b. March 7, 1955

by Mary Louise Burress, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Winston-Salem, NC, 2016

Fifteen years ago, three women – Becky Clingman, Trudy Winstead, and Susan Uphoff, with help from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church – started the Winston-Salem Augustine Project with six tutors and students at one school. They believed, as we still do, that volunteer tutors could train and truly help struggling readers who could not afford private tutors or special schools. The seeds that this initial group planted have sprouted, bloomed, and reseeded many times since 2001. Along the way, the determined and generous efforts of so many people have nurtured the project’s growth. This school year, more than 165 students have Augustine tutors in over 35 locations across our community.

In 2002 Henri Brown joined these women as a tutor. In 2008 she became Executive Director of the Winston-Salem Augustine Project and still holds this position.

In 2015, READWS sprouted from those first seeds. Our expanded mission reflects a belief that all children deserve to learn to read, no matter what school they attend. All children also deserve a teacher who has a deep understanding of the structure of our language and how to teach it. The 30 Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools educators who trained with Ron Yoshimoto last summer are multiplying our impact with every student they teach. Thirty more educators will train this summer. This program has been a huge success.

St. Paul’s is extremely proud to be a part of this amazing project. We are hugely proud of these women – and Henri Brown, what a commitment you have made to our community. Fifteen years and hundreds of dedicated individuals! Alleluia!