Over the course of the last several months, SARA has begun integrating into the social fabric of Winchester, Manchester, and Tullahoma areas. As a newer nonprofit, we are consistently being asked, “Who are you?” “Why are you doing this?” and “What’s in it for you?”. I would like to take a few moments to introduce SARA, and in doing so, answer these questions.
SARA is the Southern Association for Reading Advancement. Our mission is to provide critical learning opportunities for rural Tennesseans, with a clear focus on literacy-based learning. Countless studies have shown that literacy-based foundations are the building blocks for educational attainment, and socioeconomic advancement into adulthood (National Early Literacy Panel, 2008; Hernandez, 2011; Snow, Burns & Griffin, 1998; Heckman, 2006; Cunningham & Stanovich, 1997; Lonigan & Shanahan, 2009). See references at the end of this letter if you would like to learn more.
Our approach to literacy advancement is a holistic approach that cannot be addressed through a single program or idea. SARA aims to create academic resources and programs by heavily integrating into existing programs and generating new programs where they would not otherwise exist. This includes partnerships with local churches to establish low-cost to free Pre-k programs, partnerships with schools to provide tutoring services free of charge, and partnerships with libraries to host free literacy camps and events. Although this is not an all-inclusive list, these pillars represent the focus that SARA will build to tackle these literacy challenges in our communities.
Why are we doing this? SARA is comprised of a rapidly growing group of educators, businessmen/women, homeschool parents, and community members that have decided enough is enough. No longer will our children and students fail to meet academic standards. SARA is determined to contribute to the social fabric of our communities and produce generational educational attainment and wealth. Our communities are comprised of many home school families, frustrated students and parents, fed up educators, and a community demand for progress. SARA aims to pull these parties together to tackle these educational challenges as a community. If it takes a village to raise a child, it will take all our community to tackle inadequacies in education.
The need is clear, the mission has been established, and we have all been called to action. Will we stand by, upset and frustrated? Or will we take our children’s future into our own hands, and demand more for our community. The choice is yours, but the mission is ours. I look forward to hearing from each of you as we further develop and integrate our programs.
Garrett Davis
Chairman
[email protected]
References:
National Early Literacy Panel. (2008). Developing early literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel. National Institute for Literacy.
Hernandez, D. J. (2011). Double Jeopardy: How Third-Grade Reading Skills and Poverty Influence High School Graduation. The Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Snow, C. E., Burns, M. S., & Griffin, P. (1998). Preventing reading difficulties in young children. National Academies Press.
Heckman, J. J. (2006). Skill formation and the economics of investing in disadvantaged children. Science, 312(5782), 1900-1902.
Cunningham, A. E., & Stanovich, K. E. (1997). Early reading acquisition and its relation to reading experience and ability 10 years later. Developmental Psychology, 33(6), 934-945.
Lonigan, C. J., & Shanahan, T. (2009). Developing Early Literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel. Executive Summary. A Scientific Synthesis of Early Literacy Development and Implications for Intervention. National Institute for Literacy.
Tennessee Department of Education. (2023). Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) Results. Retrieved from https://www.tn.gov/education