About us

A Program of the Career Guidance Institute

A nonprofit entity of the Greater ABQ Chamber of Commerce

working in partnership with Albuquerque Public Schools

Mission

The primary mission of Career Guidance Institute’s chief program ABQ Reads, is to boost literacy achievement among struggling young readers in Albuquerque.

ABQ Reads Fast Facts

• Relies on over 300 adult volunteers and partners with Albuquerque Public Schools

• A one-on-one literacy tutoring program at three elementary schools: Whittier, Atrisco, and Bel-Air

  Delivers 90 minutes each week of personalized literacy tutoring for each Kinder-1st grade Title I student in the program

• Gives Title I children a chance to possess the life-changing skills of reading and writing

• Supplies every Kinder-1st grader it serves with 20 books for their at-home library

• Provides an online library of instructional Kinder-1st grade “read-aloud” videos hosted on APS’ YouTube channel

History

Albuquerque Reads is the chief program of the Career Guidance Institute (CGI), a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation. CGI was established in 1984 by the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce (GACC) in response to the business community’s desire to help shape education reform in the city and state. CGI’s mission is to work alongside the Albuquerque Public School (APS) system in creating programs that serve our children where the need is greatest. GACC believes that a sound education system is the key to a community’s economic vitality.

Through the vision of GACC President and CEO, Terri Cole, and the late Lead APS Superintendent, Joseph M. Vigil, a dynamic partnership was struck between the GACC and APS. Modeled after a program in Ohio called Ohio Reads, the design team at Bel-Air Elementary School customized a program that fit the children’s needs while aligning with New Mexico educational standards. The creation of the ABQ Reads curriculum was led by Sally Giannini, a 30-year teacher, and Lynda Idle, former Bel-Air Principal and a 17-year educator. In 2003 the first class of kindergartners experienced the ABQ Reads program.