Reading success at a young age is a surprisingly strong indicator of life outcomes. Many studies have shown that a student’s ability to read on grade level by the end of third grade is an important predictor of high school graduation and career success. Infact, students who can’t read by the end of third grade are four times less likely than their peers to graduate high school. According to United Way of Central Georgia, this is because students learn to read from kindergarten to third grade, but by fourth grade they are expected to read in order to learn. Current data shows that 44% of Central Georgia students are not able to read proficiently by the end of third grade. These students are left further behind year after year as they struggle to succeed academically. Students who grow up in low income households are disproportionately affected by this challenge, and low literacy rates end up contributing to a generational cycle of poverty. Children born into poverty are exposed to fewer books at home. By the time they enter school,they are behind their peers. If their parents or guardians are unable to read with them at home,they struggle to catch up and read at the expected level. Students then struggle to succeed through middle and high school, and they find themselves unable to create a better economic situation for themselves as adults. As Felix Smith explains, it’s a sad and vicious cycle, and third graders find themselves in the position of being left behind through no fault of their own. Felix isa member of The Rotary Club of Perry, a local chapter of the international service organization,and he served as the District Governor for Rotary Club District 6920 for the 2023-2024 term. He was shocked to hear these statistics on literacy on a visit to the Centerville Rotary Club, which began partnering with United Way on their Read United Club back in 2019. “We do have wonderful teachers and administrators in Houston County, and they’re doing everything they can,” Felix says. With that in mind, he believes the literacy problem is too big to expect teachersalone to solve it.For many different reasons, some students are just not able to receive the reading support they need at home. This is where volunteers can make a huge impact. In January of 2023, The Rotary Club of Perry partnered with United Way to provide mentoring to third graders in need of extra reading practice. Participating students meet with their tutors twice a week. “Just spending time with the kids and letting them know that you care makes a big difference,” Felix says.Students are able to practice their skills and gain confidence thanks to individual attention,which then helps them to succeed in the classroom. Waylon Smith, member of the Centerville Rotary Club and current District Literacy Chair, emphasizes the importance of a relationship and showing students that it matters whether they can read. For some students, “you might be the first adult that cares if they can read,” he says.Local volunteer programs have proven successful in increasing reading scores. In the first year of Centerville Rotary Club’s partnership with Read United, 82% of participating third graders met their target by the end of the year, and 44% performed above their target levels by the end of the year. In comparison to the state average of 66% performing on target at the statewide level,Read United students were very successful in meeting their goals

In addition to improved scores, volunteers have seen remarkable improvements in students’ confidence. Waylon Smith tells the story of a young boy, Mekhi, who he mentored two years ago as a third grader. When Mekhi entered the Read United program, Waylon recalls that seemed to be struggling to read things that he really shouldn’t have struggled with. Over time, it became clear that the problem was not that he couldn’t read, but that he was shy and reserved.The Read United program and a mentorship with Waylon helped Mekhi to become more sure of himself, and his reading improved significantly. Recently, Mekhi stood up as a fifth grader at the United Way Annual Banquet and gave a speech thanking Waylon for his support and mentorship. Waylon beams when talking about Mekhi and the excellent young man he is growing into.Thanks to the success of the Read United partnership, clubs in Houston County and throughout Middle and Southeast Georgia have taken on many other literacy initiatives in recent years.These include summer reading programs, little “libraries” in parks for people to take and leave books for free, handing out books to new mothers in hospitals, and even placing book vending machines in schools. The vending machines seem to be a hit. They are used as incentives, and students get very excited about being rewarded with a brand new book. Rotary Clubs all over the region are doing their part to improve literacy, and a more literate society will be better off allaround.Volunteer service organizations like Rotary Club make a huge difference in the community through their services projects. Felix recalls joining the Perry club during their Big Indian Creek cleanup project, which resulted in the beautiful Rotary Centennial Park. If you’re interested in joining, you’re invited to attend a Perry club meeting held on Mondays at noon at Rozar Park or visit the Rotary Club’s website to find a club that works for your schedule. If you’d specifically like to serve as a mentor in the reading program, you do not have to be a Rotary club member to volunteer. The Rotary Club’s commitment to improving literacy is an inspiring reminder thatwe can all make a difference.