How might we improve literacy skills for underserved kids in K – 3rd grade?
One Stone students were seeking to build on a successful first step of a pilot of Open Book Adventures (OBA), a mentoring and literacy project for kids in Kindergarten through 6th grade from the Capital Quadrant, an area of high need. The One Stone team prototyped and tested the project, overhauling it to become an 8-week program that inspired imagination and curiosity through adventures in literacy. Together with their One Stone buddy, the kids explored outer space, fairy tales and imaginary places through books, and spun their own tales about them through writing and communication activities.
Outcomes:
Based on pre/post evaluation provided by the Boise School District, OBA participants had an average reading competency increase of 61 percent and an average increase in writing competency of 49 percent. Just as important, the students grew in their confidence. One parent shared her feedback with us on the outcomes, saying, “We loved watching the boys grow in their confidence not only in reading and writing, but behavior too. They loved coming home every week and learning new and exciting things.”
