History

In 1995, Reading Seed literacy program was started by a group of volunteers who wanted to positively impact children’s literacy in Pima County. By 2004, Reading Seed had grown to 150 reading coaches working in 13 schools, and coordination and leadership of the program was provided solely by committed volunteers.

The Rotary Club of Tucson identified literacy as an issue of significant community need on which to focus the efforts of the 290-person club in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Rotary International in 2004.

“We were aware of the need to help kids read based on our involvement in mentoring children at Robison Elementary School for nine years,” said Jim Murphy, board president of Reading Seed, and president of the Rotary Club of Tucson during that Centennial year. “This experience, plus the results of focus groups with teachers, librarians, principals, school district reading specialists, parents, representatives from the county school superintendent’s office and the Arizona Reading First program, convinced us that this is an area where the Rotary Club of Tucson and all of its resources could create a significant, positive impact on the community.”

Members of the Rotary Club of Tucson also met with representatives of existing reading programs to make sure that the club focused its resources where they were most needed and did not duplicate efforts of other groups. After meeting with representatives from Reading Seed, the Rotary Club of Tucson chose that organization as its Centennial Project and incorporated the club’s own coaching program at two schools into the Reading Seed program.

Since 2004, nine school districts in Pima County have welcomed Reading Seed coaches into 100 schools.  District leaders designate schools that need the most help, identify coordinators at those schools, and facilitate the delivery of Reading Seed lending library books to teachers and school librarians.

The University Of Arizona College Of Education agreed to partner with Reading Seed in developing and implementing a student assessment program to measure the effectiveness of the Reading Seed coaching program. A quote from this evaluation study summed up its findings:

“This pilot study indicates that the Reading Seed tutoring makes a substantial impact on students, teachers and the tutors.”

Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona provided an in-kind donation of office space for five years, and this commitment was renewed in 2009 for an additional five years. Rotary members provided volunteer labor and secured in-kind donations to build out the donated space into comfortable, modern offices.  Office furniture and bookshelves were also donated.

Reading Seed also works with Goodwill Industries and other donors to distribute donated children’s books throughout the community.  Volunteers sort and clean donated books and Reading Seed makes the books available to reading coaches, teachers and librarians, so children who would otherwise have no books of their own are provided with books they can keep.  Books are also distributed to local nonprofit organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs, Casa de los Niños, Community Food Bank, Court-Appointed Special Advocates, Emerge! Center Against Domestic Abuse, House of Neighborly Service, Shyann Kindness Project and University Physicians Health Care.  In the last 12 months, more than 12,000 books have been distributed in Pima County.

In 2005, the Reading Seed Lending Library came into being with funding from the Qwest Foundation and support from the UA College of Education and the Tucson-Pima Public Library.   The library has grown to 18,000 books for children in kindergarten through 12th grade.  Books are available for check out to reading coaches and other literacy providers, as well as to all teachers and librarians. The focus of the library is “high-interest low-level books.” These books are all identified in two ways, one for the grade level appropriate to the books’ content, style and interest and another for the books’ reading level, which is lower. A Follett online database can be used to search for and check out books based on interest level, reading level and topic.  In most school districts, the books are delivered and returned directly to schools via volunteers or inter-district mail, which is very convenient for teachers, coaches and librarians.

“As we spoke with literacy experts, we discovered that a key to students improving their reading competence is access to books that are of interest based on their age, but written at a level that they are able to read,” said Rotarian Jill Jordan Spitz who recommended the library project at the Center.  The Rotary Club of Tucson secured over $20,000 in donations to purchase the initial supply of needed books.

Beginning in 2004, Rotary Club of Tucson members made multiple-year pledges to Reading Seed.  Several members also took on the challenge of soliciting funds from local Rotary Clubs, businesses, organizations and individuals. Between 2004 and 2008, Rotary Club of Tucson provided almost all funding required by Reading Seed.  In 2008, Reading Seed became a separate 501c3 nonprofit organization and the Rotary Club of Tucson extended its support until the year 2014.  The Rotary Club of Tucson has pledged to continue significant financial support and active participation on Reading Seed board and committees.

In the 2008-2009 school year, more than 900 coaches provided one-on-one reading assistance to more than 2,000 children in Pima County.  As of August 2009, over 100 new coaches have been trained for the 2009-2010 school year and Reading Seed expects to train at least 100 more new coaches by November. An estimated 850 continuing coaches will return for the 2009-2010 school year.  Demand for volunteer coaches has increased dramatically as schools absorb budget cuts by increasing class sizes and letting go of support staff.  School administrators are forecasting even deeper budget cuts for the 2010-2011 school year due to the time it will take for state revenue to increase and be re-allocated to education.

This country has been very good to me and my family. It’s time to give back. I can think of no better way to pay that debt of gratitude than to help a child learn to read. It is an investment in the future of our nation. When people look for a formula for happiness, I suggest that they teach a child to read. The personal reward is immeasurable. — Esther Blumenfeld, Reading Coach at Davidson Elementary