Reading Buddies

Thirty-three third graders from Oak Terrace Elementary School in Highwood traveled last week to to meet their fourth and fifth grade reading buddies.

Third graders from Oak Terrace and Clearview Elementary in Waukegan, along with fourth and fifth graders from and Lake Bluff Elementary School, are participating in a reading partnership program Lake County Cares offers called “Sarah’s Dream: Read With Me!”  This program brings students together from neighboring communities in order to share stories and a love of reading while improving literacy in Lake County, as well as creating a culture of compassion and cooperation among children from different schools.

The children have been matched according to similar interests revealed through “All About Me” cards, which each student filled out earlier in the year. They first met in October.

Last week, they shared cards filled with information about how their families celebrate holidays in their homes. After sharing a snack and discussing their traditions, they read the book, "Too Many Tamales", and did an activity to prompt discussion of characters, plot, and setting.

There will be one more meeting of the buddies in April, when they study Endangered Animals.

Lake County Cares provides this program through donations from Buchanan Family Foundation, the and Forest Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics.