What is the Read to SUCCEED Program?

Read to SUCCEED recruits and trains volunteers from the community to serve as mentors and tutors to at-risk children in K-12 schools. Tutoring takes approximately two hours each week after the initial training.

SUCCEED Movie Clip
Pinecrest Elementary
All Files are real movie format. A free version of Real Player can be downloaded at www.real.com
A special thanks goes out to Ryan Torre for all of his help in creating the Pinecrest Elementary video clip! We are very happy that he was able to volunteer his time and welcome other opportunities for the same.

The Goals of SUCCEED:

  • Improve reading, writing, listening, speaking, and other basic skills
  • Increase self-confidence and raise aspirations.

To see the latest scheduled Read to SUCCEED tutor training workshops, click here, or choose the Workshops navigation button from the right.

Why community volunteers are needed:

In many school districts as many as 30% of the children are failing to learn. Many will drop out and become unemployable. Children at-risk usually come from economically depressed---often dysfunctional--families. Thousands of community volunteers are needed to provide the one-on-one support these children need.

* AdGif registration pending

Who can tutor?

Community volunteers who can read and write and want to learn to help children. Retirees, business employees, high school and college students are all welcome. Are you an MSU student? If you are then you can tutor for credit! Click here and learn about the MSU Student Literacy Corps for more information, or choose the MSU Student Literacy Corps navigation button from the right.


Read to SUCCEED has been validated by research:

The program in Allen Street School in Lansing, Michigan produced an average gain of 2.16 years in reading levels after 32 hours of tutoring. Grand River School found a positive effect on classroom performance after 18 hours of tutoring. Additional data are available.

Past SUCCEED Tutor Reflections:

"After the first day of training, I left knowing that this endeavor was much more than just a tutoring job. I was excited and energized by the idea of helping to change children's lives." Elizabeth LaCross, Read to SUCCEED tutor, Summer 2000.

"I have learned that the best gift a person could give is the gift of self. In many instances, material possessions do not spell LOVE but TIME does in any form that it comes in. I have always felt that whatever is written upon the heart of a child will never be erased. Therefore I have had the opportunity to write hope, courage and compassion and shine a brighter light on their destiny." Cynthia Carpenter, Read to SUCCEED tutor, Summer 2000.

Comment of a Read to SUCCEED student to her tutor; "I didn't know I was smart until I met you."