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How support like yours helped Chelsea shine at reading

14 January 2026

a mother looking onto her daughter who is wearing her school uniform and carrying a backpack

“I love school now, Mummy.”

Lenice’s heart soared when she heard these words from her determined daughter, Chelsea. It’s something every parent wants to hear – especially if their child has found school hard.

Children living with poverty often go without learning essentials in their preschool years, and can start school already behind in core areas like reading and maths. Chelsea had always found reading a struggle – and even with extra support from her wonderful teacher, she couldn’t catch up.

But everything changed when Chelsea was matched with a reading buddy through our innovative student2student reading program.

The power of self-confidence

“Chelsea formed a beautiful friendship with her reading buddy Emily,” explains Lenice. “She loves reading now, and she’s the most improved child in her class.”

student2student is just one of the proven learning support programs children like Chelsea can access, thanks to your support. It’s highly effective, with 96% of participants improving their reading – and the impact goes far beyond increased reading levels.

Having a buddy who believes in them can really boost a child’s confidence and morale, which has a powerful impact on the rest of their learning:

“Chelsea has shined this year,” says Lenice. “Her NAPLAN results were absolutely amazing.”

a young school girl holding her red book and carrying a backpack

Breaking down barriers

Support like yours has been just as transformational for Chelsea’s big brother, Ty. He was struggling to keep up and missing out on crucial learning opportunities because Lenice couldn’t afford a laptop.

“Ty was having a really tough time in senior school until The Smith Family gave him a laptop. He uses it for all his homework – I don’t know what he’d do without it.”

Financial disadvantage can hold students back in so many ways – but your support breaks down learning barriers so children like Ty and Chelsea can follow their career aspirations and work towards a better future. Thank you!

I just want my kids to be happy and succeed in whatever they want to do in life. I know they can with the support they get from The Smith Family.

Lenice