DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Sarah Tate, a third grader at Redan Elementary School, has been extra busy with new books lately, taking part in an intergenerational tutoring program underway in select schools in DeKalb County.
"We're talking about ants. Tiny, strong, awesome ants," Tate reads.
The program, run by the United Way of Greater Atlanta and the AARP Foundation Experience Corps program, partners local seniors with DeKalb students as part of an effort to raise reading scores.
"We read books," Tate said of her time with her tutor, Linda. "We stay focused."
"What we're doing is we're actually pulling seniors from the DeKalb community," Shun Dorsey, program manager for AARP Foundation Experience Corps, explained. "They have grandchildren that may have been in some of the schools. They've had some type of connection with that particular community."
Cindy Jones and William Davis are among those who volunteer their time with students, helping foster reading skills within their own community.
"It's just a joy for me to be able to assist them and really view their success at the end of the school year," Davis said. "I just felt like this was something I could add to."
For Jones, tutoring children is also a longtime passion.
"On a personal level, I do consider the children my little brothers and sisters or my grandchildren," Jones said. "I want to see our children succeed."
The program launched pre-pandemic in 2019 and is currently virtual, the stakes are high as students across the country work to recover from time away from the classroom.
A December report from McKinsey & Company analyzing learning gaps as a result of the pandemic shows students remain four months behind when it comes to math and three months behind for reading skills, despite most students returning to the classroom last fall. According to the report, the amount of 'unfinished learning' varies widely, with pre-pandemic disparities in education continuing to widen. Experts note time lost for elementary students learning to read is especially critical.
"Statistically, if a third grader isn't reading at grade level by third grade, they're more prone to become a high school drop out," Dorsey said. "So it's very important that we work to ensure that these students are reading at grade level."
After working with senior tutors, Dorsey said 32% of students who've participated exceeded reading goals, while more than 53% of students improved overall reading levels.
"I was impressed," Davis said. "I thought I must have done something good."
For volunteers, such an investment ultimately becomes about more than just test scores, as a love of reading is shared across generations.
"I want them to fall in love with books, and I want them to fall in love with reading because it's so crucial," Jones added.