Whittier Kindergarten Program

I recall a shy and timid boy that entered Kindergarten at Whittier ES in late October of 2023. He joined the Albuquerque Reads program with a recommendation from his teacher. Though he had few and limited experiences with formal school, he was excited to join the ABQ Reads program and eagerly greeted his tutor each day.

Each week, the young boy would arrive with a mix of excitement and uncertainty, unsure of what to expect but hopeful for progress. Although he did not yet know his letters and sounds when he entered the ABQ Reads program, he had an experienced ABQ Reads tutor (18+ years) that would help support and encourage him through his literacy journey. 

Day after day, his tutor greeted him with a warm smile and a playful tone. "Let's go on an adventure through words today!" she would say, setting the tone for their journey together. Slowly, by slowly, this young boy was able to learn the sound/symbol relationships.

They began with the basics – naming each letter and stating its corresponding sound. His tutor used games and songs to make learning fun and engaging. They played "Letter Bingo," as the young boy searched for letters and called them out triumphantly. "Bingo!" he would shout, his eyes lighting up with each correct answer.

Next came phonics. His tutor patiently guided him through the alphabet, naming the letters and creating the sounds each letter made. They practiced blending sounds together to form simple words, like "cat" and "dog." The boy stumbled at first, but his tutor was always there with encouragement. "You're getting it! Keep going!"

Weeks turned into months, and the boy’s confidence began to grow. He started recognizing familiar words in the books they read together, and he eagerly sounded out new ones with his tutor’s guidance. "Look, I read this word!" he exclaimed one day, pointing proudly at a page.

Throughout the year, each milestone was praised. The young boy’s attendance improved, and he was more enthusiastic about reading and more confident in his abilities. His writing had also improved, and he was eager to show off his improvement during ABQ Reads sessions.

As the year came to an end, great changes had been seen. The young boy’s journey with Albuquerque Reads and his tutor was not just about learning to read – it was about discovering the joy of stories, the power of perseverance, and the kindness of those who believe in you. A love for reading grew in this young boy, thanks to the support and guidance of his dedicated tutor and the wonderful community at Albuquerque Reads. 

-- Sinta O'Connor, Whittier ES Kindergarten Site Coordinator

Whittier First Grade Program

Our 1st grade had two ESL students from different families that had just arrived from different countries in Africa. They arrived during the second semester. When they began, they spoke no English and were very reserved and quiet.  We placed them carefully with experienced tutors who were retired teachers. 

After the first week one was still reluctant to attend tutoring sessions. We think she was confused because she had a tutor that was ill and was not there as she walked in the door each day.  We set her up with a new tutor and that is when “the magic” happened. They bonded and she started reading and responding. Soon she was drawing and writing stories that she was proud of. She was excited to work one on one with her tutor!

The other child was comforted to attend by a classmate that was in the program he and had no reticence to attend but struggled until the tutor found a book with pictures that he could name in his language, and he quickly picked up the English words. 

Both students were extremely intelligent and were made to feel comfortable in the one-to-one interactions with their tutors in ABQ Reads and they made excellent progress.

-- Patricia Willis, Whittier ES First Grade Site Coordinator

Bel-Air ABQ Reads

I’m going to call her Faith. She came to Bel-Air about the middle of the school year. She had not been attending school; and, in fact, she and her mother had been without a home. She had one little dress and some torn sneakers. The school system immediately took her to the clothing bank, and the family got help finding them a temporary home.

She had the most beautiful smile! But, she was way behind in her learning. She didn’t know how to sit still in a chair. She had never held a pencil or used crayons. She had trouble in the classroom joining group activities. When she started attending Albuquerque Reads with one-on-one support, she made connections with her tutors. (Three days of tutoring a week for 30 minutes, with a different tutor each day.) Her tutors quickly learned what she needed to know. They focused on her following along in books and beginning to point to each word. They realized she didn’t know the colors so would get out the box of crayons and help her use and name the colors. They helped her learn to write her name and name the letters. They helped her draw pictures and “tell a story” about them as the tutors wrote down her words. She was quickly able to sit (most of the time) and focus on her learning.

By the end of the school year Little Ms. Faith was reading and writing with help from her tutors. She was not “on grade level” but had certainly made HUGE gains. That beautiful smile was bigger, and those eyes were shining with pride.

