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REACH Literacy: Empowering Our Community in 2024

At the halfway point of the year, and now six months since Executive Director Molly O’Connor joined us, REACH Literacy is excited to share what 2024 has had (and will have) in store for our organization:


Program Director, Brooke Sieff uses REACH Literacy's new on-site classroom

CLASS IS IN SESSION

Thanks to the support of many donors and community organizations, the REACH Literacy on-site classroom is up and running. 

In May 2024, we began hosting an Everyday English class in the classroom. “At the end of class, one of our participants thanked us for offering this program saying that, where she is from, women don't get to learn. She started very shy and hesitant to speak up, but by the end, she was much more open to asking questions and practicing words and phrases together,” said Brooke Sieff, Program Director. 


This fall, REACH Literacy will offer a full slate of programs from our on-site classroom–including Pre-CNA training, Everyday English classes, low-literacy tutoring, and more–as well as continue to offer a place for community organizations to meet and collaborate.


HARD AT WORK

Program Director, Brooke Sieff and a learner celebrate the end of a successful semester

We are thrilled to announce that in 2024, we added a new Workplace Literacy partnership with Sioux Steel, joining our current lineup of wonderful partners at Avera, Sanford, BX Civil, and OLM. 


These partnerships are incredible and unique because they make learning English as accessible as possible for a business’ employees. Learners often face numerous hurdles to attend classes, such as transportation, childcare, and work schedules. When employers like our Workplace partners are generous with their time and committed to their employees' success, they provide a path to literacy without these common obstacles. 

In the spring semester, we served 156 learners who spoke nine different languages. Over a total of 1,857 hours, we helped teach English through practical topics like 911 safety and workplace communication. 

We are proud of the significant progress our students made this semester, but we are even more proud of the supportive community and safe space we built together. We listen to our learners’ goals and dreams, supporting them in every way we can. For example, one of our learners hopes to open her own bakery, and we were lucky enough to feature her delicious homemade macarons at REACH’s spring fundraiser, Brewhaha. 

REACH Literacy is proud to meet learners where they are and support their needs and goals through all stages and challenges. As our Workplace English program pauses for the summer, REACH Literacy is fine-tuning the curriculum, planning new ways to integrate our learners into the Sioux Empire community, and striving to make our 2024 Fall semester the strongest session yet.


BEE a Reader student posing with book and super hero mask
BEE a Reader student celebrates reading as his superpower with a free book

RAISING READERS


When it comes to the literacy growth of our community’s youngest readers, REACH continues to be humbled by the continued support of our donors and volunteers.

Thanks to those who donate pre-owned books to our bookstore, we are on track to distribute 20,000 children’s books back into the community.

This spring, we celebrated four years of our BEE a Reader program, a partnership with Title I Sioux Falls schools. In 2024, 53 volunteers supported 119 second-grade students by meeting with them virtually once a week to read together. Over ten weeks, we read nine books and logged 516 hours with our students.

“I’ve Zoomed with advanced readers, new readers, and non-readers. Some are curious with lots of questions, some are timid, some are budding actors, but throughout the program, they’re all enthusiastic about reading with us,” said one BEE a Reader volunteer. “It’s rewarding to see the timid participant become a leader, or a new student learn the ropes of technology, or a reluctant reader successfully sound out a word. It’s such a worthwhile program that my husband and I are pleased to participate in year to year.”
Summer Reading Road Trip participant claiming her prize

This summer, REACH successfully hosted another summer reading challenge with the Reading Road Map, making reading fun and encouraging children to read during their break. In August, we are excited to host our annual Building Classroom Libraries event (formerly known as the Teacher Grant), which provides teachers with the opportunity to choose 25 free books for their classrooms.

Looking forward, REACH is excited about opportunities with community organizations in talks now to get even more books into the hands of young readers.

STILL GROWING (THANKS TO YOU!)

REACH Literacy’s strength comes from our incredible community support, like our dedicated volunteers and generous donors. Whether you shop at our REACH bookstore or give directly to our organization, the proceeds go back into the Sioux Empire community and help make sure we can keep our resources free to anyone who needs them.

This year, we’ve sold approximately 14,500 books at our store and donated 24,000 back into our community to deserving organizations like the St. Francis House, Active Generations, and most recently to libraries destroyed by the floods in Rock Valley, IA.


Bookstore Manager, Mary Kool organizing book displays
“At REACH Bookstore we are always looking for ways to take secondhand books and introduce them to a new audience. We are anticipating our sales to surpass previous years and look forward to supporting our mission of promoting literacy in the Sioux Falls area,” said Mary Kool, Bookstore Manager.

Brooke and Molly presenting at Eugene Field Elementary's Multiple Intelligence Day

As we look to the future, REACH Literacy is committed to expanding our impact and ensuring that literacy resources are accessible to all. Our strategic direction for the next few years includes enhancing our community outreach, developing new literacy programs, and strengthening partnerships with local organizations. 

We aim to foster a community where everyone has the opportunity to improve their literacy skills and achieve their full potential.

"We’ve already seen incredible progress in 2024," said Molly O'Connor, Executive Director. "I am excited about the continued growth of our programs and the positive changes we are making in the community. The coming years hold even more promise as we build on our successes and reach new milestones together."


Do you want to support REACH Literacy's mission? Click here to give today.


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