To get involved with Reading is Essential for All People, go to www.strugglingreaders.org
Jennifer and Jeremy Rhett have two children who struggled with dyslexia. Because of their young children’s ability to overcome dyslexia through a multisensory, systematic and direct approach to phonics instruction, the Rhetts realized that it could be a way to have all students become stronger readers.
Inspired to make a difference, the Rhetts, along with friend and teacher Carla Stanford, started Reading is Essential for All People, or REAP.
“With 32 percent of fourth graders in Georgia reading below the basic level it was clear that too many students were struggling,” said Jennifer. “We recognized that the best way to positively impact reading proficiency in public school students was through their strongest resource- their teachers.”
The two-year-old nonprofit set out to help public school teachers by providing them training and professional development in the foundations of reading instruction that is normally too costly for schools to provide. The training is free and open to any metro Atlanta public school teacher, and with it, REAP hopes to combat lack of reading proficiency in young students.
“Struggling readers are cracking the reading code and becoming strong in reading proficiency,” said Stanford. “All teachers deserve to have the opportunity to learn this approach, and to think of all the children it would benefit is overwhelming.”
Since the nonprofit started, REAP has trained 180 teachers, who will reach 4,000 readers this year alone. Over the next five years, they will have impacted over 20,000 students. To continue its work, the nonprofit is always seeking funding to continue training teachers across the state at no charge. People can also volunteer specific skills to the organization.
The Rhetts, who also own CertaPro Painters of Atlanta, didn’t just do this to help children and teachers succeed.
“We have connected with many clients who care about reading and have gotten involved through their own donations and/or volunteering,” said Jenifer. “At the end of the day, we know we are benefiting our community in a much better way than we could have ever imagined.”
REAP has trained teachers from Cobb, Gwinnett, DeKalb and Fulton counties as well as Atlanta Public Schools and City Schools of Decatur.
In other news: Lockheed Martin and their employees donated $30,000 to The Center for Family Resources 2015 Annual Fund Campaign. The 55-year-old partnership has resulted in more than $500,000 towards supporting the services The CFR provides to the Cobb County area. The nonprofit moves people to self-sufficiency through financial stabilization, housing and education.
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