The Reading Buddy Program - Myla Lawrence by Myla

The Reading Buddy Program - Myla Lawrence by Myla - June 2026 Scholarship Essay

If I could design a project to improve my community, I would create the Reading Buddy Program. A program that pairs high school and college students with elementary students that are struggling with reading and/or writing. The goal of this program is to improve literacy while building the confidence in students of all ages. By reading with younger students, older students would strengthen their own literacy skills while building their leadership abilities. Strong reading and writing skills are the core to academic success, making literacy one of the most important areas of education to invest in.
The Reading Buddy Program would pair high school and college volunteers with elementary students who require extra support with reading and writing. They would be matched based on a questionnaire asking about their needs (elementary students) and their strengths (volunteers). After their initial meeting, there would be weekly check-ins at local schools and/or libraries, where the volunteers see how the children are doing and which areas they are struggling with. At that point they will read a chapter of a book, write a paragraph, or do grammar exercises—whichever supports the student best. At the end of each meeting, the volunteer will provide personalized practice activities that the student could complete throughout the week to strengthen their literacy skills.
The Reading Buddy Program would benefit both the students receiving support and the volunteers providing it. Reading and writing are skills that are used in every academic and non-core subject, making literacy skills one of the most important skills in education to strengthen. Students who struggle with literacy skills typically feel discouraged and unconfident in school. With the consistent one-on-one training, elementary students would have the opportunity to strengthen their skills and have a comfortable environment to be creative and make mistakes. At the same time, the volunteers would gain leadership, communication, and mentoring experience. By improving literacy skills and creating a community of belonging for students of all ages, this program would create a meaningful growing experience for all involved.
My interest in the Reading Buddy Program stems from an experience I had helping two kindergarten students who were struggling with English learn how to read and write. Each day, we traced letters and practiced associated them with their sounds. Some days were longer and more challenging than others, but the difficult moments made the successes even more meaningful. On the days where they started sounding out words on their own, and seeing the confidence light up in their eyes, I knew that helping children learn and grow was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. As a future elementary teacher, I hope to create the same sense of confidence for countless students. With the Reading Buddy Program, we create a safe space for students to learn and ask questions.