Reading Partners continued its work to mitigate the literacy crisis with its “One for the Books” 25th Anniversary Gala, held at Gotham Hall. The quarter-century anniversary celebration raised more than $1.1 million through a spirited donation auction, with hip-hop legend Darryl “DMC” McDaniels closing out the night with a live performance that had attendees on their feet. Twenty-five percent of children are reading below grade level. However, with one-on-one tutoring support for students like Masen, a Bronx student at PS 18 John Peter Zenger, he managed to overcome the odds and is on par with other children his age.
Since its launch in 1999, with a humble beginning opening the program in a single Reading Partners, it now has more than 3 million tutoring sessions nationwide, serving over 80,000 students with the help of 85,000 community volunteers. The New York region has played a salient role in that success, delivering over 21,000 one-on-one tutoring sessions during the 2023–2024 school year alone.
In New York, 91 percent of K–2 students mastered foundational literacy skills in phonics, vocabulary, and word recognition, while 89 percent of all students met their individualized growth goals. Culturally representative books were distributed to alleviate gaps and enrich students’ home libraries.
The gala brought together literacy advocates, educators, and supporters, including honorees Kwame Alexander, DMC with a hypeman from Run-DMC, and Alexis and Steve Strongin, hosted by comedian and author Michelle Buteau. Stacey Abrams chaired the host committee. Among the night’s most poignant moments was Masen’s speech. A Reading Partners student in New York, Masen shared how the program helped him not only improve his reading, but grow more confident in school and beyond. “Reading Partners made books fun,” he said. His mother, Samantha, also attended, highlighting the emotional impact of accessible academic support for families. Masen’s story reflects the transformative power of individualized tutoring, reaching thousands across New York. “My school is going good. Myself, I’ve been reading a lot in school and at home. And like, I’m just being me. I’ll wake up for school. My first teacher is Miss Wade. She’s math, science, and I think that’s about it,” Masen said, describing how Reading Partners helped build his skills and daily confidence.
“In first grade, the reason why [I joined] is because my reading was kind of low. And yeah, I was like on a, I think in first grade, or like an E or something. But like, she tested me, and then like, I was doing good. And then, when second grade came, I was doing good again. And then third grade, I met a lot of people too. And like out of a thousand people, they chose me instead.”
Alexander, who has written books to keep struggling readers of color engrossed and engaged, was honored by Reading Partners with the Pen & Purpose Award. “You know, awards really remind me that this work that I do in solitary, writing books, is important. It is meaningful. It’s significant. The real reward is when kids are excited to read my books or to read any book. So, I try to spend my life trying to write literature that I think is going to engage and inspire, entertain, and empower young people. And so to be recognized by Reading Partners is, you know, I’m grateful. I’m honored. And I find it a tremendous accomplishment.”
The region now includes 20 reading centers, powered by nearly 900 community tutors and supported by AmeriCorps members, according to Primo Lasana, Executive Director of Reading Partners New York City, who pointed out how deeply embedded the program has become in the city’s schools. “Every single student in our program is matched one-on-one with a volunteer who is a community member in New York City,” Lasana said. “I think it’s really important that the New York City community shows support for its youngest readers through tutoring with Reading Partners. We recruit from faith-based institutions, laundromats, local colleges, and high schools. We then give every tutor a two-hour orientation and a fully scripted curriculum, along with on-site support during each session to ensure success.”
Adeola Whitney, chief executive officer of Reading Partners, addressed the national outlook, pointing to innovation, partnerships, and a relentless focus on equity as the program’s next frontier. “Everyone benefits from transformative one-on-one relationships,” Whitney said. “People often come in thinking they’ll impact the student, but they leave transformed themselves. It’s incredible how much young people can teach us, help us grow, and change us. I hope we can actually eradicate this problem. I’d love for us to put ourselves out of business — meaning every child would have the skills they need to thrive. If we do that, it could change the entire trajectory of this country.”
Across its 25-year history, Reading Partners has gained strong credibility within the education sector. 100 percent of NYC teachers surveyed said the program was valuable to their school, while 92 percent of principals reported noticeable improvements in student literacy progress. The organization’s “Powered by Reading Partners” partnership model has further extended its reach through training and curriculum sharing with community-based organizations.
As the national conversation around literacy intensifies with pandemic-related setbacks and growing resource gaps, Reading Partners continues to deliver efficacious results. The gala was both a celebration of past impact and a strategic moment to build momentum for the next generation of readers in this evolving paradigm of education. As the Amsterdam News previously reported, education equity and community investment remain urgent conversations across New York City, especially as K–3 education faces looming budget cuts.
Despite the cuts, the importance of reading in building community remains strong. “Education has always been about community. And we learn not just between the hours of eight and three in school, but we learn when we’re at home. We learn at church. We learn in the streets. We learn in our neighborhoods. And so bringing together all these folks tonight is about community. It’s about coming together in unity. All of us intend on making reading enjoyable and inspiring kids to want to be a part of that joyful experience. So yeah, I think it’s important and it’s commendable,” Alexander said.