Elijah's Story

Elijah entered Read Alliance's School Year Reading Program at PS 48Q in the high-needs neighborhood of South Jamaica, Queens. As a first grader he lagged behind in his foundational reading skills and started the program at a kindergarten reading level of 0.5. The first few weeks of program challenged Elijah tremendously.  At one point, he hid under a table and wept out of frustration. Despite his struggles, Elijah kept at it – he came back to the program nearly every afternoon.

Because of his hard work with his dedicated READ tutor, Elijah was reading on grade level by the end of the 13-week program. By the time Elijah was in 2nd grade, he could experience the joy of reading, including his favorite book, Where Are the Butterflies? by Jennica Sterling.

We need your support to help more students like Elijah grow their love of reading and to ensure they continue on the path of academic success.