VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Governor Glenn Youngkin has announced a wide-reaching effort to address learning loss among Virginia students.
“Virginia’s students and children across the country experienced catastrophic learning loss throughout the COVID-19 pandemic from the loss of in-person instruction and in-school support services,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin.
The Governor said this in March as he announced the release of $30 million in grants to intended to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students’ educational progress and well-being.
Meantime in Hampton Roads, students from Norfolk Academy are teaming up with third and fourth grade students to help them with their reading and writing skills.
Assistant Director of Norfolk Academy’s Literacy Fellows, Vanessa Yearick, said it’s part of a broader leadership program. Students there learn about various issues such as learning discrepancies and then go out into the community to help make a change.
Currently, they’re working with Pembroke Elementary School and Seatack Elementary School in Virginia Beach.
“Our specific focus is on literacy and effects of lack of literacy, lack of access to consistent education, and trying to correct gaps and holes in our system,” explained Yearick.
Inside a third grade classroom at Seatack Elementary, teacher Silvia Babcock is thrilled to have the extra boost, especially since some children are behind after the pandemic.
“We are working on learning loss and actually just coming back to a natural learning environment and the pace of learning,” Babcock stated. “The biggest part is their relationship-building within the school. So, this building of relationships makes for more confidence, and when you’re confident, you’re more open to learning more,” she added.
Chloe Pausch is one of the students who helps tutor the third graders twice a week.
She said they’ve made flashcards to teach vocabulary, and they also practice reading and writing.
“They’re all just ecstatic to see somebody come in and help them one-on-one,” Pausch described. “It’s more like a mentor thing – just having somebody to talk to about their day while they’re doing flashcards.”
For more information about the Literacy Fellows, click here.