-- Sally Giannini, Bel-Air ES Site Coordinator

Atrisco ES ABQ Reads- A Tutor’s Perspective

As I read from the book, Danny the Dinosaur, my student’s eyes scanned the words, connecting to sounds, letters, and photographs. We shared laughter and surprise with each turn of a page. Now my student was ready to read himself! As we shared the reading, he began to unravel mysteries of the print. We counted words on the page, sounded out the beginning letters of words, and used our voices to bring meaning to the punctuation.

Writing about Danny, the dinosaur, came next. Cautiously my student held the pencil and looked to me for support. We shared the writing, interactively, recording his thoughts and ideas. Most times, he was able to write the beginning and ending sounds of the words himself. The hardest part was getting that pencil to form the letters on the page. This was going to be a process.

The last part of the lesson was always fun for both of us. Phonics games brought cheers and laughter, a feeling of team spirit. He loved to use the magnetic boards to play with sounds and make words. Sometimes, we would make up stories based on the words he would form-- silly rhyming stories.

This was our routine. Many books and journal entries later, my student became a confident reader. At the end of this journey, I felt confident, too. The program’s site coordinators developed targeted lessons that made the tutoring sessions meaningful and seamless. With their support and encouragement, I became a better tutor. The program really works. I felt a part of it.

-- Marsha Artley, Atrisco ES Tutor 2023-2024 turned Site Coordinator 2024-2025

I have been tutoring through ABQ Reads at Atrisco Elementary School now for three years. As a retired secondary teacher, I appreciate the ongoing, guided support that tutors receive so that we can extend the learning beyond the classroom by keeping with the teaching and learning strategies set forth by the teachers and the school. Also, our instruction is individualized to the educational ability and needs of each student. This appears to be unique to the ABQ Reads program. I have friends who are tutors in other schools and are left on their own as to how to guide and support their students. In my opinion, the structure and support provided through ABQ Reads is exceptional. My only suggestion would be to expand the program into other schools and put greater effort into recruiting more tutors. Thank you for this opportunity!

--- Karen Lyall, Atrisco Elementary

I have only been a volunteer tutor to the kindergarten ABQreads program at Atrisco Elementary School for less than two months. However, I have observed firsthand how this program is making a difference in children's lives.

The ABQreads program at the Atrisco Elementary School is well-organized and well-run. The instructions are clear and concise. Kids in the program apparently need help with their reading and writing skills. I have a kid who has lost his mother in a car accident. Dad is not around much. He lives with his grandma. It is clear that he receives very little help from home. When I had him the first time, he had trouble reading some letters and the most essential words. In addition, he was not used to a structured system and had some difficulties focusing on the schoolwork. After a few weeks in the program, I observed clear improvement in reading, writing and the classroom routines. His focus has improved as well. I truly believe that this program will make a life-changing impact on this child.

This is just one of the kids I have had the chance to work with. I am certain that many others are like him and will benefit enormously from this program. I hope the program can continue to serve our children, especially the ones from resource-poor families.

-- Qian-Yun Zhang, MD, PhD - Professor, Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico

I have been tutoring with Albuquerque Reads at Atrisco Elementary, in the South Valley of Albuquerque, for 14 years. It is a joy to see how far these kindergartners advance over the course of a school year! The one-on-one time we have with the 5-6-year-olds is such a positive experience for the children and the tutors. The time we spend with each child is reinforcing the classroom essentials. Ensuring a kindergartener begins a lifetime of positive learning experiences is so important! Please continue such a positive experience!

-- Linda George, Atrisco Elementary

My name is Karen Ceronie, and I have been an ABQ Reads tutor at Atrisco Elementary for 7 years. (I count my years by the names of the children I’ve tutored each year).

I’ve experienced so many great moments with my students. To recount a few:

• One student moved up to B readers and said, “These books are much more difficult,” and then read his first book very confidently. His reading became more advanced after that.

• Another student read a whole sentence by himself for the first time and was stunned — wide eyes and a startled expression. Then, he grinned from ear to ear.when I congratulated him. He began reading better & better after that.

