There's a shift you notice before any test picks it up. A kid who used to wait to be handed a book walks over and takes one off the shelf on her own during Clubhouse time. That started happening often enough this year that our Friends began mentioning it to each other.

This winter, 13 of our youth took their second round of DIBELS assessments, a literacy screening tool used in kindergarten through fifth grade. Every one of them scored higher than they did in the fall.

It's early, and these kids are just getting started. But it's the direction we want.

What our Friends actually do

Our Friends visit the library with their youth. They read together at the Clubhouse. They work alongside teachers and families so every child has the support they need at school.

When a Friend sits down with a child and a book, the message underneath it is simple. You matter, and I think you can do this.

Why third grade matters

Children who aren't reading proficiently by the end of third grade are roughly four times more likely to leave high school without a diploma, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

In La Grande, 47% of households earn less than what it costs to get by here, according to United For ALICE. Reading well by third grade is one of the few things that reliably changes what comes next.

That's why our Friends spend so much of their time on it.

This is what your support looks like

When you give to Friends of the Children — Eastern Oregon, you're funding:

• Weekly library trips where kids choose their own books
• Quiet afternoons at the Clubhouse where reading is a safe, easy thing to do
• Advocacy with teachers so our youth get the academic support they need
• Consistent relationships with adults who believe in every child's potential

Fifty dollars puts books and learning tools in the Clubhouse for a child in Union County.

What's next

We'll test again in the spring, and we expect to keep seeing growth. But the testing schedule isn't the part that matters most. The relationships our Friends are building right now will be there for the next 12+ years, no matter what happens along the way.

One child. One Friend. 12+ years, no matter what.

Thank you for making this work possible.