The Reading Youth Initiative (RYI) aims to promote continued education, mentoring and support for healthy choices in children who live or go to school in the Reading area. Since its inception in the summer of 2006, the Reading Youth Initiative has interacted with more than 1,600 youth, providing annual summer camps, after-school mentoring programs and a variety of cultural activities including museum visits, sporting events and educational field trips all within the Greater Reading and Philadelphia area.
Serving students in kindergarten through Grade 12 in the Greater Reading Area, RYI implements multidisciplinary afterschool programming with a focus in academics, arts and culture, STEM enrichment, mentorship, and socially engaging activities. Our ability to support academic achievement for students in the Reading School District is made possible through the dedication and time of Alvernia student workers and volunteers. Alvernia volunteers collectively contribute hundreds of hours of service in addition to our team of student workers.
Mission of the Reading Youth Initiative
The mission of the Reading Youth Initiative is to instill a life-long love of learning in students. Through community, business, and university partnerships, RYI implements high quality experiential learning opportunities and mentorship to engage students outside of the classroom with a special focus on arts, culture, and STEM. Programs focus on students achieving their highest potential in academic excellence and positive social and emotional development for continued success after high school.
Community Partners and Funders
- (RYI delivers programming to over 100 students in four Reading schools — Millmont Elementary School, Tyson Schoener Elementary School, Southern Middle School and Southwest Middle School — each semester.)
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If you would like more information about the Reading Youth Initiative, please contact Community Educational Outreach Programs Manager Angie Drebushenko at 610-796-8434 or angela.drebushenko@alvernia.edu.
