Ny knew from the start that she’d have a strong connection with her 4th grade student reader, Ziza. “She already loved reading when she came into Team Read, so that made me excited to start working with her,” explains Ny. “Ziza is very cooperative and has a willingness to work hard and keep getting better.”

Team Read 4 students build comprehension skills by following a story line across chapters. Ziza and Ny are currently reading Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts and working together to identify the story’s resolution by using a summary anchor chart. When asked why she likes working with Ny, Ziza exclaims, “She’s really fun and helps me a lot.  And she’s really funny!”

Site Coordinator, Danielle, believes the relationship between student readers and teen coaches is key to the success of Team Read. When a student feels comfortable and confident working with their coach, they excel in the program. “Ziza can be quite shy, but she’s very talkative with her coach. They really seem to connect,” says Danielle. “Ny is always there for Ziza. She’s a go-getter, super positive and uplifting.”