Virtual Reading Buddy Program

Each semester, Weber junior and senior Spanish National Honor Society members participate in a community service project. This semester, Weber joined its longtime community partner Los Niños Primero for a virtual reading buddy program. Spanish content dean and teacher Olivia Rocamora said, "While the pandemic made it challenging to engage in meaningful service learning, we were determined to continue deepening our relationship and commitment to our neighbors at Los Niños Primero."

 

Two to three times a week, Weber students and their "buddies" in LNP's Early Literacy Program met via Zoom to read together in Spanish and English. This approach helped reinforce the LNP students' English and Spanish language skills, while Weber students practiced their Spanish. Weber junior Pnina Sasson is looking forward to continuing her participation in the program next year, saying, "This program gave me a chance to improve my Spanish speaking skills while making connections with children I otherwise wouldn't meet. I really looked forward to my reading sessions with them; they made my day every time!"

 

Ms. Rocamora was thrilled the program resonated with her students, noting how critical literacy is to future success: "Societally, we know that literacy is one of the most powerful tools to fight poverty; I cannot underscore enough how what our kids are doing is life-changing work for the Los Niños Primero kids. Seeing the beaming faces of both our Weber students and Los Niños Primero students during this program was a bright light during a dark year, and I cannot wait to see how this program evolves in the future."