AUSTIN, Texas—The AmeriCorps for Community Engagement and Education (ACEE) program, part of The University of Texas at Austin Charles A. Dana Center, has been awarded $522,590 by the OneStar Foundation to expand its early literacy intervention model.
The three-year grant will allow ACEE to increase the number of children and tutors who participate in the program by engaging 42 University of Texas at Austin undergraduate or graduate students as part-time AmeriCorps members each year. Students will serve as reading tutors in one of six low-income elementary schools in Austin Independent School District (AISD) and earn $1,000 to $1,250 education awards applied to their university loans or tuition expenses.
The ACEE program, which has been a partner with AISD since the AmeriCorps program began in 1994, provides literacy intervention for young struggling readers from pre-kindergarten through first grade.
The new part-time ACEE tutors will become members of AmeriCorps, earn education awards and participate in numerous personal and professional development opportunities.
“Participation in the program is truly a transforming experience,” says Mary Ellen Isaacs, ACEE program director. “It’s a wonderful career development opportunity for our tutors and provides a great educational benefit for underserved students in AISD.”
ACEE members also participate in many popular community service projects, including “Día de los niños/Día de los libros,” Austin’s largest bilingual family literacy celebration.
Learn more about the AmeriCorps for Community Engagement and Education program.
For more information contact: Mary Ellen Isaacs, ACEE program director, 512-232-2286; Lee Clippard, public affairs representative, College of Natural Sciences, 512-232-0675.
