Reading — As part of a statewide push, program looking for 15 adults to read to children at elementary schools this fall

The Start Making a Reader Today (SMART) program is making a push to recruit 1,500 new volunteers statewide this fall and that includes a need here in Newberg.

According to Northwest Area Office program manager Michael Finlay, the program needs at least 20 adults to volunteer one hour a week to read to students in kindergarten through third grade at either Edwards or Joan Austin elementary schools.

“We have a great presence in Yamhill County, but specifically in Newberg, both of those schools could use some more volunteers,” Finlay said. “At Edwards, we’re hoping and planning to serve 100 students or more, so we need a lot of volunteers to do that. At Joan Austin, we’re hoping to serve the entire kindergarten, which would be at least 50 to 60 students. We could probably use at least 10 volunteers at both schools to help us meet our goals.”

The organization accepts applications all year, but is hoping to hit its recruitment goal by Nov. 1.

“We like to have that long-term commitment and consistency for our students so hopefully they can work with the same reader from mid-October when we start to mid-May when we finish,” Finlay said. “A lot of the kids we work with really crave and need that consistency in their lives.”

SMART will perform a background check before referring volunteers to a school, which will then screen candidates a second time.

Even if people are unable to volunteer, SMART is also asking people to spread the word about the program, either by email or through social media.

Applications can be filled out online at www.getsmartoregon.org. For more information or to connect with a local SMART office, call 877-598-4633.

Written by: Seth Gordon; Newberg Graphic