Augustine Literacy Project-Charlotte

THE MISSION OF ALP IS TO IMPROVE THE READING, WRITING, AND SPELLING SKILLS OF YOUNG, ASPIRING READERS IN UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING FREE, LONG-TERM, ONE-ON-ONE INSTRUCTION FROM HIGHLY TRAINED TUTORS.

AUGUSTINE LITERACY PROJECT CHARLOTTE (ALP) WAS ORIGINALLY FOUNDED IN 2005 AS A MISSION OF ST. PETERS EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND BECAME A SEPARATE AND INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION IN 2018. FOLLOWING OUR MISSION, WE IMPROVE THE READING, WRITING AND SPELLING SKILLS OF UNDER RESOURCED STUDENTS SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND GRADE LEVEL IN LITERACY SKILLS. WE TRAIN AND SUPPORT VOLUNTEER TUTORS WHO PROVIDE FREE, LONG-TERM, ONE-TO-ONE INSTRUCTION TO STUDENTS USING A RESEARCH-BASED PHONICS CURRICULUM. OUR VOLUNTEERS TUTOR PRIMARILY IN CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, WORKING WITH FIRST- THROUGH THIRD-GRADERS AT TITLE I SCHOOLS. VOLUNTEER TUTORS RECEIVE TRAINING AND ALP MATERIALS, AND EACH TUTOR PROVIDES ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING TWO TIMES PER WEEK TO A CHILD DURING THE SCHOOL DAY OR IN AN AFTER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT PROGRAM. THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT DEVELOP DURING OUR LONG-TERM, ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING APPROACH PROVIDES BENEFITS TO BOTH THE CHILDREN AND THE TUTORS: IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE OUR ABILITY TO CONNECT VOLUNTEERS AND STUDENTS, ALP OFFERS BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL MODE TO DELIVER OUR LESSON PLAN. AS CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS, OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR OTHER PARTNERS RISE TO MEET THE CHALLENGE OF A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF FIRST THROUGH THIRD GRADE STUDENTS TESTING SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND IN READING SKILLS, WE ARE STRIVING TO EXPAND OUR VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING, WHERE TUTORS MEET ONE-ON-ONE WITH STUDENTS VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE. VIDEO CONFERENCE TUTORING OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THE VOLUNTEER TUTOR BASE SIGNIFICANTLY TO MAXIMIZE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ALP CAN SERVE.