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Minnesota Reading Corps Increases Recruitment Goal, Opens Application Period for 2009-2010 School Year

Posted on: Thursday, 22 January 2009, 13:30 CST

MRC members to be placed at sites across the state to help at-risk students learn to read

SAINT PAUL, Minn., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Last year, Minnesota Reading Corps exceeded its ambitious recruitment goal, enlisting and placing a record 367 AmeriCorps members in Minnesota schools for the 2008-2009 school year. But the need for trained reading tutors continues to increase. To help ensure that all of the state's children are on track to read, Minnesota Reading Corps has increased its recruitment goal to more than 400 members for the 2009-2010 school year. Applications are being accepted starting this week. As part of the increased effort to recruit additional members, MRC has also launched a revamped Web site, www.MinnesotaReadingCorps.org.

Minnesota Reading Corps (MRC) recruits and trains AmeriCorps members to provide extra support for children who are at risk for not reading at their grade level. Full-time and part-time positions are available in locations around the state, including elementary schools, Head Start programs, community preschools, and ECFE classrooms.

"Despite last year's successes in recruiting and placing more members in the state's schools than ever before, it quickly became apparent that we needed to ramp up our efforts even more in 2009," says Sheila Piippo, Director of the Minnesota Reading Corps. "There's still a huge need for trained people to help Minnesota children learn this critical skill." In 2008-2009, MRC placed 367 members in 161 schools across the state.

Minnesota Reading Corps members commit to a year of service that begins in August. In addition to receiving valuable hands-on experience, MRC AmeriCorps members earn up to $4,725 to pay for college or to pay back federal student loans, a modest living allowance and for full-time members, health insurance. Members can also defer federal student loans while they serve. MRC members surveyed frequently report that their career plans have been positively influenced by their service.

"What we do helps determine children's futures," says David Freedman, a Minneosta Reading Corps member placed at Bamber Valley Elementary School in Rochester. "Helping kids make significant and measurable progress in literacy skills is important, but it doesn't match the delight in seeing light bulbs go on and watching kids cultivate a joy of reading. We are helping to make profound differences in children's lives."

MRC places members as either a Classroom Member, embedded into a classroom of children ages 3 to 5 to help kids develop early literacy skills in preparation for kindergarten; a Literacy Tutor, who works one-on-one with children in kindergarten through third grade; or a Volunteer Coordinator, who is placed in an elementary school to recruit, train and manage volunteers who dedicate time to help young children learn to read. Members receive extensive training and are equipped with effective literacy instruction methods.

ABOUT MINNESOTA READING CORPS

Minnesota Reading Corps is a statewide initiative to help every Minnesota child become a successful reader. The program matches trained AmeriCorps members and community volunteers with children from age 3 to third grade who are at risk for not reading at grade level. AmeriCorps members either serve directly with children to provide individualized literacy instruction or recruit community volunteer tutors to work one-on-one with children. Members serve in multiple locations around the state. For more information, visit www.MinnesotaReadingCorps.org, or call (651) 251-9075 or toll-free (866) 859-2825.

SOURCE Minnesota Reading Corps

Source: PR Newswire

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