Program Overview

Introduction to America Counts and Reads

America Counts and Reads (ACR) is a federally funded tutoring program managed by the Mary Ellen Brandell Volunteer Center. The program focuses on improving children's reading and math skills in the local community.

Program Details

Tutors build children's confidence and skills by encouraging them to become life-long readers and learners. Each year, over 300 kindergarten through fifth-grade students in the community receive one-on-one tutoring through CMU's America Counts and Reads Program.

Our Purpose

Through supportive and positive mentoring relationships with college student tutors, the America Counts & Reads program aims to:

• Improve children's reading and comprehension and mathematical problem-solving skills
• Improve children's attitude toward mathematics and reading
• Promote literacy mathematics awareness on campus and in the community
• Give CMU students the opportunity to gain classroom experience and mentor children

Tutor Requirements

America Counts and Reads Tutors are CMU students who have a love for working with children and a passion for teaching. Tutors work with each child for at least one hour per week and tutor between 1 and 5 students. Tutors use a strategy called paired reading when working with the children. Tutors must go through a criminal background check and extensive training before working with children. Due to the expectations and training required, tutors are paid by the hour through federal community work-study funds, donors, and campus funding.

Program Structure

The program is designed to provide individualized attention to each child, with tutors working one-on-one with their students. The paired reading strategy is used to help children improve their reading skills, and tutors are trained to provide supportive and positive mentoring relationships. The program aims to improve children's reading and math skills, as well as their attitude towards these subjects, while also providing CMU students with valuable classroom experience and mentoring opportunities.