AmeriCorps for Community Engagement and Education

September 2005

Literacy Champions: A New ACEE Tutoring Initiative

Literacy Champions is the result of a new partnership between AmeriCorps for Community Engagement and Education (ACEE) and Austin Partners in Education (APIE). On January 25th APIE officially announced their new tutoring initiative, Literacy Champions, to the Austin community through a press conference that was held at Allison Elementary. In attendance were APIE board members, the program's sponsors Baker Botts L.L.P., various community organizations and Austin Independent School District superintendent, Dr. Pat Forgone.

This tutoring pilot came about from APIE's desire to partner with established reading programs in the Austin community and from their goal to help Austin students "gain academic skills and the self-confidence necessary to become successful learners." ACEE contributes a modified version of their tutoring model to the structure of Literacy Champions, as well as research-based reading strategies, volunteer literacy training, on-site support and 11 years experience developing tutoring programs.

APIE recruits community volunteers to read with 3rd and 5th graders for a commitment of an hour a week. The volunteers work with the children of Allison Elementary, which is also a focus school in the ACEE program.

AmeriCorps is a national service program, often referred to as the domestic Peace Corps, that provides people of all ages an opportunity to perform a year of community service in return for a modest (minimum wage) monthly stipend and financial aid for college tuition and/or student loans.