​CATCH!Life

Summer Reading 2013 

 



Time

Most readers go into the neighborhoods from 7 to 9 pm Monday through Thursday, however this is flexible.



Commitment

You and a partner will go in once a week  for anywhere from half an hour to read a few books to a couple of hours reading books and playing with kids.



What You Will Need​

A partner

A chair or blanket to make you comfy

Some books (we have many to donate as well :)





​CATCH!Life Reasons for Summer Readings

The obvious reason is literacy.  Many children in the neighborhoods that we read in are from other countries originally.  They go to school, their English improves, summer comes and their English skills go down.  When we read, the skills go up.

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     Some of our readers went into their neighborhood last week to visit.  This particular team has been reading in this neighborhood together for five years.  When they went the other day to say Hi to the kids, the kids were amazed.  "Where are the books?  Aren't you reading? Next time you come will you please bring books?"  Gotta' love that!





Another reason is giving kids something to do, to look forward to on long summer days.  We have found that kids can't wait till readers show up.  It gives them something to do, a positive focus.  



     The last and perhaps most important reason is relationships.  International kids attaining relationships with native speaking individuals is important in so many ways.  The quote below comes from the article: Immigrant Kids, Adrift



Having just one friend who spoke English fluently was a strong predictor of positive academic outcomes.

Yet more than a third of the students in our study reported that they had little or no opportunity

even to interact with native-born students, much less make close friends.



As I read this article I had a very odd reaction... I was pleased!  Why?  Because I know that because of the work of CATCH!Life and its volunteers there are tons of kids in Boise who are not dealing with this problem and as we add yearly to our numbers even fewer kids will be a part of the masses left behind.  So a mostly sad article mad me happy.... go figure.

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Why Give Your Time​

​Again the obvious reason is that you can make a difference, a real difference in the lives of children and parents, but the less obvious is that they will make an incredible difference in your lives as well.  I have laughed year after year when I suggest "closing down summer reading" and the volunteers whine and fuss and worry about not being in their neighborhood and seeing the people they have fallen in love with over the summer.  



 

Wanna' volunteer?