The 45-minute miracle
How ReadingPals are recharging more than just literacy
By Jennifer Harrison / Photos by Kate Treick Photography and provided
The hallway of a local elementary school is usually a space of transition — a path between lunch and math or recess and art. But each week in Escambia County, these hallways transform into hubs of connection, confidence and “celebrity” sightings.
They aren’t Hollywood stars, though. They are ReadingPals.
ReadingPals is a statewide early literacy initiative that helps students from pre-K to third grade get extra help by connecting them with a dedicated mentor. ReadyKids! in Pensacola is one organization that participates in this volunteer program.
THE “SELFISH” JOY
OF MENTORING
If you ask a ReadingPal why they show up, you’ll rarely hear about a sense of “duty.” Instead, you’ll hear about joy.
“I feel almost selfish having the opportunity to be a ReadingPal each week,” admits Theresa Cserup, who works for the City of Pensacola. “I feel like I get more out of it than my student does. Seeing my pal yell, ‘Hey friend!’ across the hallway … it recharges my batteries. When I have to miss a week, it’s a blow to me.”
For others, the program is a way to bridge a gap they felt in their own professional lives. A former high school principal shared her shift in perspective.
“I spent 30 years in education. At the high school level, you can’t ‘love on’ them the same way. But with these babies, you get the hugs; you high-five about everything. I’ve realized if we don’t have a champion for them at four, by the time they get to high school, it’s almost too late.”
THE POWER OF PLAY
The curriculum isn’t a rigid sit and read mandate. It’s about building a relationship first. For some, that means getting down on the floor.
“My girl was very resistant at first,” recalled ReadingPal Audrey McMillan. “She wasn’t a happy baby. But I learned to make the Play-Doh into stars and alphabets. Now, she’s exploring the room, she’s happy to see me and she’s finally learning her colors because Play-Doh comes in every shade.”
Sometimes, a win isn’t a correctly read sentence, it’s a child finding his or her voice.
“I have a little guy who is very tiny and quiet,” shared ReadingPal Deborah Ray. “He was on his way to being labeled as a ‘troublemaker’ because he didn’t know how to advocate for himself. We’ve been working on using his loud voice. Last week, he finally spoke up to ask for the sticker he earned. Seeing him find his voice before he hits the big kindergarten classrooms — that’s the goal.”
A LEGACY THAT LASTS
The impact of these 45-minute sessions doesn’t stop at the school doors; it ripples through the mentors’ own families.
Cserup shared how her college-aged daughters now call her every Monday to ask, “How is your angel doing?”
“My oldest daughter even signed up to mentor in Mississippi because she saw how much it meant to me,” she said. “It has the ability to change entire communities because people see the impact. It’s not a handout; it’s an investment.”
THE “READY” RESULTS
The emotional connection is the why, but the data provides the how. The program targets marginalized populations where the support is most needed.
• 98% of students in the program made documented academic progress last year.
• Students in the program were 54% more kindergarten-ready by scoring significantly higher on formal assessments than their peers who didn’t have a ReadingPal.
Staff members match mentors based on specific needs — pairing male volunteers with boys who need a positive male role model or Spanish-speaking mentors with English language learners. There are no educational requirements to sign up, but volunteers will be required to complete a background check.
The school year is entering its final stretch, but for a four-year-old, eight weeks can make all the difference. It is the perfect time to get involved and see if the program is a good fit for the following year.
“It’s the best meeting I have scheduled every single week. It’s free, it’s 45 minutes, and it changes a life — usually yours.”
“Every child deserves a champion — an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.” — Rita Pierson, Ed.D., TEDTalk Speaker, national child advocate
GET INVOLVED: ReadyKids!
What: ReadingPal volunteers needed to mentor students
Where: Participating schools in
Escambia County
When: 45 minutes per week
Info: readykidsfl.org/volunteer
