WITS is tremendously proud of all our students who participated in WITS Virtual Program this year. Week after week, we have been inspired by our students’ optimism, flexibility, and unflappable excitement for reading with mentors and peers.
One WITS student, Kenedi from LEARN Hunter Perkins, wouldn’t let anything stop her from participating in WITS for her third year in a row. Kenedi joined Workplace Mentoring in the sixth and seventh grades, and recently completed WITS Virtual Program – and the eighth grade! She reflects, “What made me want to sign up every year was being with my mentors and reading with them every Tuesday.”
Kenedi not only met with her mentors every week but was partnered with them for two consecutive years. During their time together, Kenedi appreciated how her mentors helped her finish homework so that they could read mystery books with shocking plot twists and dynamic characters.
One of her favorite moments from WITS was at the end of seventh grade when she and her mentors discussed all the stories they read and the things they learned together. While reminiscing, they browsed through the orange WITSummer Books bag at the books Kenedi would take home that year.
One book that surprised Kenedi was 365 Days of Wonder by R.J Palacio, which was formatted in a way Kenedi had not seen before. “It was interesting. I was skimming through the book…and there was a poem for every day of the year.” WITS loves finding WITSummer Books titles that introduce students to new genres, subjects, and stories – while also including books that reflect student diversity.
We hope these books stay in Kenedi’s collection as a reminder of her hard work and the relationships she built through the program. “My experience at WITS was really fun,” she says, “and if I could – I would do it again.”
As an outgoing WITS participant, Kenedi has this advice to future WITS students: “If you enjoy reading a lot, you will love the program. If you don’t like to read, that’s okay. If you join WITS, you’ll want to start reading more.”
Thank you and congratulations to Kenedi, who will be attending Lindblom Math and Science Academy next fall. We wish her, and all WITS students, a wonderful summer.