• A student’s name was very similar to a character in a book we were to read together. Before we began reading, I pointed out that name similarity. He thought about it, identified the letters that were different, and said, “I’ll give him an R and O (the letters the book character needed to match names)!” We read the book with the student’s name for the character, he loved it, and that series of books became his favorite to read and write in his journal about.

I could go on, but I think these examples show how the students blossom in their reading and writing skills in ABQ Reads. For me as a tutor, they make me smile and very happy to be helping these young learners get off to a good start.

-- Karen Ceronie, Atrisco Elementary

This is my second year of volunteering for the Albuquerque Reads program at Atrisco Elementary School. It is amazing to watch the children’s growth in learning the alphabet, being able to sound out words and putting words together by making those sounds.

I have been on various boards throughout my professional career as well as board chair of two statewide programs, and this is the most rewarding volunteer work I have ever done. To be a part of helping the next generation of New Mexican children to learn to read and help launch their educational path in a forward and very positive manner has been rewarding beyond words.

Our children are our future, and we must do everything we can to ensure their success by bolstering their education at this critical juncture in their life. My deepest wish is to have even more volunteers so we can spread this program to every school in Albuquerque, giving our children the best head start for a successful life.

-- Carolyn Green, Atrisco Elementary

The Chamber generously donates books to the students who come to the ABQ Reads program. Last year, after a student had taken home several books, he told me his dad was going to build him a bookshelf for his books. (I’m pretty certain there were no other bookshelves in the home.) Not only does ABQ Reads benefit the children who come for tutoring, I’d like to think that it has an effect on their entire family.

-- Vera Olson, Atrisco Elementary

I am writing regarding the Albuquerque Reads Program. To be honest with you, I never even knew about the program existed until this past summer when a friend of mine who already is a volunteer informed me they were in need of volunteers for the 2025-2026 school year.

Starting September 2026, I became an Albuquerque Reads volunteer tutor at Atrisco Elementary. The program is extremely organized with our own classroom, materials provided and an APS teacher who presents the teaching plan as well as guidance.

Each week I look forward to working with the at-risk kindergarten students, assisting them with their reading and writing. The students look forward to taking home books that are provided to each kindergartener whether they are in the program or not. Those books are provided by the Chamber of Commerce. For some of the students, those books may be their only reading material they have at home.

Atrisco Elementary is a neighborhood school that has generations of family who have attended there in the past. The school inside is full of colorful doors leading to classrooms, the cafeteria is full of good sounds and smells and the grounds outside are pleasant. The principal, Ms. Yvonne Salazar, along with teachers, staff and school assistants, are top-notch.

Please keep this worthwhile program alive and growing! This program is greatly needed and should be provided at every APS elementary school! The students that I have had the pleasure of tutoring teach me as much as I teach them.

-- Roberta Remington, Atrisco Elementary

We often take for granted that everyone wants their child to be happy and successful. However, how many of us are offered the opportunity to help children outside our families? ABQ Reads affords its volunteers the means to do just that.

ABQ Reads is a lot more than a reading program. True, the program has had excellent head tutors and dedicated volunteers, many of whom are former teachers. In addition to teaching the fundamentals of reading to children who often enter kindergarten not knowing the alphabet, the program demonstrates to each student that he or she is important, that he or she can enjoy one-on-one time with an adult who truly cares. For many of our students, the time spent with a tutor may be the only time during which they are encouraged to do their best while having some fun with reading games.

It is generally accepted that if a child is not reading by third grade, that child will face a difficult future indeed. ABQ Reads has a positive impact on the future of our students; this is obvious in the interactions between the tutors and young students. And we must provide the children with the means to navigate their futures - after all, the children are our future and deserve every opportunity to receive the assistance. If we fail our children, especially at such a young age, we fail not only them and their families but our society as well.

I have been a tutor for several years. It is always such a pleasure to see when that "light bulb" switches on when a student starts to read independently. And then there are the humorous moments; for example, earlier this year one of my students asked me, "Why are all of you so OLD?" Each tutoring session is a new adventure with different books, different activities and different responses from our students.

I sincerely hope that ABQ Reads will continue (and even expand to other schools) in the future. Such an early reading program can make such a difference in a child's life, both in the present and in the future.

-- Marjorie Adolphe, Atrisco Elementary