Students Improve Reading Ability in Boys & Girls Club Program
Below is an excerpt from the November 8 In Brief. Read the full story on the VC Reporter website.
Student members of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme Squires Housing satellite have reason to celebrate this month as test results show reading fluency improved by 113 percent over the summer.
Youth aged 6 to 18 years old participated in the Summer Learning Academy made possible through funding by local philanthropist Bill Wilson through the Ventura County Community Foundation.
The Squires Housing unit, in partnership with the City of Oxnard’s Housing Authority, housed up to six youth members before the Summer Learning Academy opened in the summer. The number has since doubled thanks to Wilson’s contribution.
“Mr. Wilson’s generous support enabled us to establish the Academy, double the number of youth served and extend after-school hours Monday-Friday from 2-6 p.m.,” said Erin Antrim, CEO.
The Academy also served 40 club members over the course of the summer, offering programs such as Hardy Brain Wordquest, which involves a series of tests to determine reading level and fluency via interactive games and quizzes. As the program completed, the students took the Test of Silent Word Reading Fluency, which measures reading achievements. Testing showed students made a 113 percent improvement in reading since the program began.
““These youth live in a high-need area, surrounded by poverty and gangs,” said Antrim. “To be able to provide programs that kept them engaged and learning over the summer was an incredible opportunity.”
For more information, visit www.BGCOP.org.