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Augustus F Hawkins Youth Literacy Center

Success for all students.

SBH’s Augustus F. Hawkins Literacy Program helps over 25 students on an annual basis by providing after-school literacy activities for students struggling with reading at grade level. The Literacy Program began in 2011 in response to the demand from local parents for a program to help with their children’s reading skills. The Literacy Program provides individualized homework help with reading related subjects, including vocabulary and spelling, and utilizes reading software and work modules that bolster in-class reading activities. Additionally, one-on-one reading opportunities with mentors is also provided to enhance pronunciation and build vocabulary skills. The Literacy Program aims to complete three goals: to provide a personal library for each child enrolled; to use culturally relevant teaching strategies, technology, and curriculum that incorporates empowerment and engagement for each student; and to provide an opportunity to build more productive and successful relationships between parent, child, school, and community.

The students attend the Literacy Center two days a week from 2:30 to 5:30 pm. Students read aloud with their mentors to work on pronunciation, vocabulary, and build important life skills, such as confidence levels and self-esteem. Additionally, the students play games, create art and crafts, and participate in fun activities that reinforce reading and literacy skills.

Fore more information and to sign-up for the program, contact:

Jackie Martin
Literacy Center Coordinator
Charles Martin Youth/Community Center
574.280.7092

Each student that has completed the Literacy Program has shown improvement in reading related skills.

In the 2017-2018 school year, 3rd grade students began the program at a reading Lexile level of 225. By the end of the year, the students had improved to 390 Lexile, on average. Other grade levels improved Lexile by approximately 165, and the average Lexile growth across all grade levels was 156. In the final results from the program, 14% of minutes read were below Lexile, 34% were at Lexile, and 52% were above Lexile level for each grade. Each student read, on average, over 100 books during the course of the school year program, with most being read in the classroom.

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