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United Way of the Midlands recruits volunteer tutors for its Midlands Reading Consortium to help striving readers increase literacy skills

Columbia, S.C. (September 11, 2019) – United Way is looking for volunteers to support the Midlands Reading Consortium (MRC) for the 2019-2020 school year. MRC is a tutoring initiative that helps pre-kindergarten through second-grade students improve their reading proficiency and language development.

MRC is a partnership between United Way of the Midlands and 26 Midlands elementary schools across Richland One, Richland Two, Lexington One, Lexington Two, Lexington-Richland Five, Newberry, Fairfield and Orangeburg school districts.

Volunteer tutors are especially needed in Richland School District Two at L.W. Conder, Jackson Creek and Joseph Keels Elementary Schools and Fairfield School District One’s Fairfield Elementary School. Individuals who can volunteer 30 minutes a week between early October 2019 through May 2020 are needed.

“MRC volunteers are vital in maintaining and growing our tutoring program. Volunteers create an opportunity for students to get individual attention to develop their reading skills,” said Melissa Dunn, United Way of the Midlands’ Director of Education. “MRC volunteers also assist schools in creating a culture that makes reading fun and encourages children to read in and outside of the classroom.”

MRC volunteers tutor students 30 minutes each week during the school year to help ensure students are reading proficiently by third grade, which is key to later student success. Many volunteers choose to work with two students back-to-back for one hour during the week to increase their impact.

MRC provides tutors with free training, materials and the support needed to help focus on improving language skills and reading proficiency for tutees. Training is provided prior to tutoring sessions and volunteer orientation is held at the tutor’s school on the first day of tutoring.

To learn more about the volunteer tutor application process and to find tutoring opportunities throughout Midlands elementary schools, please visit volunteer.uway.org/mrc.

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About United Way of the Midlands

United Way of the Midlands is the most collaborative, efficient and accountable model for investing in the improvement of the Midlands community. With nearly 65 Community Impact Partners, United Way works to identify and respond to the critical human service needs of Calhoun, Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Orangeburg and Richland counties. Funds are raised through workplace campaigns, grant writing and individual donations and are directed to fight for causes including childhood literacy, economic mobility and dental and eye care for those without resources. For more information, please visit uway.org.

About Midlands Reading Consortium
Midlands Reading Consortium is a partnership between United Way of the Midlands, local colleges, community partners, faith-based entities  and local school districts in Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Orangeburg, and Richland counties. Tutors focus on improving language skills and reading proficiency to close the achievement gap. Since MRC was founded in 2007, tutors have helped more than 3,000 students. The program has been placed into over 20 schools and after school programs across the Midlands and continues to grow. For more information, please visit uway.org/mrc.

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