MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — A program that has worked with thousands of Martin County children is returning after a brief hiatus, with a renewed focus on helping young students strengthen their reading skills.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County is celebrating the return of its AmeriCorps program, which places volunteers directly with students to provide individualized and small-group academic support.
WATCH BELOW: Literacy program returns to Martin County after hiatus
"We missed it. It was an extremely important piece to our success and moving the district forward," Martin County Schools Superintendent Michael Maine said.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County first introduced the federal mentorship program to the area in 2019. For six years, AmeriCorps volunteers worked with thousands of local students before federal funding shortfalls forced the program to pause.
Now, program leaders have set new goals for its return. WPTV reporter Christy Waite connected with AmeriCorps Program Director for Martin County Boys and Girls Club, Russell Lamberti.
"We want to serve 575 students, and we want to see an increase of 65% growth, and that can be in vocabulary, fluency and grammar," AmeriCorps Program Director Russell Lamberti said.
AmeriCorps volunteers will work one-on-one and in small groups with kindergarten through fifth-grade students at four Boys & Girls Club locations, with an emphasis on literacy.
For AmeriCorps Volunteer Experience Specialist Abelard Cesar, the mission also has a personal connection.
"I am a Haitian American. I learned English at 13 years old, and I had mentors that helped me grow," Cesar said.
The Boys & Girls Clubs says the program delivered significant academic results during its previous six-year run. In some cases, as many as eight in 10 participating students moved their reading from Level 1 to Level 4. About the same percentage maintained or improved their English Language Arts grades, according to the organization.
The organization said students also showed improvements in literacy rates, assessment scores, school attendance and behavioral patterns.
AmeriCorps members' work previously extended beyond the classroom. According to the Boys & Girls Clubs, volunteers completed nearly 50 service projects in Martin County and contributed more than 60,000 hours to community cleanup efforts and other acts of service.
The return comes as literacy remains a focus across the county. Earlier this year, the Martin County School District reported that local kindergarten students tied for fourth place statewide in readiness scores and literacy assessments.
The AmeriCorps program is part of a broader academic effort by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County, which serves more than 1,000 members ages 6 to 18 in its daily programs. The organization also provides after-school academic assistance through certified teachers.
Beyond its Clubs, the organization runs or manages several programs serving local children, including Reading Buddies, Character Counts!, career training using virtual reality technology, culinary programs and skilled-trades programs.
With AmeriCorps volunteers returning, the Boys & Girls Clubs says it hopes to build on the program's previous results while giving more Martin County students the individual attention and support they need.
