Read & Rise

Reading Bee Program

The Need:

In 2023, nearly 70 % of all 4th graders in AZ and 81% of children from low-income families were not proficient readers (AECF.org). Children who are not reading proficiently by 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school. Additionally, 90 % of high school dropouts were struggling with reading in 3rd grade. Children from low-income families struggle more because their parents are too busy working multiple jobs, juggling responsibilities and have no time, energy and perhaps ability to work on reading with their children. As the children struggle or drop out of school, their life choices reduce, and the cycle of poverty continues.
Rumi Center strives to bridge the opportunity gap through the various programs we offer to youth and their families, and we know that early intervention is critical.

Our Intervention:

The Rumi Center aims to teach children from low-income families to become proficient in reading at 2nd grade level and beyond with one-on-one trained instructors. Our program is open to children 4-9yo from underserved communities regardless of their background or physical abilities. To increase accessibility, we partnered with the city of Phoenix Housing to hold the program in one of their housing complexes. The program started Jan 6th, 2024 on Saturdays. We offer one-on-one reading instruction by a trained volunteer. Then they work on writing after which the children are read to books with main characters of diverse backgrounds.