Lottie helped Mariah achieve not one, but two milestones

Lottie beamed as she read the letter from her younger reading buddy, Mariah. Only 18 weeks earlier Mariah had been stumbling with books that were below her age level. Now her favourite book was Harry Potter. Lottie felt so proud. But it wasn’t the only milestone these buddies achieved through our student2student reading program.

One in three children in the most disadvantaged communities is developmentally vulnerable in one or more key areas when they start school.¹ When Year 11 student, Lottie, heard this, she wanted to help.

“The student2student Program Coordinator gave a presentation at our school assembly.  She was looking for volunteers to help younger students who struggle with reading. When I heard the statistics, I felt like I could make a difference as a volunteer reading buddy,” she said.

As a supporter, you give students like Mariah the chance to take part in student2student. The program helps students who are two or more years behind in their reading to catch up. 

Mariah and Lottie read together over the phone two to three times a week. Each call was meant to last 20 minutes. Yet they enjoyed themselves so much that their calls would often last double that. Over time, Lottie saw an enormous shift in Mariah.

“At the start, Mariah’s reading was a bit stilted. I found that she knew how to read the words or sound them out, yet she was reluctant to try. By the end, she was reading quite fluently. And she would have a go at every word. Seeing that she can now tackle a difficult book like Harry Potter exemplifies the change in her confidence,” said Lottie.