Everybody Wins! Vermont, a not-for-profit children’s literacy and mentoring organization, is dedicated to increasing children’s prospects for success in school and beyond through one-to-one reading experiences with caring adults.

Do YOU have an hour a week to invest in the life of a local student?  Click here.

Check out our latest newsletter: What's the Story? (PDF)

The Crisis

One of the most critical problems facing our country today is illiteracy. Our national standard of living and the ability for our country to successfully compete in a global economy are at stake if American young people are unable to read.  Consider the following statistics:

• According to national surveys, roughly one in five American children grows up functionally illiterate.

• The effects on the American workforce are staggering, with American businesses spending more than $200 billion annually to teach remedial reading and math skills to their employees.

• More than one in four Vermont kindergarten students are not ready to participate successfully in school.

• The social costs of incarceration and welfare are directly related to functional illiteracy.

Our Success

Eighty percent of responding parents of the students participating in the 2006-2007 EW!VT program found that their child demonstrated a better attitude about reading and increased self-confidence. Nearly 70 percent of responding teachers stated that participating students' enthusiasm for reading was improved or greatly improved; 64 percent stated that participating students had an improved or greatly improved ability to discuss books and ideas. Furthermore, 98 percent of the mentors stated that EW! Vermont met or surpassed their expectations.

The Program is Simple

• Once a week the volunteers go to a nearby elementary school, meet with their student reading partners, eat lunch (or breakfast, in selected locations) and read together.

• Volunteers generally come from local businesses and corporations, but all are welcome, including seniors, members of community organizations and individuals looking for volunteer opportunities.

• EW! VT takes full responsibility for all administration and coordination by engaging staff to handle recruitment, screening, and orientation. We also hire a school coordinator to manage the daily logistics.

• EW! VT provides books, training materials, orientations, parent outreach, enrichment activities for the students, liability insurance and other necessary supplies for the program.

• EW! VT also organizes periodic continuing education workshops for parents/guardians and mentors in order to support their efforts helping children learn to love to read.

Board of Directors

President: Beth Fastiggi, FairPoint Communications

Vice President: John Dilts, Neshobe Elementary School

Secretary: Anne D'Aveni, Mascoma Savings Bank

Treasurer: Christopher Halnon, TD Banknorth

Members:

Bonnie Bourne, Mary Hogan School

Claudia Cooper, Middlebury College

Christian Keidel, Starbucks Coffee

Sheila McCutcheon, Chittenden Bank

Anne McGrath, Verizon

Executive Director, Everybody Wins! Vermont: Amy Cunningham

Honorary Chair: James Jeffords, United States Senate

How Can I get involved?

Learn how to be a mentor.
Learn how to get your organization involved.
Learn how to get your school involved.
Learn how parents can get involved.

Contact EW! VT
Everybody Wins! Vermont 25 School Street, P.O. Box 34 Montpelier, VT 05601 (802) 229-BOOK (2665) (P) (802) 229-1010 (F) info@everybodywinsvermont.org