Editor’s note: This story is part of Southwest Michigan’s Second Wave’s On the Ground Kalamazoo series. Please see more photos in the carousel above.
KALAMAZOO, MI — SLD Read is in its 50th year of operation and is going strong. The nonprofit group, which provides literacy education services to elementary and middle school students, held a Literacy A-Listers event on October 5th in Kalamazoo at The Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan facility.
Jamie Evans and Christine Gavin, Education Services Managers at the decoration station.
According to the SLD website homepage, during the 2023/2024 fiscal year, there were 281 students served, 9,927 hours of tutoring completed, 272 assessments provided, and 80 educators trained. The students and tutors were those being recognized and honored at the A-Listers event. Second Wave was present to take quotes from attendees and photograph the event.
Students, families, tutors, community partners, and supporters in attendance at the Literacy A-Listers event.
Susan Schwallie of Grand Rapids serves on the board of directors for SLD and has children who have received literacy services from the organization. Schwallie was one of the main organizers of the A-Listers event.
A-Listers receive their literacy certificates.
“It was very exciting. We had great volunteers, and the staff pitched in. We are standing here, looking at it right now, and it looks fantastic… I’m really super impressed with how the silent auction came together. But the best part is going to be — I’m going to head over to the red carpet to see the kids and the tutors come in,” Schwallie says.
Board Members Hilary Arthur and Pete Eldridge congratulate González.
SLD marketing intern Kayla Lambert also helped plan the event and echoes Schwallie in the sentiment of how fulfilling it was to see everything come to fruition. Lambert was one of the volunteers helping usher the honorees into the event. The tutors and students all entered on a red carpet after having their photos taken against a backdrop with gold stars.
Lily from Ada Elementary takes a Portrait on the Red Carpet.
The banquet hall was filled with tables covered with tablecloths of the signature SLD Read blue, each with a centerpiece of free books for the attendees to take home. The DJ played music for most of the event, and in between trips to the dessert table (which was extremely popular) or the silent auction wall, the young folks and adults danced and visited with each other.
Kei’mareya from Harper Creek Middle takes a portrait with Mom on the Red Carpet.
SLD Executive Director Kristen Potts took to the mic part of the way through the event to honor some very special individuals in SLD’s history. Dr. Michael Ryan was recognized for over 35 years of service with students with dyslexia, and for working with SLD Read for over 40 years. Potts also recognized Bill González, who had traveled from near Chicago to be at the event. González told the crowd that he learned of SLD read through his wife, a former tutor for the organization. “The kids that she worked with were the light of her life,” says González.
No red carpet event is complete without dancing.
Second Wave caught up with Potts after the event. “It was really fun, and it was a really great chance for families to celebrate their students’ successes alongside the tutors, and really acknowledge what they (both the tutors and students) are doing is very hard work,” says Potts.
For more information about SLD Read, and their usage of the Orton-Gillingham approach to literacy tutoring, please visit their website.
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