Did you know only 46% of third grade students passed the state reading exam in the 2017 school year? Children who aren’t reading at grade level by the end of third grade are held back. Teachers don’t always have the time to do extra one-on-one reading sessions and working professionals don’t always have time to volunteer.
Reading is the foundation for a child’s educational success, and students who struggle with reading in elementary school run a higher risk of not succeeding later in life. Many people in the community want to help children progress in reading, but are constrained by their busy work schedules and other obligations. Recently, Valley of the Sun United Way in Phoenix, AZ developed an innovative new online tutoring program to solve all these potential problems.
Meet Vello, an innovative new online tutoring program, which matches caring adult volunteers with students who can benefit from additional one-on-one reading guidance, no matter where the volunteer may be located. Vello connects the volunteer directly to the classroom in a safe online environment.
Video: Vello Virtual Tutoring
Imagine the impact when students are paired up with passionate professionals through a safe and secure digital setting, accessible to volunteers wherever they are. Vello makes it possible for anyone to help students practice through one quick 30-minute guided reading session a week, the most proven method to advance reading skills, without having to leave home or work! As most Vello volunteers say, “this is the best part of my week!”
Patti Brooks, President/Founder of Seabrooks, was first introduced to Vello in 2016 and immediately recognized how the program and its passionate professionals could make a huge impact on a child’s education success. She wanted Seabrooks to provide exceptional technical support to Vello participants and play a small part in making this innovative program a success. Seabrooks was chosen to provide support when Vello launched their pilot program in January 2017 and has been honored to support its participants. The Seabrooks team of dedicated technical support staff are committed to providing first class customer service to Vello participants.
In 2018, Seabrooks also was selected to provide on-going product development and maintenance for the Vello Portal. In July 2018, an updated version of the Vello Portal was released
Learn More About Vello and Get Involved
There is a growing, national movement around literacy and community involvement in the classroom. Reading is the foundation for a child’s educational success, and students who struggle with reading in elementary school run a higher risk of not succeeding later in life. Many people in your community want to help children progress in reading, but are constrained by their busy work schedules and other obligations. To learn more and how to implement it in your community, visit www.vello.org.
