Wright to Read & MENTOR MD|DC

Each spring, the Wright to Read (WTR) tutoring and mentoring program at the Campagna Center in Alexandria, VA hosts their Annual Volunteer Workshop. This past Saturday, March 22^nd, marked the first time that the workshop was help in the Campagna Center HQ since the pandemic! Over 40 tutor-mentors, speakers, and staff gathered to hear from experts on literacy and mentoring topics, in addition to loading up on resources, games, and books for their sessions with their students.  The Annual Volunteer Workshop not only helps Wright to Read continue and deepen their support of their amazing corps of volunteers, but also helps the volunteers themselves meet, connect, and develop their own mentorships and friendships with each other.

This year, WTR tutor-mentors were fortunate to hear from speakers from Alexandria City Public Schools, Alto Solutions, Inc., and Mentor MD | DC about topics such as reading comprehension, mindfulness and empathy, and supporting positive behavior change in mentees. Each year, Wright to Read surveys its volunteers to determine which topics will address the most to their current mentoring and tutoring experiences and then works with local partners to develop workshop sessions geared towards those needs. Past topics have included “Practicing Cultural Humility in Mentoring,” “Navigating Grade-Level and Reading Level Expectations,” “Getting Creative with Book Selection,” and “Incorporating a Strengths-Based Mindset.”  For the second year in a row, Mentor MD | DC worked with WTR staff members to develop a presentation that speaks towards their tutor-mentors’ experiences and challenges, built out of the wonderful “Becoming a Better Mentor” resource. Participants left the day with exciting and actionable ideas for their next session with their mentee. Impact extends far beyond the day of the workshop – resources from the event are shared with new volunteers each year and any volunteers unable to make the event in person.

In addition to their workshop sessions, participants also heard from the keynote speaker, award-winning author Anna Lapera. Anna led participants through an engaging activity in recalling our middle-school selves and sharing stories with heart and humor.

“The Annual Workshop is the highlight of our spring each year. Not only does it give us another opportunity to connect with and provide further training to our volunteers, but also it gives us a chance to connect with partner organizations across the DMV. We appreciate everyone that has come together to provide this opportunity for our community”

-Rachel Lotz, Program Manager for Wright to Read