Community Reading Buddies

Building the next generation of readers
and leaders across the Bay Area.

Community Reading Buddies is an innovative double-impact program developed by Aspire Education. CRB works to improve early literacy outcomes by mobilizing Bay Area young adults to mentor younger students in literacy and ignite them with a passion for reading.

And the results speak for themselves: in each two-month CRB cycle, our young readers (“Buddies”) make an average of four months of reading growth! For many of our students, it is the very first time they’ll be on grade level in literacy. At the same time, their young adult reading tutors (“Youth Mentors”) build valuable leadership and social-emotional skills – all while giving back to their own communities. This is the kind of progress that can meaningfully close the literacy gap in the Bay Area.

Community Reading Buddies Website

CRB’s Work in the Bay Area

Founded in the East Bay in 1994, Community Reading Buddies has been an integral part of Oakland for over 30
years. What initially began as a 20-student program at the Oakland Public Library now serves over 800 students
year-round, with programming taking place both after school and over the summer.

    Youth Mentorship

    Before each CRB cycle, we train youth mentors on how to work with younger students, build their foundational reading skills, give help, and find more support.
    We invite them to a community of support and pair them thoughtfully with a younger reader.
    Twice a week, they join a cohort of up to 25 other youth for a mini-coaching session before breaking out for an hour of one-on-one literacy activities with their buddy.

    Individualized Attention

    Each reading lesson is selected to be individualized to the needs of each student. With each lesson, we collect data to tell us what each reader needs to work on next and how to best support their growth and development. In just two months of CRB, our young readers make an average of four months of reading growth! Young readers double their expected reading growth while in CRB. This is the kind of progress that builds joyful, confident readers throughout our communities.

Get Involved With CRB

Become a Partner

Bring Community Reading Buddies to your school or organization. We can provide one-on-one literacy tutoring for elementary students at a fraction of the cost of other tutoring services. With the support of trained, caring teen volunteers, young readers make remarkable reading growth and find confidence and joy in reading.

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Become a Youth Mentor

Serving as a Community Reading Buddies mentor is a unique opportunity to make a difference in a young student’s life and develop your own leadership skills. Mentors receive support from staff, Lead Mentors, and our literacy curriculum, where Youth Mentors and their younger Buddies engage in literacy activities via online video conferencing or in-person sessions at elementary schools.

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Become a Buddy

Community Reading Buddies offers engaging, one-on-one reading sessions with a caring teen mentor. It’s free, flexible, and proven to help young readers thrive. If you know an elementary student who could benefit from additional reading support, sign them up to become a Buddy today!  Sessions are available online or in-person. 

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Contact Us

Have a question?
We’d love to hear from you!

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Donate

Invest in educational equity. Your gift empowers Bay Area students through high-impact tutoring and mentorship.

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Join the Cause

Whether as a mentor, partner, or
tutor, there are many ways to get
involved and support our mission.

Join Us