NEW YORK (PIX11) — Thousands of New York City teens get paid jobs tutoring hundreds of children to learn to read and get scholarships for their service
It was an inspiring afternoon at Hunter College.
A reading program gave out awards and thousands of dollars in scholarships to teens who have been working paid tutoring jobs helping hundreds of children learn how to read each year.
Hunter College was the host for the fifth annual Read Alliance Youth Summit celebrating young people.
Edna Mensah,14, says she has a dream. Mensah is one step closer to her dream and already being paid to be in the classroom. Mensah started tutoring at PS 161 in her neighborhood with a nonprofit called Read Alliance. She helps first and second graders learn to read, four days a week.
It is a life-changing experience not just for the kids she is tutoring, but for her too.
Mensa is one of 17,000 young people, part of a team of teens hired to help children learn to read across the city. 20,000 children have learned to read so far.
Read Alliance matches kindergarten, first, and second graders in New York City public schools with teenagers who tutor them one-on-one. Devin Suazo,19, tutored for four years with Read Alliance and is now at Bronx Community College.
He says those years of giving back to his community helped transform his life.
