Dariana registered at her community school in January 2022. However, since English was her second language and she struggled with reading, she was enrolled in kindergarten instead of first grade with other students her age. At the end of the school year, Dariana had not progressed as she should and needed to repeat kindergarten.
After seeing her daughter’s challenges in the classroom, Dariana’s mother began looking for an after-school tutoring program. Dariana started attending CCD’s After School Program at Cardinal Farrell Community Center in August 2022.
Our After School Program is focused on building the reading skills of underserved students in pre-kindergarten through 5th grade. Each student can receive up to 480 minutes of academic support each week. Educational support is focused on homework assistance and, more importantly, effective reading interventions.
When Dariana started attending our After School Program, her reading level was significantly below grade level. She recognized a few letters in Spanish but needed to learn letters and essential English words.
Dariana consistently attended the program and made significant improvements in her reading skills. At home, Dariana’s mother gained a better understanding of her daughter’s reading needs and became more involved in helping her at home, which further contributed to Dariana’s progress. These advancements led to Dariana’s promotion to first grade in August 2023.
After a year in our program, Dariana’s English reading level is above expectations for first grade. She now reads passages with an accuracy of 94%. Last month, Dariana’s teacher suggested that she be promoted to the second grade, but her mother preferred that Dariana continue as a thriving first grader.
Dariana’s time in the After School program has helped her grow beyond her reading skills. Before starting the program, she was a shy and hesitant young girl. Now, she is happy and filled with confidence. Her tutors contribute this newfound confidence to her ability to read and write the English language and enjoy many of the same books her classmates enjoy.
The After School program is one of five programs our Educational Services team offers to the community. For more information on our other programs, please visit our website.
