WITS reading sessions are designed to empower students to make choices. WITS provides a safe, fun space for students to read books outside their classroom assigned reading. During shared reading … Read More
Celebrating Philip Hildebrandt: Alter & Stone Outstanding Volunteer Awardee
Philip Hildebrandt became the President of the WITS Board of Directors in July 2011 and became the Chairman in July 2015. Under his guidance, WITS experienced 120% revenue growth. Hildebrandt … Read More
Consistency, Community, and Empowerment: WITS Values Begin at Volunteer Orientations
One Tuesday, all the mentors who work with two particular second graders attend WITS together and gather as a group. The mentors have been hearing about ongoing conflicts between the … Read More
Donor Spotlight: Emily Stoner
Emily Stoner has been involved with WITS for 8 years, and continues to be an enthusiastic supporter of the organization. We asked Emily a few questions about her involvement. What … Read More
Three Ways to Encourage a Child to Read Nonfiction
When encouraging a child to read, how often do we recommend a nonfiction book? Students will gravitate to fiction titles and series, but the nonfiction section may not receive as … Read More
Summer Volunteers Build Literacy Through Creativity
The WITS Early Childhood Summer Program (ECSP) is a five-week kindergarten readiness program. Each site is led by a CPS teacher and a WITS staff member and activates community volunteers. … Read More
Over a Decade of Dedication: Interview with Mark Andersen
For the past decade, Mark Andersen has volunteered as a WITS Mid-Day Mentoring (MDM) literacy mentor. Once a week for an entire school year, Mark visits Manuel Perez, Jr. Elementary school … Read More
Student Perspective: Growth and Confidence
WITS values student growth, which we measure through two outcomes: reading level growth and attitudes toward reading. One way that students show reading level growth is through increased confidence that … Read More
