Read Write Discover

We are a community program that provide youth with summer literacy tutoring to advance their educational goals.

Read Write Discover (RWD) is a completely free, all volunteer-run nonprofit organization, serving over 300 K-8th graders every summer. Read Write Discover builds upon each child’s individual literacy skills and pairs them with a dedicated tutor for an individualized learning experience, working with peers near their skill level.

RWD partners with local libraries in San Jose, Milpitas, and San Francisco, fostering the relationship between community and educational programs. With the help of our extraordinary librarians, we are able to engage with our communities on a deeper level and work together to make a positive impact.

We recruit and train our high school volunteers to act as Program Coordinators, or work as Tutors, to build their leadership skills. Our volunteers have the opportunity to work with youth who are struggling with reading or writing, through interactive sessions to make learning fun.

Targeted to those who need the most help

• • Use teachers referrals in order to target struggling students and those without supplemental resources
  • Operate in areas where there are high numbers of students who struggle with literacy and few or no resources to help them
  • Ensure that all students have access to the help they need- studies show that students from low-income families lose more of their reading ability over the summer than higher-income families

Based on belief that learning can be fun

• • Work with librarians to find books of literary value that students will enjoy
  • Incorporate art, theater, and other creative outlets into the curriculum
  • Celebrate students’ accomplishments at the end of the summer through the Big Activity (past examples have included potlucks, skits, scavenger hunts, and awards ceremonies)
  • Show students that reading is enjoyable in order to make them life-long readers

Focused on the tutor-learner relationship

• • Pair students with the same tutor throughout the summer to ensure they build a relationship with one another
  • Customize lesson plans with concrete goals for each student and evaluate progress through progress reports
  • Provide not only tutoring but also mentoring- volunteers motivate and encourage learners

Alternate Email: [email protected]