Volunteers wanted to help students read

LAFAYETTE — The United Way of Acadiana seeks volunteers to help first- and second-grade students practice their reading skills.

The United Way Readers program pairs volunteers with struggling readers and is available in Acadia, Lafayette and St. Martin parishes. Volunteers work with students for one hour per week for a minimum of 10 weeks.

Last year, nearly 80 percent of students paired with a United Way Reader volunteer improved their overall reading scores, according to a United Way news release.

“We at United Way of Acadiana know that children learn to read in the early grade years so they can read to learn throughout the rest of their lives,” Keler Williams, director of volunteer mobilization, said. “Our United Way Readers in Lafayette, Acadia and St. Martin parishes provide much-needed reading practice time in conjunction with classroom teachers, helping to put students on a path toward academic success.”

The dates and locations of upcoming training sessions are :

• St. Martin Parish: 1 p.m. Wednesday at The Early Learning Center, 1004 S. Martin Luther King Drive, St. Martinville.
• Lafayette Parish: 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Oct. 15 at the United Way of Acadiana office, 215 E. Pinhook Road.
• Acadia Parish: 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Acadia Parish School Board office’s media meeting room, 2402 N. Parkerson Ave., Crowley.

For more information about United Way Readers or to register for a training, go to http://www.unitedwayofacadiana.org.