If children are the future, their now matters.
United is the Way to Youth Opportunity, working to create a world where all young people can realize their full potential.
Taking a stand in early literacy.
United for Literacy is a comprehensive approach to address the literacy crisis in Winnebago County.
We want all kids to soar and enter kindergarten ready to read. So, we work with the people who care for them—from families and neighbors to schools and community agencies—to connect young people with the support they need.
Our BOLD goal:
For 75% of third-grade public school students in Winnebago County to read at grade level or above by 2034.
Since 2023 we have been working diligently towards this goal. We hope that by fall of 2025 we will have increased the number of third graders reading proficiently from 32% to 40%. By investing in research-based early literacy practices, we know that the children 0-5 that we are serving now will enter school with a better chance of meeting these goals by third grade.
Invest in a strong start for children.
Reading matters. Only one in three public school children in our county have the basic skills needed to read at grade level by third grade. By fourth grade, kids should be reading to learn rather than learning to read. And if a child isn’t reading well by then, they are four times more likely to drop out of high school. Poor educational outcomes are linked to other negative consequences, such as poverty, unemployment, illness, and crime.
With early intervention, we can change this trajectory. So, we’re bringing volunteers into childcare centers and classrooms to read aloud. We’re getting more books into more kids’ hands, including partnering with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library so children under five can get free books monthly. And we’re also mobilizing volunteer reading coaches.
12,000+
Youth Served
18
Agencies
250
Volunteers Trained
115,000
Books
Distributed
79
Literacy Events
Results
from 2024.