FOR THE LOVE OF LITERACY

Lake Bluff’s Brooke Davis and her sisters Alison Graf and Amy Marsch have always loved to read. Their parents Anne and Jeff Browne read to the girls every day throughout childhood. And at night, the flashlight hidden under Brooke’s pillow came out to light the way through countless more reading adventures.

“By the time we were teens, you’d see the bathroom counter covered in the usual clutter of make-up products, hairbrushes and pony-tail ties—but always with a book or two open in the middle of the mess!” Davis laughs.

In such a clan of bibliophiles, it’s perhaps no surprise that spreading love for reading is now a family affair. Seven members of Brooke’s family are now tutors for Reading Power, a literacy nonprofit based in Lake County, Illinois.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year with a “Reach for the Stars” gala, Thursday, April 25 at The Westin Chicago North Shore hotel in Wheeling, Reading Power steps forward into another decade of fostering the promise of literacy.

Fueled by the fundamental belief that literacy changes lives, Reading Power provides one-to-one tutoring for preschool through second grade children in schools where needs exceed resources.

For Davis, Reading Power furthers a lifelong career in literacy. With a degree in English from Duke University and a MEd in Reading Education from the University of Georgia, she has been everything from a classroom teacher to a reading specialist to a private tutor.

“By the time I entered graduate school I had been a classroom teacher for three years, so I had seen my share of struggling readers, and I was eager to figure out how to help them,” says Davis.

Reading Power opened new avenues for her to do just that.

“I found out about Reading Power from a friend about eight years ago,” Davis explains. “She invited me to observe a Kindergarten tutoring session at Forrestal School in North Chicago and I applied to be a tutor on the spot!” says Davis. “I couldn’t (and still can’t) believe I hadn’t heard about the organization earlier.”

Meanwhile, sister Amy had heard, and became the family’s first Reading Power tutor, followed by Brooke and Alison. Within short order, Brooke’s husband Rob, parents Anne and Jeff, and Alison’s mother-in-law Nancy had all followed suit. Even Brooke’s son Will serves as a substitute Kindergarten tutor during college breaks.

Davis, now Site Coordinator at the Green Bay Early Childhood Center in North Chicago, and Assistant Site Coordinator for the Kindergarten program at Learn 6 Charter School, is honored to be furthering the vision of Reading Power founder Mary Jane N. Hender, Ed. D.

Hender, who will be honored at the April celebration, says founding Reading Power has been one of the greatest joys of her life.

“Watching others ignited by its possibilities and, thus, carrying it on has been the icing on the cake. We continue expanding to serve more students in need. This academic year alone, we expanded into two new districts and four new schools, doubling our volunteer tutor base to serve over 700 students.”

That translates to children at schools in North Chicago, Zion, Waukegan, Palatine, and Wheeling, 70 percent of whom competed the last academic year within grade-level for literacy. Funds from this year’s event will not only support existing programs but will help with Reading Power’s threeyear expansion plan.

For more information about Reading Power’s Reach for the Stars 20th anniversary cocktails and dinner event, or, to learn more about becoming a Reading Power tutor or donor, please visit readingpowerinc.org.