When Alane Watts used to drive past Citizens of the World Charter School on her way to work, she saw just another school building. Now, after nearly a decade as a Reading Mentor, it’s much more than that.
“Now I’m connected to everyone in this place of creativity and learning,” she says. “There’s nothing like locating your student as you walk in the classroom and seeing them light up. It makes me never want to miss a week.”
Alane began volunteering with Lead to Read KC in 2016 at King Elementary. Since then, she’s mentored at multiple schools before finding her way back to Citizens, where she currently reads with a first grader. A proud Kansas City resident and longtime American Century Investments employee, she discovered the program during her company’s Volunteer Appreciation Week.
“I chatted with Lead to Read staff at a volunteer fair and immediately knew this program was for me,” she says. “As someone without children of my own in the Kansas City Public School District, I was looking for a way to connect and support my community. Lead to Read was a perfect fit.”
Reading has always been a special part of Alane’s life. She recalls being placed in reading groups with names like Rainbows and Serendipity as a first grader, and even then, her teacher trusted her to help classmates strengthen their skills. This year, her student is captivated by Green Eggs and Ham, a childhood favorite of Alane’s as well. “I guess it’s a rite of passage,” she jokes.
But Alane’s approach goes far beyond sharing books. She’s learned that sometimes, mentoring means listening more than reading.
“If a student is having a hard day, I don’t force the reading. I ask, ‘What happened?’ and let them talk. We connect, and if there’s time, I’ll read to them instead.”
That deep connection is what keeps her coming back. “I had a student read a multisyllable word and look at me to ask, ‘How did I know that?’ It’s just a bunch of smaller sounds that you already know,” Alane says.
To anyone considering becoming a Reading Mentor, Alane offers this simple encouragement: “If you take a lunch hour every day, you can give up one a week to help a student develop a life-changing skill. And the reward? It’s huge. You’ll see growth, you’ll build trust, and for 30 minutes each week, the world just slows down. I plan to be a Reading Mentor for the rest of my life.”
Lead to Read KC will have even more students in the fall who need Reading Mentors. Go back to school with us by applying now at leadtoreadkc.org/volunteer.
