Cincinnati Schools

By Diane Goldsmith

Personally, I am organizing volunteers to participate in Governor Bob Taft's Ohio Reads project. As a mentor at the Vine Street School, in Over-the-Rhine, I have had direct experience in observing how one-on-one mentoring can benefit school children. There is statistical data at the Vine Street School that demonstrates that children from classes that have mentors have better attendance and achieve higher test scores. Governor Taft's program will focus on training volunteers to tutor children from Grades 1-4. The objective is to have every child read by the Fourth Grade. In light of this effort, I have recruited, to date, twenty people who have agreed to volunteer at the Vine Street School starting this Fall. Once the Ohio Reads Program is established, they will train as tutors for this program. If you are interested in joining us, please call me at 977-3545 or 235-2216 or call the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, Miriam West, Director, Mentoring Program, 475-4959, and join their mentoring program. You will find it rewarding and it will only require one hour a week of your time.