Read to Succeed Buffalo (RTSB) is once again expanding its AARP Foundation Experience Corps Volunteer Program. Since 2016 RTSB has been recruiting and training older adult volunteers as literacy tutor/mentors for students, Pre-K – 3rd Grade, in the Buffalo Public Schools. 

This latest Experience Corps tutor/mentor recruitment campaign has a goal of recruiting and training a total of 135 volunteers, over the age of 50, as literacy tutors serving nearly 500 below grade-level students. About 60 of these volunteers will be new to the program.

“This volunteer recruitment campaign comes at a critical time in our community as nearly 76 percent of Buffalo’s 3rd Graders are not reading with proficiency according to 2023 NY State ELA test results” stated Anne Ryan, RTSB Executive Director.

“We are steadfast in our partnership with Buffalo schools in its goal to get all students reading at grade-level by the end of 3rd Grade” continued Ryan. “No other intervention has been shown to be as effective in helping children learn critical, foundational, literacy skills than 1:1 tutoring with a dedicated, well trained, consistent adult. In the words of US Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona, ‘Experience Corps is a game-changer for students."

Experience Corps Buffalo tutor/mentors meet individually with each student two-three times per week for 30 minutes per session, every week of the school year. Sessions are very structured and focus on building fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills in students in 1st-3rd grade through repeated reading practice and models of fluent reading. Pre-K and K tutor/mentors are trained to focus on developing preliteracy skills such as alphabet knowledge, phonics, and phonemic awareness. Experience Corps strategies and materials are all based on the Science of Reading and all tutor/mentors receive significant training and school-based support.

Although AARP Experience Corps is targeted to support reading proficiency for students, there are many benefits for the volunteer tutor/mentor as well which is why AARP Foundation supports the program so completely.

“Our volunteer tutors have reported mental and physical benefits throughout the year-long program,” added Ryan. “According to AARP Foundation, 98 percent of volunteers nationally reported that participating in Experience Corps helped them stay physically and mentally active, and 96 percent of volunteers reported that the program increased their sense of purpose in life.”

The only requirement to becoming a volunteer tutor/mentor with Read to Succeed Buffalo is that you are 50 years of age or older and have a desire to share your experience and your love of reading with students who need it the most. Your time and talents can change a child’s life – the experience may even change your own!

Please visit readtosucceedbuffalo.org to find out more or email [email protected]!