Read to Succeed welcomes San Miguel School and Sophia Academy to its summer reading program
PRESS RELEASE
Read to Succeed welcomes San Miguel School and Sophia Academy to its summer reading program
Cox Communications delivers 3,210 books to 535 Providence students
to prevent the summer learning loss
Contact: David Guertin, Executive Director, 401-868-0365, david@readtosucceedri.org
PROVIDENCE, R.I., On Wednesday, June 2nd, Read to Succeed and Cox Communications delivered 3,210 free books to students at Bishop McVinney Catholic Elementary School, Community Preparatory School, Highlander Charter School, San Miguel School of Providence, and Sophia Academy in anticipation of a record-breaking year for Read to Succeed. This summer, 535 Providence students at these schools will participate in this innovative literacy program that provides the incentive of a $1,000 college scholarship while helping to prevent the negative impacts of the summer learning loss.
“We are grateful to Cox Communications to continue an annual tradition of delivering these books to students at the end of their school year,” stated David Guertin, Executive Director of Read to Succeed. “This marks the start of the Read to Succeed 2021 summer reading program, and our Cox volunteers know that they are part of something special for these excited kids.”
“Read to Succeed continues to have a significant impact on students looking to grow their world and extend their learning into the summer months,” said Jay Allbaugh, senior vice president and region manager, Cox Communications. “2021 marks our fourth year of partnership, and we never tire of seeing the joy that these books bring to students, which is especially significant after the challenging year they’ve had.”
This spring, Read to Succeed invited San Miguel School and Sophia Academy to join the program. “We felt the need to reach more students after the challenges they had to overcome during the pandemic,” states Barbara Papitto, who founded Read to Succeed with her late husband, Ralph, in 2007. “We know that students who participate in Read to Succeed maintain, and even improve, their reading skills over the summer. We also know how important a Read to Succeed scholarship is to making college that much more affordable for these families. This was strong motivation to expand this year by welcoming Sophia Academy and San Miguel School.”
“Our San Miguel Men are blessed to have the opportunity to partner with Read to Succeed. This incredible program provides inspiration and motivation for our students to reach new levels of literacy on their academic journey. We are grateful to be part of the program,” stated John Wolf, M.Ed., Executive Director, San Miguel School of Providence.
Maura Farrell, Head of School for Sophia Academy, stated “we’re very excited to be part of this great partnership—and it is truly a partnership. We are so pleased that Read to Succeed is supporting our efforts to provide students with books that engage them—books that reflect their own lives and identities, books that challenge them to grow as readers, and books that expand their imaginations about the pathways they can take in their lives. The incentive of generous funding for college amplifies the message that our students live in a community that believes in them and invests in their future.”
Read to Succeed has opened nearly 450 CollegeBound Saver accounts that now have more than $2.16 million in college scholarship funds for Providence students. Last year, 415 students received 2,490 free books and 252 students completed the program. Students select six books to read over the summer from a list compiled by their teachers. After completing each book, students take an online comprehension test. Upon completing all six books and tests, students receive a $1,000 scholarship in a CollegeBound Saver account, the state’s 529 tax advantage savings program. Read to Succeed was founded to encourage students to improve their reading skills over the summer, develop a lifelong enjoyment of reading, and create a pathway to college through scholarships earned at an early age. Students are able to participate every summer that they are enrolled at Read to Succeed’s partner schools, and can earn between $4,000 and $6,000 for college. Visit www.readtosucceedri.org to learn more or to make a donation.
About Cox Communications
Cox Communications is committed to creating meaningful moments of human connection through technology. The largest private broadband company in America, we proudly serve six and a half million homes and businesses across 18 states. We're dedicated to empowering others to build a better future and celebrate diverse products, people, suppliers, communities and the characteristics that make each one unique. Cox Communications is the largest division of Cox Enterprises, a family-owned business founded in1898 by Governor James M. Cox.
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