United Way of Northwest Connecticut joins national mentoring effort

Register Citizen (Litchfield, CT) January 7, 2012


"The United Way of Northwest Connecticut has joined United Way Worldwide’s Million Mentors Challenge! United Way has set out a challenge to help cut the high school dropout number in half by 2018.
According to United Worldwide, 'reading is linked to high school success. That’s because children are learning to read for the first few years of school, but after fourth grade they’re reading to learn. Without strong reading skills, they fall behind, disengage and often drop out.'
Today, two-thirds of American fourth graders cannot read at grade level. The short-fall in reading proficiency is especially pronounced among low-income, African- American and Latino children. Disadvantaged children come to school at least two years behind their peers in pre-reading skills. It is hard to catch up—especially after second or third grade." Read More