You can help children overcome reading and education gaps created when homelessness interrupts learning, to ensure they can successfully complete school and achieve a brighter future!
When Robert’s family came to New Ground, he was in the fourth grade, but was reading three grades below his permanently housed peers and struggling in all school subjects. Because of his reading challenges and family’s homelessness, Robert disliked school and was diagnosed with selective mutism. He did not speak outside his home or with anyone other than his immediate family.
Robert joined the Bermingham Family Reading All-Stars Program and slowly opened up to his New Ground tutors, fellow program students, and New Ground staff. After two years of twice weekly sessions he caught up to his grade level, and shortly afterwards surpassed it.
When his family graduated from New Ground into permanent housing, he was excelling in school, had made friends, and his self-esteem had improved dramatically. By senior year of high school he had been made an ambassador for incoming students, assisting them with settling into their new school environment. Robert is now a successful college graduate with a degree in construction management.
The Bermingham Family Reading All-Stars Service Program
Children who have experienced homelessness have a significantly greater incidence of reading below grade level, and this negatively impacts their overall academic performance and feelings about school. This New Ground service program specifically addresses these gaps for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
Students in the Bermingham Family Reading All-Stars Program:
- Work on a computerized reading program tailored specifically to their grade and reading level to enhance silent reading skills and improve overall reading comprehension.
- Are supervised by a New Ground tutor to complete the online program each session, and have their progress tracked as they improve reading skills week to week.
- Receive individualized assistance from tutors in target areas where they have difficulties.
- Earn recognition and certificates as s/he completes the work and is promoted from one reading level to the next, ultimately working to reach and surpass the current reading grade.
- Are given goals to demonstrate increased reading abilities as well as performance improvement in all school subjects.
The Bermingham family members are long-time supporters of New Ground. When the opportunity arose for them to make a meaningful major gift to New Ground, they chose this program because one family member had served as a volunteer New Ground tutor during her high school and college years.