Open House to Showcase Mentor Reading Program

An open house will be held today to celebrate the Teen Reading Mentors, a program that uses teenagers to teach young children how to read through the use of phonics.

“I really enjoy doing this and giving something back to the community,” said mentor Angela Davis, 18, who will attend Cal State Northridge. “The kids listen to you and look up to you as a role model. It makes me feel good that I’m helping them out. Every day I go home, and I feel so proud of the them.”

The summer program, which is in its third year, is sponsored by Community Concern, a nonprofit community organization based in Watts. The program will begin a year-round schedule.

Mentors are paid $5 a hour to teach children 4 to 12. The youngsters get up to 25 hours a week of free tutoring at the Maxine Waters Employment Preparation Center. About 30 mentors and 30 students participate in the program, organizers said.

One of the students in the program is 6-year-old Johanna Hernandez. She could not read when she entered the program last summer. Now, she reads with her mentor and at home with her family.

The open house will be from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Employment Preparation Center, 10950 S. Central Ave.