The Idea

Growing up I loved books. I remember Mom reading to me when I was young and I would turn the pages and pretend I was reading myself. I remember being jealous when my sister could read on her own and I couldn’t. So many of my childhood memories centre on reading. 

But that’s not how it is for all kids, especially children of single-parent families who don’t have as much free time, or children of immigrants whose kids go to school in English and have parents who are struggling with English themselves. There are a lot of kids who don’t have the advantage of adults in their life who can read with them, and these kids, statistically, don’t do as well – across the board. When kids struggle with reading, when they fall behind their peers, school becomes something they dread. Imagine sitting in class dreading the teacher calling on you to read the textbook aloud – would you learn anything if you were fully occupied with being afraid of messing up in front of all your friends who can read?

It doesn’t take much to help counter this, though. Regular one-on-one time, some coaching, getting the kids comfortable reading and they start to do better in all subjects. I find that amazing, that something as seemingly simple as helping a child read can change the course of their life for the better.

That’s what I want to do. I want to start a non-profit reading and literacy program. A program that is so cool (and effective) that kids want to be in it. Instead of being stigmatized for being sent to a special program for reading, I want these kids to be the object of jealousy. And I want them to come out loving reading and feeling enabled and capable.

That’s all. Should be easy enough, right? Uh. If anyone has any contacts with deep pockets that are looking to fund a new non-profit start-up, can you have them contact me?