Last year’s end of year celebration. Photography courtesy of Catch Up & Read.
Dallas nonprofit Catch Up & Read is hosting its 15th annual end-of-year celebrations to recognize 750 students who have made positive strides in literacy this school year.
The organization ensures that all Dallas ISD students read on level by the third grade through after-school tutoring led by seven trained teachers paid by the nonprofit. Students in the district, including those at neighborhood schools like Nathan Adams and Stephen C. Foster Elementary, benefit from the program and are more likely to reach growth projections and pass STAAR tests compared to their peers.
Students in the program meet after school twice a week, totaling 70 hours of teacher-directed intervention. Last year, 93% of students achieved measurable gains in reading proficiency. Those who continue to struggle receive additional support to identify learning differences.
From May 1st to the 9th, Catch Up & Read will host 18 graduation-themed Reading Rallies to celebrate and honor program students. Each event includes a pizza party with friends and family and the presentation of a medal to symbolize their reading growth.
“Our celebrations highlight the pride we have for our students and emphasize the that reading is essential for academic achievements,” said Carol Vig, board member of Catch Up & Read.
According to national research, reading on grade-level by third grade is an important benchmark for predicting high school graduation and incarceration rates. Students not reading on level by third grade are four times more likely to drop out of school. In Dallas, more than 50,000 children cannot read on grade level.
Catch Up & Read serves 18 Dallas ISD Title I schools and two southern Dallas private schools. The organization helps children from underserved communities to read on grade level by the end of their third grade by equipping them with an arsenal of teachers and literacy intervention. The organization selects students in first through third grade with the highest need to participate in the after-school tutoring program.
Since its inception, Catch Up & Read has trained more than 500 teachers and impacted 50,000 students.
“We invite the community to join us for Catch Up & Read’s Reading Rallies,” said Carol Goglia, president and CEO of Catch Up & Read. “Help cheer on each student that crosses the stage, listen to the stories of their growing reading results and witness the smiles born from confidence gained.”
