PASS Reading Program

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2020

During the 2018-19 school year, New Hanover County partnered with Communities in Schools of Cape Fear to mentor third and fourth-grade students in preparation for their End of Grade tests. Twenty-eight employees from the county’s SERVE Professional Development Academy participated, tutoring students at Alderman Elementary School.This partnership is through Communities in Schools of Cape Fear’s PaSS Program, which provides volunteer opportunities for mentors to be paired with a student who is at risk of not reading at grade level. County employees and students met once a week for 10 weeks to read one-on-one and practice reading comprehension skills.“The ability to read is one of the most important skills a child can develop, and the Board of Commissioners has made it a strategic priority to promote early learning that ensures life-long resiliency,” said County Manager Chris Coudriet. “I am proud that our New Hanover County employees can help students learn the power of reading and also advance the county’s goal that 90% of our third graders read at least at grade level.”Through this partnership, county employees are fine-tuning the soft skills needed to become leaders and help ensure students are on track to become successful members of our community and our workforce.