Imua* Readers!

• WHY DO THIS?

  Quick story:I was headed for the school library when 'Annie' (not her real name) excitedly ran up to me exclaiming "Mr. Hawkins! Guess what?! I love reading now...I'm even in advanced reading!" I had volunteer coached 'Annie' after having some special training. She was classed as significantly at-risk for reading at the time. 

   

  Kids like 'Annie' are why I'm doing this. In today's typical K-1 classroom there will be three to five kids who are so far behind grade-level reading that they are in danger of never catching up.

   

  And it has been proven time and again that what these kids require is one-on-one individual focused coaching in order to catch up to their classmates.

   

  And it's why this effort will focus on kindergartners - first graders. This is clearly the time to catch them, before reading gets a lot more complicated. And we cannot ask volunteers to do too much...our training is only that which is required for kindergarten - first grade reading.

   

  That's why I'm going beyond my own volunteering to organize a volunteer team, initially at Kamalii Elementary, who would love to give the gift of reading to kindergartners-first graders like 'Annie.'

   

  WHY IS THIS?

  'But how could this be!?' you say.

  Reality is that even the best, most dedicated teacher cannot give these kids the individual focused attention they need to get up to speed. I know this. I've seen what the best kindergarten teacher is up against.

   

  Two reasons: First, what constitutes grade-level reading is more advanced than ever before. Second, schools like Kamalii Elementary simply do not have the funds to hire part-time teachers or other specialists to help these kids.

  We can decry this lack of federal and state funding, even lobby to rectify the situation. Good luck anytime soon.

   

  Or we can do something about it. Imua !

   

  WHY ME ?

  I'm Kit Hawkins, a "senior" who lives across from Kamalii School where I've volunteered to coach reading. Both of our kids were diagnosed dyslexic. I have two dyslexic siblings. In 'retirement' I wanted to do something radically different from my career pursuits that would let me pay back for the incredible life I've had.

   

  My wife Jodene, who bore most of the burden of "saving" our kids by fighting for them and finding special tutoring, found out about Assets School in Honolulu. This school specializes in kids at risk for reading and they offered training for folks like me. So at her urging I took the training. It changed my life.

   

  There is nothing like the reward of seeing a child who could not read, read.

 

You too can have this incredible blessing. Imua !