Literacy Champion Spotlight: Kids Hope USA

Last year, KDL asked patrons to nominate individuals and organizations for KDL's Literacy Champion Award. The submissions were so inspiring! Let's learn more about one nominee, Kids Hope USA.

Kids Hope USA leads and advocates for literacy in an extraordinary way by providing consistent, one-to-one mentoring to elementary students during the years when reading skills matter most. Trained adult mentors meet weekly with children who would benefit from another person in their corner. By consistently showing up, a mentor shows their student they are valued, loved and cared for. That consistency boosts confidence for students, helping them to improve in academics, reading and more.

What makes Kids Hope USA unique is the combination of academic support and encouragement. Mentors not only practice reading with students but also help them grow in confidence and motivation. Many children begin to see themselves as capable readers because someone shows up for them every single week. We know that the only way to become a better reader is to read. Kids Hope USA Mentors enjoy stories with students, read to students and more importantly, serve as a listening ear as students read books to them. By mobilizing caring adults from the community, Kids Hope USA expands a school’s capacity to support students and ensures that more children develop the strong foundation they need for lifelong success.

Two years ago, a fourth-grade student in one partner school was reading at a first-grade level. The gap was significant, and without intervention, it would have continued to widen as he grew up. Through Kids Hope USA, a mentor was matched with this student to provide consistent encouragement and literacy support. But what makes Kids Hope USA mentoring relationships extraordinary is what happened next. Recognizing the depth of the child’s need, the mentor reached out for additional help. Another mentor stepped forward, who had their own mentee at the school, and offered professional tutoring services through her tutoring company at no cost to the family. What began as one mentoring relationship grew into a coordinated community effort centered around one child’s literacy growth. Today, that student is in sixth grade and reading at a sixth-grade level.

While there is still progress to be made, the transformation is undeniable! The student has not only closed a five-year reading gap but has also developed a love of reading and learning. He now approaches learning with greater confidence and perseverance. This story reflects how Kids Hope USA advocates through relationships, initiative and an unwavering commitment to each child’s potential.