By Janis Siegel, JTNews Correspondent
Jews are often called “the people of the book,” partly because they have maintained their traditions despite their notorious “wanderings.” But where would Jews be if they couldn’t read that book?
That’s what motivated National Jewish Council on Literacy founder Leonard Fein in 1999, and that’s what keeps Starr Niego committed to her job as director of the Study Buddy program.
And even though the volunteer tutoring organization is relocating its offices this summer to the National Council of Jewish Women’s site in Seattle, the move won’t really change how the group works.
The nine-year-old Jewish agency will continue to match students in the Seattle, Bellevue, or Mercer Island school districts with free tutors that help them with their schoolwork.
“We have a surplus of literacy!” said Niego, a developmental psychologist who has been running the volunteer reading, writing, math, and homework-tutoring program for over two years. “I am very devoted to this program. It is really a social outreach program.”
The 70 tutors she has recruited, organized and matched with school-aged children in the public schools each spend an hour or more per week tutoring a child one-on-one.
The National Council of Jewish Women’s Seattle section has taken over fiscal sponsorship of Study Buddy, which means that the women’s organization will manage Study Buddy’s budget and lend them the benefits of the NCJW’s nonprofit, tax-exempt status, in addition to providing them office space. Study Buddy had previously been funded by the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle.
“By being a fiscal sponsor, it allows Study Buddy to apply for grants, function independently, and grow,” said Executive Director Lauren Simonds. “We were happy to step forward and provide it a home. We are thrilled to help Study Buddy grow.”
NCJW runs many successful programs including Shalom Bayit, a furniture bank for survivors of domestic violence, a teen dating abuse project, community programs and workshops, and undergraduate college scholarships for students in Washington State.
The move has Niego thinking on her feet. The stay-at-home mom is now busy writing grants and looking for new income streams to support this vital link to education and literacy. This work is done on a volunteer basis, and will be until she can secure more funding.
“When the Federation announced they wouldn’t be able to continue funding the program, they still promised me an office for one year,” said Niego. “So, I found the idea of getting a fiscal sponsor. I think it’s a program they’d like to support, but they decided to put their resources elsewhere.”
Barbara Kadden, director of education at the Jewish Education Council of the Jewish Federation told JTNews that they are doing their best to support the program while it changes locations.
“This exceptional program was housed under [the] Federation’s auspices for a number of years,” wrote Kadden in an e-mail. “The funding for this program ended last June….The decision was made to provide office space (at our cost), and NCJW is now providing non-profit status.”
According to figures from the 2006–2007 Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Study Buddy and other literacy groups in King County should have no problem finding a market.
Last year, 70 percent of third graders and 80 percent of 10th graders passed the reading portion of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning test, or WASL. Only 60 percent of fourth graders passed the writing portion of the exam last year, while nearly 84 percent of 10th graders met the minimum standard.
Third graders dominated the math category with not quite 70 percent of students making the passing grade in the subject, while 10th graders brought in one of the lowest showings, at just over 50 percent.
Niego says Study Buddy is firmly positioned to continue its work without any interruption. They partner with other organizations around the Puget Sound, and the tutors who volunteer are covered while they are working by basic liability insurance, which is paid for by the Seattle Public Schools.
“It’s simple in design and functions well,” Niego said.
Recently, Study Buddy began a pen pal project that links Jewish seniors living at The Summit on First Hill with first graders at Stevenson Elementary School on Seattle’s Capitol Hill.
“This gives some of our volunteers, who can’t really do the individual tutoring anymore, a chance to still interact with the children,” said Niego. “We have about six to eight seniors that have just written their first letters.”
Niego said she also works with Norm Chapman, a longtime Federation supporter who collects books for Ethiopian immigrants in Israel.
“Whatever he can’t use, he gives to us,” she said.
According to the research, children with literacy problems typically come from low-income families, have no books at home, and have caregivers who are not aware of the importance of reading to their children.