United Way of Central Iowa held it’s annual Read. Learn. Succeed.
On September 16th Edmunds Elementary was the recipient of the United Way of Iowa’s Day of Action, as a small army of United Way volunteers gathered in the school cafeteria to share important time with students. Third graders from Ms. Nelson’s and Mrs. Dusenbery classes had an hour of dedicated support from the focused team of volunteers, reading and learning together. The event was all part of following through with the United Way initiative “Read-Learn-Succeed.” The volunteers worked one on one or with two students, reading the book The Penny Pot, helping the students with visualizing the amount of coins being counted in the book. They then went to work assembling a specially designed cardboard piggy bank for the students to take home, along with the book. Edmunds third grade teachers, Ms. Nelson and Mrs. Dusenbery, said that they “were so impressed with the flexibility and enthusiasm of the volunteers – as well as the positive engagement level of their third graders!”
United Way of Central Iowa has embarked on a ten year plan to help reduce by half the number of students from the area schools that don’t graduate on time. The challenges of high school dropouts can be more than 12 years in the making, and so the needs begin early in elementary school, helping students develop a love of reading. Ramona Gaukel, United Way of Central Iowa Grants Manager expressed delight with the enthusiasm showed by the students and the volunteers. One impressed volunteer, Brook Wade, reported that the Edmunds third graders were very responsive and attentive to the book and process. A fun and productive time for all the students and volunteers wiht important connections made.
