Readers for Life

The Team

The Reading Across Generations program is a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Okanagan, The Hamlets, Village by the station, and our school. The idea was to match Mrs. Stewart’s Grade 1-2 class with a senior. As of February we have 10 volunteers who are matched with two children from Mrs. Stewart’s grade 1-2 class.

Each student has twenty minutes individually with their mentor one on one where they read books, review material they have done in class and to celebrate literacy. Pam Teigen, Mentoring Coordinator from Big Brothers Big Sisters has heard great feedback from the volunteers who are involved. One of the volunteers tells her friends that she is going back to school again as a "grandma". Another volunteer was having a very bad week, when she showed up for her time at the school her student came up with a huge smile on her face and said I am so glad you are here, gave a great big hug and took out a book right away. The volunteer shared that was the best moment for her all week.

The concept of this program is to build relationships between seniors and children, each has something to give the other. They meet every Wednesday from 11-11:45, anyone who walks through the primary pod at that time has a huge smile on their face as they see the impact of what those times mean for the student and the volunteer.