Rose basketball highlights
Issue 1
September 27th, 2019
THURS. | 12-4-25 | NEWS
This year, Rose Key Club decided to create a program called Reading buddies. This takes place at Elmhurst Elementary School, where members read to Kindergarten and first grade students. This program was started by Key Club member Maya Swaggerty.
“At the beginning of this year she sent me what she wanted to do with reading buddies,” Elmhurst Media Coordinator Courtney Stechschulte said. “We met and talked through what we wanted it to be and the schedule.”
Stechschulte believed that organizing this program was the most challenging part because they had to make sure Reading buddies could accommodate both high school and elementary students.
Photo by Maya Swaggerty
“The main challenge was making sure we can schedule it between the elementary school and high school students’ busy schedule,” Stechschulte said. “That way we can make sure it could work out with the times they can come in.”
When students come in to read, they are broken up into smaller groups to give students more one-on-one time with whichever member is there that day. Stechschulte believes this helps students stay more focused during the reading time.
“When [High schoolers] come in, they’re reading to groups of five or six,” Stechulte said. “They all have a chance to ask questions and talk about the book and they get more attention from a volunteer so it keeps them more engaged.”
In order for members to be able to participate, they would need to have an off period and be required to be an upperclassman. Another Key Club Member Marley Jacobson decided to start reading to elementary students because she believes this could inspire a future working with children and education.
“I decided to do reading buddies because I wanted to help out the elementary school kids,” Jacobson said. “when I was younger I wanted to be a teacher so I felt like this was a good way to get in started.”
Jacobson believes that since the groups are split up, they are better for group discussions and help her connect better with the younger students.
“ I think since we get split up into groups they are able to hear other peoples opinions about the books but also form their own,” Jacobson said. “It's good to form that little community between them.”
Since students have different members reading every time’ Jacobson hopes students are able to adapt to different teachers.
“I hope they're able to adapt to different teachers,” Jacobson said. “Since they are different students reading to them every time, they get to adapt to that and listen and pay attention to the books.”
Jacobson enjoys spending time with the younger students.
“ I enjoy their personality,” Jacobson said. “Since they're so young they say funny thing’s and I enjoy being around them.”
