Providence Rotary donates to literacy advancement in Providence schools

Providence Rotary donates $65,000 for 
literacy advancement tools in Providence Public Schools

The Charities Foundation of the Rotary Club of Providence has donated $65,000 to provide literacy advancement tools for more than 5,000 elementary and middle school students in the Providence Public Schools. All the tools can be used in classrooms, in distance learning and by students working independently.

“Childhood literacy is the primary focus of our club’s philanthropy and volunteerism because we know that the ability to read and understand is one of the most critical determinants of lifetime success,” said George W. Babcock, chairman of the club’s literacy committee.

“The Providence Public Schools are facing a daunting challenge that’s only been made more difficult by the Covid pandemic, and we hope to demonstrate that community organizations can make a difference by funding measurable support tools.”

“I want to express the gratitude of the entire Providence Public School system for your very generous donation,” said Harrison Peters, district superintendent. “The literacy support materials and teacher training you have made possible will benefit more than 5,000 students.

“The ongoing partnership between PPSD and the Rotary Club of Providence demonstrates the kind of citizen support that can make a big difference in achieving success for the city’s children.”

The Rotary donation is funding use of MyON® Reader, an extensive digital library, by all students in eight of the city’s middle schools. myON Reader is a personalized literacy environment that gives students access to more than 6,000 enhanced digital books. Titles are dynamically matched to each individual student’s interests, grade and reading level. 

At the Harry Kizirian Elementary School, the Rotary donation will fund a series of literacy interventions reaching all 600 students. These include MyON Reader, reading level assessment tool kits, a progress monitoring tool for multilingual learners, targeted professional development stipends to train teachers to use the assessment tools, iPads and webcams to support classroom and distance learning. 

The Providence Rotary Childhood Literacy Initiative originated three years ago with a volunteer effort to brighten the appearance of the Harry Kizirian Elementary School by painting hallway doors and creating a welcoming mural for the entry hall. 

Funds to support this year’s expanded donations came from the Rotary Legends for Literacy Gala that raised over $100,000 in 2019. Donations to support Providence Rotary’s future literacy efforts are gratefully accepted at www.ProvidenceRotary.org/donate .