"Project MORE is the best thing we have going for our students with Autism- at all levels & all learning styles- can benefit from some part of Project MORE. I really believe it!" Barb Sabin, Education Director, Autism MODEL School

"Project MORE: a special program coordinated by passionate people equals great results!" Erik Belcher, Principal, North Central

"One of my kindergarten student's mom loves the books he brings home from Project MORE. It is teaching her how to read. She reads with him every night" Coordinator/Stark County

"There's nothing better in the education field than a half hour of 1 on 1 intervention with a properly trained volunteer at the child's instructional level." Principal/Fairhope

I would recommend Project MORE to any school looking to improve their tutoring and intervention program."Principal/Kemp

I'm not sure if you were aware of our recent tragedy this past weekend. Two of our senior boys were killed in a single car accident on Friday night. One of the boys was a mentor to one of our fifth grade students. The fifth grade student's mother is a fourth grade teacher at Allen East. She knew the boy that was killed name sounded familiar to her. After receiving a phone call from me, it then clicked to her that it was her son's mentor. I wanted her to be aware of the situation so she would be able to handle things at home with him before arriving at school on Monday. She said that although her son has a hard time remembering the days of the week after talking to him about the accident, she realized that he knew a lot about this young man that tutored him four days a week. He knew the things he liked and the kind of car he drove. I just wanted to let you know this because I was able to see in a different situation how much impact our mentors have on the students they tutor. The young boy no longer wants to be tutored by anyone else but I hope that will change in the near future. I just wanted to let you know that I not only think Project MORE helps students to read better but helps to establish relationships that some of these students will never forget. Thank you for introducing us to this program and allowing us to help children in our school district. I hope that Project MORE can continue to help students, and can grow even more in the future. Thanks again.

"Tom has been at Amherst Elementary for three years. Tom has struggled as a nonreader all of his life. A variety of reading strategies have been tried with Tom. He has received small group instruction, Edmark, Wilson, the Neurological Impress strategy, etc. Tom is able to comprehend the material read to him, but tremendously struggles with the reading portion. Being a nonreader affects him all day long, both educationally and socially. When our school decided to implement Project MORE we first thought of Tom - maybe this will work! Tom enjoys the one-on-one time with his mentors. He comes to his tutoring sessions excited to read. We have all seen growth in his reading skills. He told his teachers that he thinks this is really helping him and just the other day he told his mentor that he can now read! Tom can now track when he is reading and recalls words he has read on the previous page. This is a huge success for Tom and his mentors! We all cannot wait to see how Tom continues to thrive with this program." Intervention Specialist/Amherst

"Jenny is a fourth grade student at Amherst Elementary. When she began fourth grade, she baffled her teachers. She was able to read fluently, but not recall what she had read. She knew decoding strategies, but lacked the confidence to try them on her own when she came to a challenging word. About a month into Project MORE, Jenny was reading her fluency passage and she said to her mentor, "Wow, practice does make perfect!" She was so proud of herself that she had not made a single mistake. As she has continued through the program, Jenny has built up the confidence to decode unfamiliar, challenging words. She once told her mentor, "You do not need to help me, I can do this on my own." When Jenny started in the program, she was assessed and her reading level was equivalent to a late 2nd grade, early 3rd grade level due to reading comprehension. After three months of Project MORE, Jenny was assessed again and she scored at a fourth grade level across all categories! Jenny said to her mentor, "Now I can remember what I have read!" It's amazing what this program has done for the students participating in it. Jenny has not only grown as a reader, but her confidence as grown as well. Thank you, Project MORE!" Intervention Specialist/Amherst

"This program helps establish relationships which break down non-academic barriers to student learning! Students then can have academic success." Principal/Lima City-Freedom

"My students were so improved we met AYP in this area with the new growth factor." Principal/Northwest Ohio

"We are finally pitching the ball where the students can hit it!" Principal/Findlay City-Lincoln

"Thank you so much for sharing the Reading-tutors website with me. I didn't realize that I could 'help' teach my child like a reading specialist!" Parent/Seneca East

"Finally a reading program for students with multiple disabilities!" Multiple Disabilities Teacher/Xenia

