AmeriCorps Literacy Palm Beach County members change the landscape of literacy for adults and youth through direct tutoring, engaging additional volunteers and building the capacity of the entire county to increase literacy. This program addresses the needs of adults, children and youth at lowest levels of literacy or English language skills in public schools and community organizations in Palm Beach County, Florida. Members provide services including English language and literacy instruction to adults; reading tutoring and literacy enrichment activities for preschool and elementary school students and serving as graduation coaches, mentors and tutors for high-risk students at middle and high school levels. Historically, Literacy Palm Beach has engaged AmeriCorps members since 1997 with transformative community impact. For example in 2010-11, 1064 youth were coached, tutored or mentored and 692 adults were provided one to one tutoring/small group instruction. As a result, 97% of youth served remained in school or graduated, 82% of adults tutored demonstrated increased literacy as measured by standardized assessments and 89% of children served demonstrated 20% improvements in reading skills on standardized assessments. In addition 360 community volunteers were engaged to serve in the critical need of education and literacy providing 3706 hours of service.

An AmeriCorps member sums up the impact of the program: “The students that I tutor are first-generation Americans or immigrants. Some can barely speak English at home, let alone practice reading with their parents. Other students that I serve only speak English and therefore don't speak the same language as their parents. Their families struggle to survive in a country and culture that is not familiar. Parents work tirelessly at jobs during the day and return home to work on acquiring English language skills at night while taking care of their children and extended families. My adult students came to the United States to make a better life for their family and help support those still back in their homeland. They are determined to learn the skills that will make this possible. They want to be able to help their children with homework, understand the doctor, and get promotions at work. Since I started serving with AmeriCorps, two adults that I tutor have become US citizens, one received a driver's license, six increased to the next level of English language learning, two have entered school to become certified nurse assistants, one got a new job, and two got promotions. All of the youth that I serve are now on grade level or above. Because of AmeriCorps, these children and adults are gaining the English language and with it the ability to become connected to their community and sustain a better quality of life.”