Adaly Jimenez, America Reads Tutor

“Literacy is our foundation for everything. It has a lot to do with communication and how you connect with others. If we don’t really push that emphasis on our younger generation, we lose our connection.

The reason why America Reads is really important to me is their mission - they want to have all children reading independently by the end of third grade.

My most memorable experience was working with a student whose first language is Spanish. We read together and it was really fun being able to connect with her on that cultural level. I think ultimately, yes, tutoring is really important, but developing that relationship with them and being able to mentor them makes me feel like I’m doing something right.

At the end of the day, for me, it’s not just a job, it’s a mission.”