A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

NKYEC’s One to One Reading program gets $30k grant from Greater Cincinnati Foundation


Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF), in partnership with its donors, awarded nearly $620,000 in Educational Success grants to 23 nonprofit organizations, including $30,000 to the Northern Kentucky Education Council’s One to One Reading programs.

The Education Success grants recently awarded by GCF support in-and out-of-school educational programs that address racial and socioeconomic disparities in educational and career attainment or programs that support social emotional learning and health for students of color and those of low socioeconomic status. The pandemic has further exacerbated the barriers these students face.

One to One

“Supporting equity in education is more important now than ever,” shared Zohar Perla, GCF Program Officer. “These organizations are working to make our region one where all students flourish, both in school and beyond and we are proud to help support that work.”

“Literacy is the great equalizer, especially for children of color and poverty, yet COVID-19 magnified the gap in access to resources and academic opportunities for many of these students,” said Polly Lusk Page, Director of One to One. “We are extremely grateful for the generous support of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation.”

The grant will help support and accelerate student learning by providing focused expansion of One to One Reading programs in 16 school communities that have the highest percentage of children of color and children living in poverty.

One to One training

One to One offers business leaders, community volunteers, and parents/guardians an opportunity to play an integral role in helping young students with the necessary support to be successful in reading. One to One Reading programs offer tutoring by trained coaches and provide parents/guardians with resources needed to help their children.

Dr. Randy Poe, Executive Director of the Northern Kentucky Education Council, said “One of the Council’s overarching regional goals is to ensure all students are reading on grade-level by the end of third grade. By leveraging cohesive strategies in and out of school, we will be able to help mitigate the affect that the pandemic has had on literacy for some our youngest students in Northern Kentucky.”

One to One partners with more than 30 schools in Northern Kentucky. Volunteer coaches are trained to tutor students in 1st-3rd grade during the school year and help them gain confidence in their literacy skills. In addition, the One to One Parents as Partners program provides a multi-generational approach by working with parents/guardians in the same school community where children are being tutored. Parents learn effective reading strategies to use with their child to help increase their growth in reading.

Superintendent of Dayton Schools, Jay Brewer, encapsulates the critical need for the One to One programs. “We all know that the COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge and struggle for many of us.  We have been forced to change habits and behaviors. The virus has limited our ability to go out and directly serve our communities. One to One Reading Coaches change lives! It is essential that we get ALL KIDS reading by 4th grade.

“As we return to school in August, will be sending out the “One to One” signal to call everyone back to the front lines of our literacy battle. We are counting on our Reading Coaches to be our Cavalry. Our cavalry of Coaches will be called upon to create a surge of volunteers to catch kids up and have them reading by 4th grade. Will you answer our call? Our kids hope so.”

To learn more about One to One and upcoming training dates, click here.


Related Posts

Leave a Comment