While Book Buddies did not begin as planned due to adviser, Linda Amparano?s illness, it will begin Nov. 1.

Book Buddies is a volunteer program designed to encourage Pinedale Elementary students to improve their reading skills while interacting with high school counterparts. The program’s goals are to address and improve academic standards like word analysis, fluency, systematic vocabulary development and reading comprehension.

?Literacy is vital especially for young children,? Amparano said. ?This program is such a neat opportunity for high school students to influence a younger generation while reading and spending time talking to these kids I think both the high school and the elementary student will get something out of it.?

Every Tuesday high school students will ride the bus to Pinedale Elementary in anticipation to make a difference. Book Buddies will continue on Nov. 8 and 15 and every Tuesday this semester.

Last year after the Book Buddies program ended, the Academic Performance Index of the students raised 30 points.

Many Fresno Christian students who signed up last year enjoyed the program so much they were eager for this year?s program to start.

?Last year I enjoyed getting to spend time reading with the kids, Brittany Motte, ?07, said. ?I believe it encourages the elementary students to like reading more and not just think of it as boring. I love being able to share and read books from when I was young growing up.?

Students who joined the program attended a mandatory training meeting, which was held on Oct. 18. The time commitment for the Book Buddies will be every Tuesday 11:55 A.M. to 1:15 P.M. for 12 weeks.

The program offers students with full community service credit for Bible. And a few of the students signed up for the only purpose to receive credit for Bible.

?I signed up last year for Book Buddies basically only to get credit for bible,? Alisa Reynolds, ?07, said. ?But I ended up enjoying the time I spent with the kids, so I signed up again this year.?

Yet others view the program as an opportunity for ministry for the high school students.

?These elementary students look up to the older high schooler?s,? Amparano said. ?When a high school student reads with them (Pinedale children) it shows that child someone cares for them-showing them God?s love.?

For more information concerning Book Buddies go to www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/ca/760/ or contact Amparano at 289-1776 or e-mail her at [email protected].