Creating a stronger literacy rate and promoting education are just a few goals of ASG’s Literacy Program. The new program is currently seeking mentors to read to elementary students.

ASG’s Literacy Program seeks to improve the reading skills among Fayetteville elementary students, said Becca Braun, Director of Service Outreach.

“The goal of the program is to foster a love of reading,” she said. “And improve literacy in the elementary school students.”

Inspiration for the program was drawn from an idea that originated with the student government at University of South Carolina, said ASG President, Billy Fleming. The student government of USC made advances towards the creation of a literacy program after a decision made from the state, he said.

“(In) South Carolina, prison space is allocated based on the fourth grade literacy rate in the state,” said Fleming.

This staggering statistic moved ASG executives to bring a similar notion to the Fayetteville community, but with a few tweaks.

Students involved in USC’s literacy program read to elementary students only one or two times per semester, Fleming said. The program designed by ASG will select mentors who will meet once a week to create a relationship that will “open doors that may have otherwise seemed shut.”

“(The) program is in place to help empower these school children to take ownership of their education, develop a relationship with their UofA mentor, and boost their literacy rate,” Fleming said.

The neediest schools were among those picked to participate in the program, said Braun and Fleming.

“At Asbell (Elementary,) 76 percent of students qualify for free and reduced lunch,” Braun said. “And at Leverett (it’s) 65 percent.”

Both Braun and Fleming agreed that college students exude the responsibility to give back to the community.

“Hopefully, the UofA volunteers will leave the experience with a greater understanding of their obligation to the greater good of society, especially our society’s most vulnerable – our children,” Braun said.

The program will take place Monday through Thursday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Students interested in the program can find the application on-line at leadership.uark.edu/government under the ASG applications. A hard copy can also be found in the ASG office, 669, which is on the sixth floor of the Union.

Applications are due Sept. 14 at noon.

For more information, students can contact Becca Braun at [email protected]