"Read Georgia" is transforming young lives in Statesboro through the gift of reading. “How simple can it be to transform a child into a good reader?” asked Monica Lanier, Read Georgia Coordinator.
The original inspiration for ‘Read Georgia’ comes from the Georgia Baptist Mission Board’s ‘Love Your Neighbor’ initiative. With a heart for service, the lead team at First Baptist Church Statesboro met with the Bulloch County Superintendent and curriculum leaders to gain approval for partnering with local schools to support second grade students with identified reading needs, helping them to become confident readers.
Read Georgia is designed to provide extra assistance to at-risk students who do not receive other individualized services.
“I am grateful for the partnership with First Baptist Church. Read Georgia is more than just a tutoring program; it's a comprehensive support system to help our second graders build strong reading skills and confidence. It ensures students who need ‘extra’ help get targeted support in phonetics before reading gaps widen,” shared Jennifer Wade, Mill Creek Elementary Principal.
What makes Read Georgia special is the meaningful relationships: tutors mentor, encourage, and celebrate each child’s progress, focusing on lifelong learning over test scores.
In August 2024, the Read Georgia Lead Team recruited volunteers and partnered with two Bulloch County elementary schools:
- Mill Creek Elementary (48.9% of students reading below grade level): 39 students served
- Langston Chapel Elementary (48.9% of students reading below grade level): 26 students served
After weather delays, Read Georgia sessions began October 21, 2024, and resumed on January 13, 2025. Each second grader meets with a tutor twice a week for a 20-minute session following Bulloch County reading protocols: 10 minutes of reading aloud, 5-10 minutes of ‘sight word’ practice, and 5-10 minutes of games or shared books. The Lead Team trains and schedules tutors, ensuring sessions are delivered with kindness, respect, and consistent fun to foster learning and growth.
“Read Georgia has been a wonderful addition to our school. I can brag about the tutors and the strength of the program," Allison Platt-Bailey, 2nd Grade Chair, Langston Chapel Elementary School, said. "The students have shown significant growth in their ‘sight words’, high-frequency words, and overall reading levels. Beyond academic growth, the program fosters social and emotional development. Students eagerly anticipate their tutoring sessions.”
First Baptist Statesboro’s Read Georgia program is praised by students, teachers, and parents for its one-on-one support that builds reading skills and a lasting impact. Tutoring happens in the classroom with tools like magnetic letters and whiteboards, and progress is carefully recorded to keep teachers informed.
“I love Read Georgia," said volunteer tutor Nancy Jameson. "It’s so exciting to see the light bulb go off when they realize they’ve mastered sight words.”
Statesboro First Baptist has funded, prepared, and made ready supplies and materials for volunteer tutors to implement the Read Georgia initiative.
"Statesboro First Baptist Church continues to be a valuable partner of Langston Chapel Elementary School, making a meaningful difference in the lives of students and staff," Aldric Dekle, Langston Chapel Elementary School principal, added. "Dedicated and trained volunteer tutors work directly to strengthen students' reading skills and offer targeted support, helping develop essential literary skills and nurturing a love for reading. The Read Georgia program is ‘a shining example’ of how community partnerships can transform students. Langston Chapel Elementary is grateful for First Baptist Church continued investment in success and well-being at every child.”
On May 1, 2025, the Read Georgia Program invited students and their families to attend a celebration held at First Baptist Church, provided by the ‘Love Your Neighbor' initiative, recognizing the students’ success and improvements. Families, teachers, administrators, support staff, and church members were invited to share the joy.
As a gift from the church, each student who attended the end-of-the-year celebration at the church with their parents received a certificate, Bible, a handmade reading pillow from Caring Threads, and an armful of books.
”Read Georgia set a new standard for local ministry," Dr. Dave Parker, Mission Pastor at First Baptist said. "There was a sparkle in the eyes of second graders as they read aloud from age-appropriate books, confidently using their assigned ‘sight word’ lists. The consistent one-on-one reading sessions created powerful moments of growth and encouragement. This magnetic partnership between dedicated community volunteers and seasoned educators uplifted and enriched their lives.”
“We’re excited to restart ‘Read Georgia’ in 2026," said Monica Lanier, Read Georgia Coordinator.