Nothing is more important than our children. They will be our future doctors, engineers, and teachers. The quality of their education directly impacts our progress as a community. Read with Me is about helping our children.
I began Read with Me after I read to a first grade class every week for an entire school year. The experience impacted me, and the teacher felt it helped the kids. After being elected Knox County Mayor, I believed creating such a program would help kids, get business people inside our schools and thus create advocates for public education. Volunteers are asked to spend at least one hour per week reading in a 1st–3rd grade classroom.
Read with Me has been a huge success. We placed a volunteer in every 1st grade classroom throughout Knox County schools. There were over 260 volunteers, and people kept signing up. Businesses that adopted a classroom or provided many volunteers include: BB& T, TVA, Knoxville Ice Bears, Tennessee Smokies, Pro-2 Serve, Knox County Juvenile Court, Crown College, UT Athletic Department, and many Knox County employees, including myself.
THIS YEAR, I am committed to placing a volunteer in EVERY 1st & 2nd grade classroom!
Please volunteer now to make a difference in the lives our children...
Comment from one of our Read With Me volunteers
"People are very quick to criticize when something doesn't go exactly to plan. I wanted to be one of the other folks and applaud all whom are involved in the Read With Me program. GREAT JOB!
I have had the pleasure of reading to Ms. Goldstone's second grade class at Hardin Valley School for the past two weeks. I really don't know who is getting more from the experience, the children or me. I just wanted to thank the team of folks that work on this program. I am thrilled to be a part of it"...................... Jay McGinty
Corporate Sponsors
