One of four organizations honored for Reading Instruction and Tutoring
Minneapolis, Minn. – ServeMinnesota is honored to announce that its strategic initiative, Reading Corps, has been selected as a Library of Congress Literacy Awards honoree. Reading Corps, an AmeriCorps program, is one of just four organizations worldwide to be recognized in reading instruction and tutoring.
Launched by philanthropist David M. Rubenstein in 2013, the annual award competition recognizes programs that work to reduce illiteracy in the United States and globally. This year’s three award winners and 15 honorees were selected based on their innovation, efficacy, measurability, and replicability in promoting literacy. By recognizing what works in reading, the awards foster continued innovation and growth in literacy programming for children and adults.
Dr. Peter Nelson, director of research and innovation at ServeMinnesota, presented to other honorees and award winners at the annual conference and award ceremony in November. He shared how the Reading Corps model blends literacy science with the people power of AmeriCorps to reach about 40,000 children, age 3 to grade 3, annually.
“We’re honored to see Reading Corps named among these influential global programs,” said Audrey Suker, CEO of ServeMinnesota. The program, launched in Minnesota in 2003, has been replicated in 11 states and Washington, D.C. This new honor recognizes the power of Reading Corps to have an impact on a national scale through continued replication of this proven AmeriCorps program.
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About ServeMinnesota:
ServeMinnesota is a catalyst for positive social impact, working with AmeriCorps members and community partners to meet critical needs in Minnesota. As a nonprofit organization, it improves the lives of Minnesotans by offering life-changing service opportunities to thousands of individuals who focus on education, affordable housing, employment, or the environment. Because of its strong partnerships with private and public funders, including the Minnesota Department of Education, ServeMinnesota has created two innovative strategic initiatives, Minnesota Reading Corps and Minnesota Math Corps, that are working to close the achievement gap and help struggling students become successful learners. Combining the people power of AmeriCorps with research-based strategies, ServeMinnesota addresses the most intractable problems and shares its proven practices nationally. For more information, visit www.serveminnesota.org.
About Minnesota Reading Corps
One in three Minnesota third graders isn’t reading at grade level. Minnesota Reading Corps provides a solution. Trained AmeriCorps tutors deliver literacy strategies proven to help children get ready for Kindergarten and become successful readers by the end of third grade. In a rigorous study, the University of Chicago found Reading Corps to be among the most effective literacy programs nationwide. For more information, visit www.minnesotareadingcorps.org.
About Library of Congress:
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States—and extensive materials from around the world—both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.
