ENP was birthed out of a church-school partnership which is why most people only know of ENP through church connections. But did you know that ENP also has the unique opportunity to impact our next generation of leaders through partnerships with Fresno State and Fresno City? Getting our college students involved on local elementary school campuses not only furthers our elementary students’ growth, but it also impacts the future careers, hearts, and direction of our young adult leaders.

Fresno State and Kirk Elementary

Our Literacy Mentoring partnership between Professor Dr. Hong Ni of Fresno State and Kirk Elementary exemplifies how great the impact can be when we all work together.

Dr. Ni wanted her students to have a hands-on learning opportunities to see the child psychology and human development theories they were discussing in class. We wanted to support one of our higher-needs elementary schools and were having trouble finding a church partnership… Ta-da! Match made. This is now our fourth semester with Dr. Ni and her students and the growth has been exponential! Through our Literacy Mentoring program, these college students are trained and equipped to work one-on-one with some of the lowest readers in Kirk’s Kindergarten through 2nd grade classrooms. Additionally, interns are taught skills on how to not only build up students’ literacy knowledge, but also their self-esteem and confidence.

Growth has been tremendous on all sides! Academically, this table below shows the average number of letters or words known in August versus December of this year, and the percentage of growth. These kind of exponential leaps are what are lowest readers need if they are going to catch up to their reading-proficient peers.

Stories of Growth

As far as the relational growth, I’ll let the stories speak for themselves…

One college student said “kids ask me everytime I come in- will you pull me first?”

Another said “it’s opened her eyes working here, she “loves the kids and her time at the school” and that she “sees the need.”

Another student said she is considering switching majors because she sees the positive impact she could have as an educator.

The Principal told how a foster kid who never attended Kindergarten has now almost learned all of his sight words because of the extra help. She also saw another boy who never focuses and is usually failing not only working with his mentor, but smiling and loving it.

A 2nd grade teacher said it has made a huge difference for her lowest reader- who was just rewarded as “Most improved in Phonics and Reading.” Big improvement in his skills and confidence!

One college student summed up her learning well in her final essay for the class…

“Something I have stood by this whole process is advocating for these children’s needs, recognizing we are allowing kids to fail and we are okay with that. It is not until we realize how much damage we cause by doing nothing that we will change. As a species we only tend to problem once they become an epidemic, however now we have the opportunity to stop this prematurely and must do so…This system is like the links of a chain they are stronger when bonded than while standing alone, then together they can achieve the long-term goal of growth.”

With future leaders like that, Fresno has high hopes!

If you want to learn more about our Literacy Mentor program click here.