Celebrating A Decade of Impact in Florida – 14,000 Students Served
On Friday, February 20, staff, educators, tutors, and supporters alike gathered at Florida International University in North Miami Beach for the Ready to Rise 10th anniversary luncheon – a celebration of impact, partnership, and the people who have made Florida Early Learning Corps possible.
First launched in 2015, Florida Early Learning Corps has now served more than 14,000 students across the state – mobilizing 789 tutors and partnering with 130 sites in 46 cities. Together, tutors, educators, and community partners have built a network of support focused on one goal: helping more children make a strong start in school.
And the results are clear. We’ve seen a 10% gain in students meeting literacy benchmarks and a 30% gain in students meeting numeracy benchmarks, marking meaningful growth during the most critical years of brain development.
The Ready to Rise luncheon was a chance to bring together the community that has powered this impact! The celebration featured remarks from leaders on the ground, including Executive Director of Florida Programs Chanelle Pough, and Dr. Michael Lewis, Deputy Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Dr. Peter Nelson, research advisor for Early Learning Corps, presented data and insights from the past 10 years. A Q&A session, moderated by Advisory Board Member, Chester Spellman, highlighted the incredible work of our tutors, with Early Learning Corps alum Stephanie and lead tutors Rehanna and Alondra sharing the challenges, breakthroughs, and everyday moments that make a difference.
Florida staff presented two inaugural awards recognizing those who have gone above and beyond for their students. The Site Partner of the Year award honored Shawna Pointville of Excel Kids Academy for her outstanding collaboration and partnership with Early Learning Corps. Partner Teacher of the Year awards were presented to Kenya Howard of North Glade Elementary and Cara Tibble of Sunland Park Elementary – educators who have seamlessly integrated Early Learning Tutors into their classrooms, creating meaningful service experiences.
A big thank you to our sponsors who made this event possible – with special appreciation for our presenting sponsor Walmart, along with The Association of Early Learning Coalitions of Florida, The Children’s Movement of Florida, Florida International University, PNC Bank, and Corcoran Partners. Their commitment to early learning and community partnership helps ensure that more children across Florida have access to the support they need to thrive.
Supporting Learners Nationwide
While we’re celebrating a decade of early learning support in Florida, it’s just a snapshot of our nationwide impact. Early Learning Corps has now served more than 128,000 students! Through individualized learning experiences – incorporating play, song, conversation, and targeted instruction – tutors help preschoolers build early literacy and numeracy skills that form the building blocks for long-term success.
Whether you’re ready to serve as a tutor, partner as a school or organization, or champion early learning in your community, we invite you to join us in making sure even more children are set up for success. Learn more at readingandmath.org/early-learning-corps.
