the children participating in the program improved their literacy skills over the summer months. 

2020

Due to COVID-19 constraints in 2020, only 14 Lakota students registered for the program. However, the children who attended in 2020 benefited greatly from an adapted program. A tremendous response from donors enabled a special incentive in 2020 of gifting each child who attended and did the work a new Samsung Chromebook computer along with a Walmart gift card and gift basket! 

2019

Two additional classes were added for students through 6th grade for whom English is their second language (ESL). 

For more information or to volunteer, contact:  Cathy Borders, Director of Outreach, at info@thefaithalliance.com