Location: Bowdoin / McKeen Center / Service and Leadership / America Reads and Counts

America Reads and Counts

Student Holding Notebook

Wouldn't it be wonderful if your campus job could get you off campus to work with local kids? America Reads and America Counts allows students to do just that!

America Reads and America Counts tutors provide valuable literacy and math help to elementary and middle school students in the local Brunswick area. Bowdoin students work closely with classroom teachers to help students reach their learning potential. Tutors might spend time working one-on-one with students, running small-group tutoring sessions, or working alongside teachers in the classroom. This is a great chance to make a difference by working closely with students in local schools.

I feel this program is helpful because it provides us with students who not only help in our classroom, but also serve as role models to young students for continuing their education and helping in the community.
- Diana Marc-Aurele, Teacher at Bowdoinham Community School

The McKeen Center provides training for new tutors and helps them get oriented in their new positions. In addition to tutoring time, AR and AC tutors are required to attend an orientation at the beginning of the year, participate in monthly meetings, complete program evaluations,and submit weekly journals.

Student Leadership

The success of this program relies on the outstanding leadership of our student coordinators.  With a coordinator for every school with which we partner, these students act as a liaison between tutors, teachers, and McKeen Center staff.  They are in constant contact with tutors at their school throughout the semester and help solve any challenges tutors face in the classroom.

How to Get Involved

Reading and math tutors are needed to help students of all abilities. If you are interested in being an America Reads or America Counts tutor please fill out an online application. Because America Reads and America Counts are federally funded programs, all tutors must be Federal Work Study eligible. If you do not know if you are eligible, contact the Student Employment Office.

For more information about America Reads and America Counts contact Jessica Horstkotte, youth and education coordinator, at jhorstko@bowdoin.edu, or visit the Student Employment Office website to view the job description.