Klein Attends Read Alliance Program Completion Ceremony at P.s. 97

Senator Klein Presents Certificates to Students and Tutors 

BRONX, NY – State Senator Jeff Klein (D- Bronx/ Westchester) and President of AT&T New York Hal Lenox attended the READ Alliance Program completion ceremony at P.S. 97 on Friday. A tutoring session was held prior to the ceremony where the children were tutored by students from St. Raymond’s, St. Catherine’s, Lehman and Truman High Schools. During the ceremony, Klein and READ Alliance President Yvonne Petrasovits presented students and tutors with certificates of achievement for their hard work.

In December 2010, P.S. 97 lost No Child Left Behind - Supplemental Education Services (SES) funding - federal monies that supported the READ Alliance program. P.S. 97 then reached out to Klein and asked for help in continuing this valuable program. Klein contacted the AT&T Foundation and asked for their assistance. The AT&T Foundation generously donated a $20,000 grant to be used for the program at P.S. 97 and Holy Rosary. 

READ Alliance provides effective one-to-one reading intervention to help children reach their full academic potential. The program has helped more than 15,000 children and teens since the year 2000. READ Alliance has also grown significantly in this time: from 37 children, 24 teen tutors and 2 schools in the Bronx, to nearly 1,800 children and teens in partnership with more than 100 elementary, middle, and high schools as well as community based organizations in all five New York City boroughs in 2010.

“READ Alliance is a valuable program that greatly enriches the lives of our children. I am pleased that with the help of the AT&T Foundation we were able to continue the READ Alliance program at P.S. 97. I look forward to the program’s continued success at Holy Rosary,” said Senator Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/ Westchester).

 
“AT&T is pleased to support READ and shares in the organization’s belief that success for students starts early,” said Hal Lenox, President of AT&T New York, “READ has an impressive score sheet in helping at-risk kindergarten and first grade students – as well as in the development of their middle and high school-aged tutors.”


“We are very grateful for the support from Senator Klein and AT&T in response to our work. As a result, we have been able to continue essential services at two schools striving for success in spite of increasing economic stress. This support has provided each school with one-to-one tutoring for elementary students and meaningful jobs to middle and high schools students.  We’re very proud of the outstanding results,” said Yvonne Petrasovits, President of READ Alliance.

“I believe that early intervention is crucial to a student’s success. The READ program shares this belief and validates it. They provide one to one reading support for some of the youngest members of our family as well as encouraging the future teachers of our community. In this day and age when teenagers are usually highlighted for the negative things that they do,  I am very happy to say that we have 22 wonderful, caring outstanding middle and high school students volunteering their time to help our Kindergarten and First grade students be successful. Thank you Senator Klein, AT&T and all the READ leaders, teachers from P.S. 97 and future teachers,” said Katheleen Bornkamp, Principal of P.S. 97.

Last month, kindergarten and first grade students began the READ Alliance program with 7^th and 8^th grade tutors from Holy Rosary. These students are expected to complete the program in May.

For more information about the READ Alliance program visit: www.readalliance.org.

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