Native students have the lowest reading score among all populations. While other groups are gaining in reading achievement, scores for Native students in grade 4 are not improving. This is, in part, tied to academics at BIE reservation schools. One way that Partnership With Native Americans (PWNA) helps educators to improve reading scores on reservations is through the Literacy service of its American Indian Education Fund (AIEF) program.

Program Partner Carlee works as an educator for Red Shirt Table School in Red Shirt, South Dakota, on the edge of the Pine Ridge Reservation. Thanks to her participation in AIEF’s Literacy service, students from pre-k to 8th grade enjoy a variety of books and reading incentives. Students can even take books home through a library-time system. “They bring one book back and grab another!” Carlee added, “We’re trying to make reading a constant. All day long, we have groups of kids reading to an adult or other students.”

6-year-old Jayden is an eager learner from Buffalo Gap, 50 miles away from her school. She often spends nights curled up with a book, especially when her family reads to her. Her Grandma Ginny, another educator at Red Shirt, confirmed, “Jayden loves stories and being read to. She knows her letters of the alphabet and is learning some letter sounds and sight words.”

Along with learning new words, Jayden has a great appreciation for book illustrations. She absorbs the bright colors and shapes in books like “The Earth Made New: Plains Indian Stories of Creation” and said that “reading feels good.” When asked what her favorite part of school is, she answered, “Miss Carlee!” At home, Jayden loves spending time with her family, riding horses and playing with her new pet cat.

Even at the beginning of her academic journey, Jayden loves reading and plans on one day becoming a teacher to share her passion for learning. Jayden has a younger brother and sister who can grow up following in her footsteps to fall in love with reading themselves.

To help Jayden and her siblings on their way, AIEF is committed to helping program partners like Carlee who support the educational needs of Native students. Donate to AIEF today.