"I believe so strongly in the Project MORE program that I use it with my private tutoring students as well as my regular education 3rd grade classroom." 3rd Grade Teacher & PM Coordinator/New Riegel

"When a student is so shy he won't talk in class or participate begins to after support from a mentor, you know you're making a difference." Intervention Specialist/Field

"As a mentor from last year, I could see how rewarding Project MORE was for students and for mentors. Project MORE Coordinator

"I never thought I could read a 'whole' book but with you I can." 5th student with multiple disabilities/Literacy Coach/Xenia

"In my 32 years of teaching, I've never had so many teachers tell me about the positive changes they have seen in their students in just three short months. It is phenomenol! I was contemplating retiring before I learned about Project MORE. I am really enjoying this. It works because it is 1:1 four/ week for 30 minutes. " Title I Teacher/Wood County

"The more community comes into our building, the more likely we are to pass a levy!"

"We went from Emergency to Continuous Improvement in one year. We also made AYP this year. At spring parent conferences, some parents cry, get very emotional that their students have made so much progress that year." Principal/Lima

"My students with disabilities made significant gains and have sustained those gains- three students progress has been outstanding." Intervention Specialist/Shelby County

"Only 1/6 of my students with disabilities did not pass Spring OAT!" Literacy Coach/ Lima

"The regular classroom teachers commented on how Project MORE has helped their students. This year these teachers have come to me and asked if their students could be in the program." Para Professional/Trumbull County

“If school superintendents knew how much this program would help their reading scores, they’d be knocking down your door.” Special Ed. Director/Union County

“This project comes at a perfect time! We were needing a research-based intervention for RTI (Response to Intervention) and this should be perfect.” Principal/Scioto County

"A high school gym teacher was in my room last week. He looked around my room and said, There is just too much learning going on in here! I believe that is one of the highest compliments I have ever received. This school year we had 35 mentors work with 29 students. This added 1000 hours to help our students learn to read better. As an Intervention Specialist of 30+ years, I feel very strongly that this program is beneficial to each child and mentor. Students feel better about themselves and their reading. They know they are improving. Teachers have told me that some of the students volunteer to read their books to the class. I am totally sold that having a mentoring program has helped my students beyond what I, alone, could accomplish in my classroom". Intervention Specialist/Putnam County

“83% of districts are not meeting AYP and this project can change that. Project MORE could be the implementation piece that is missing with OISM.” Special Ed. Director//Stark County

"Project MORE reminds me of why I love teaching and what it is all about!" 3rd Grade Teacher/Greene County

We have the good fortune of having a team of tutors from Marathon Petroleum Company. Several of the tutors are engineers and imagine my surprise when I found simple, hand drawn, artchitects plans for a bridge in one of my student’s folders. The student was reading the book “Building a Bridge” and when I asked him if he enjoyed the tutors’ knowledge on bridges, he said it was interesting to him. By the way, the tutor had designed bridges before coming to work at Marathon. Tutor Coordinator/Hancock County

“We have the privilege of having a daily tutor who works with 3 of our students. She comes 4 afternoons a week and not only follows my lesson plans, she adds interesting facts and looks for ways to suit the needs of the students. One of the students assigned to her is in 5^th grade. He is a tall boy who doesn’t have much experience reading, but tries hard even through he struggles through even the lowest levels. I try to pick books that won’t seem babyish to him, but most have lots of pictures. He tends to look at the pictures for help and his tutor realized when he got to the quick check that he really relied on those pictures. Immediately, she developed (on her own) a flash card system for him and they daily build on his word recognition. Last week, she came to me with news that the student had asked her to make an extra set of flash cards that he could take home and study. We have high hopes for him.” Reading Tutor Coordinator/Hancock County

Joe is a special needs student. Upon his arrival he would not read, refused to work and would hide under the desks. He said he didn't like to read at his old school because the books were too hard. Joe was tested and placed in an appropriate reading level for him. He now asserts himself and wants to improve his reading level. His positive attitude and improved self-esteem will allow us to elevate his reading ability to the appropriate level. We are so excited for him! --Para Professional/Wood County

There is a boy who seems a little on the "rowdy" side. Sam loves to joke around and act up, but Sam is a good boy. He just lacks some self-confidence and is working with a disability. He is blind in one eye. Sam is entered into the reading mentoring program with four mentors each week. And, each week Sam would try some antics on each mentor, coming up with new ones each week. Each one of his mentors realized that this was Sam's way of hiding his insecurities about reading. It was harder for him. He needed to compensate for not seeing in one eye. He felt like a failure at times. Sam struggled with reading and felt it was all because he was "dumb" until a common thread was found. Sam's Thursday mentor found out about his disability and shared that she was blind in the exact same eye. Immediately she began to share with Sam ways she uses to compensate when she reads. They became fast friends. Each week this mentor would share one thing or talk about a frustration that she had with seeing with only one eye. But, there was another deep secret that Sam was keeping from her. Sam thought that if he was blind in one eye, he might lose the sight in the other eye too. His mentor told him she has had vision in one eye for many years which helped quiet his fears and build his confidence enabling him to become a strong student both in the reading mentoring program and in his classroom. Sam's reading and comprehension have improved. His confidence has also improved because he realizes that he can do the work. Two people were randomly put together in the reading mentoring program and through this built a common bond and a strong friendship. --Intervention Specialist/Putnam County

Marcus is a second grade IEP student. Marcus has the label of a child with ADD. A high school senior mentors Marcus. This mentor has helped Marcus grow into an attentive, happy boy. Andrew, the mentor, can read Marcus' behavior and knows just how to work with him to get all out of him that he can. Last year, Marcus would wrap his feet around chairs, scream and refuse to do anything. With Andrew's patience, Marcus now comes in with a smile and is showing us how much he can truly do. --Title I Coordinator/Putnam County

Drew, a second grader, began as a quiet student with no self-confidence, afraid to answer. Now, he's found a friend in each mentor. They have taught him it's okay to ask questions. His self-confidence and reading skills have soared! Drew has gone from readiness level to first grade independent reading level and to second grade instructional reading level. He has also learned over 100 sight words this year. Drew is truly a Project MORE success. --Para Professional/Williams County

I first met Alex last year after signing up to be an adult mentor through the Project MORE Program. I took my lunch hour to drive over and back from the elementary school to my job across town. And, when I interviewed for a new job opportunity elsewhere, one priority in taking the job was that I could still work with Alex by spending one lunch break a week with him. I call Alex my "weekly dose of vitamin A," as we have a great time laughing and learning together. If he can overcome the challenges he faces in learning NOW, and if I can be a positive motivational force for him to achieve this, his future will be brighter and the rewards he receives will be much greater. He CAN look forward to becoming the teacher he wants to be when he grows up, and continue impacting future generations for enjoyable learning and growth. So, what is the value of the reading mentoring program for Alex? In about 50 words: It's the beginning of a lifetime of enjoyable learning, even for one who must work harder at it than others. It's the joy of opening and growing his mind to think, understand, and flourish. And, he wants to continue spreading that joy by becoming a teacher himself when he grows up! It is absolutely pure joy to be part of the reading mentoring program! -Mentor/Allen County

Project MORE has made a tremendous impact on Zachary, a fourth grader at Weston. "It's the one-on-one and the caring that's made the difference." Zach, who once had trouble with basic letter sounds, now understands how to sound out words, and he is continuing to make great progress. --Title I Teacher/Wood County

In the fall, a quiet, very shy first grade girl started the Project MORE Program. The first weeks of attendance, Emily would look down at the ground, never attempting to meet the eyes of her mentors. She walked slowly and entered each mentoring session with anxiety. Emily's voice was so quiet and timid that her mentors often could not hear her. The sessions were a long, hard struggle for her. One mentor volunteered to come for Emily's session each day. We were hoping that a familiar face would help her build her confidence in coming to read. The weeks went by and slowly, but surely, Emily began to come out of her shell. Emily realized, with the help of her mentor, that she could learn. She started to grow in her knowledge of vowel sounds, eventually opening the door to her reading skills. It is now four months after Emily entered the program, and she comes down with her head held high, a big smile, and a joy in her step. She has four different mentors now and adapts well to each one. Her self-confidence has soared along with her reading/phonics abilities. She has jumped in her reading level and seems right on task for a first grader. What a change...but what a wonderful little girl! --Title I Teacher/Putnam County