Helping Enhance Reading Opportunities (Project HERO) is a tutoring program funded by AmeriCorps State and which currently serves over 300 second grade students at nine different Innovation Zone Learning Community elementary schools. Project HERO is designed to enhance the literacy skills of Charleston County School District second graders.

Each AmeriCorps Member is stationed at one of nine Innovation Zone elementary schools for 20 hours per week Monday through Friday. In addition to providing tutoring services, Members assist the school with capacity-building activities including volunteer recruitment. The program will culminate with a literacy camp in June.

When Members are not tutoring second graders in literacy, they can be found working on different capacity-building initiatives at their school–including mentoring in a Lunch Buddy program, assisting with school health initiatives, helping promote parent involvement, or tutoring in other subjects and with other grade levels.

Project HERO Members are also involved in two days of service–Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and Tricounty Youth Service Day. This year, Members volunteered at the Charleston Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade assisting with parade line-up and other behind-the-scenes activities. Stay tuned for the results of the Members’ involvement in Tricounty Youth Service Day this April.