The idea and vision of Lead to Read KC has evolved as one critical solution to a problem that the program’s founders, Lynn and Jean Rundle, saw as they lived and worked in the Kansas City area.
Some of the teens they met through mentoring and tutoring couldn’t read fluently – and a few could barely spell.
On fun outings, as well as on job interviews, many of these very intelligent kids struggled to fill out the basic forms needed to apply for employment or rent sports equipment.
There had to be a way to help.
Both former teachers, Lynn and Jean believed that the problem wasn’t just that the kids weren’t reading; it was also that reading didn’t seem relevant to them.
After months of research, plus consultation with school principals, teachers, community groups and community members, Lynn and Jean developed Lead to Read. The program reaches kids early – in grades 1 through 3 – when they’re mastering basic reading skills. And with one-to-one help from trusted, caring adult volunteers, kids begin to experience the love of reading and learning.
In 2010, a handful of volunteers, along with Lynn and Jean, started to make that happen when they launched Lead to Read in several Kansas City-area schools.
We now connect nearly 1,100 elementary students with adult Reading Mentors in more than 50 urban classrooms across the metropolitan area, providing more than 500 hours of literacy support each week. Apply today to join Kansas City’s largest literacy volunteer corps!
Lead to Read KC Board of Directors
Dustin Walton, Populous-Co-Chair
Justin Goldsborough, Fleishman Hillard-Co-Chair
Pauly Hart, Lead to Read KC-President
David Lowe, Lockton-Vice President
Lynn Rundle, Sequel Holdings-Treasurer
Alane Watts, American Century Investments
Caitlin O’Byrne Waters, CBIZ
Eric Graham, TGP Investments
Lokesh Krishna Ravichandran, Cerner
Lynn Carlton, HOK
Mark Swanson Burns & McDonnell
Rainy Cadenhead, DST
Rebecca Haessig, Set the Schools Free Blog
Sarah Gaikwad, Lead to Read KC
Sue Agrawal, Independent
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Pauly Hart Executive Director [email protected] |
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Lynn and Jean Rundle Co-founders of Lead to Read [email protected] |
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Sarah Gaikwad Director of Administration [email protected] |
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Hayley Rees Volunteer Coordinator [email protected] |