Once a week, a class of eighth-graders at Oakbrook Middle School takes a short stroll to the nearby school that many of them attended just a few years earlier.
Upon their arrival at Oakbrook Elementary School, a class of wide-eyed first-graders greets them with big smiles, hugs and bags containing many of their favorite books in tow.
This is the fourth year that Oakbrook Middle teacher Janet Barye-Garcia’s classes have partnered with students from Oakbrook Elementary for the “Reading Buddies” program.
The older students serve as mentors, encouraging the younger students as they read aloud, offering help when they struggle with a word’s pronunciation and instilling in them an understanding of the importance of reading.
In addition to improving the literacy of the young students, the eighth-graders discuss plot, theme and characterization with the first-graders and also seek to combat aliteracy – having the ability to read, but being uninterested in doing so.
Barye-Garcia, who teaches reading and social studies, says the idea for the program came to her when she first started teaching middle school students and saw that many students weren’t able to read.
“The program is mutually beneficial because the older students are placed in a teaching roll, are given responsibility and will hopefully be encouraged to read to their younger siblings as well,” Barye-Garcia said. “For the younger students, it builds vocabulary and fosters a love of reading at an early age.”
When the weather is nice, the students will go outside and find a quiet place to read together. The younger students look up to the older ones as they strive to read to the best of their abilities and the eighth-graders appear to appreciate the opportunity to positively impact the lives of younger students.
Each mentor works with the same first-grader throughout the year and the pair develops a strong relationship, said Miren Gomez, the Oakbrook Elementary teacher whose students are tutored by the middle school class.
“Every single one of my students looks forward to it because they build relationships and trust with one another and it helps with their self-esteem,” Gomez said. “We always have tears at the end of the year when they have to say goodbye.”
In addition to Reading Buddies, students in Barye-Garcia’s social studies classes team up with third-graders at Oakbrook Elementary to help with their social studies standards.
Reading Buddies gives older students a feeling of nostalgia, said eighth-grader Shannyn Muldoon.
“When (first-grader Julie Beniash) reads, I’ll remember a lot of the books, which brings me back to when I was her age,” Muldoon said. “It’s a fun experience and something everyone enjoys.”

Contact Michael Tannebaum at 873-9424 ext. 215 or mtannebaum@journalscene.com