FAQS

Our program runs four days a week and follows a “train-then-teach” model. Two days are dedicated to training, where high school tutors learn and prepare their lesson plans. On the other two days, tutors visit their partner elementary campuses to put those plans into practice, working directly with students across all areas of literacy. Throughout the week, a Program Instructor oversees the model and reinforces best practices, while the high school students themselves lead the sessions and gain hands-on experience in being a tutor.

Reach currently partners with select schools across Washington, D.C. Because we work through school partnerships, we’re not able to serve every school in the district yet. We do not currently operate in Maryland or Virginia. To find out if your child’s school is part of our program check our school list:Drew Elementary (NE)King Elementary (SE)Payne Elementary (SE)Takoma Elementary (NW)Center City Charter (NE)Woodson High (NE)Ballou High (SE)Eastern High (NE)

Reach operates year-round, but our programs change with the season. After-school tutoring for elementary students runs from September through May. During the summer, we shift our focus to the Summer Leadership Academy for high school students, so tutoring services are not available for elementary students over those months. After-school tutoring resumes each September.

High school students at Reach serve as tutors, not tutees. Instead of receiving tutoring, they work with younger elementary students to build their reading and writing skills.The program is designed so that teens grow too. By teaching foundational literacy skills, they strengthen their own skills and build leadership experience.

Reach specializes in literacy. Our programs support: reading and fluency, writing, phonemic awareness, decoding and encoding text, and vocabulary. We do not offer tutoring in math or other subjects. If you’re looking for math support, we’re happy to point you toward other resources in the community.

The Summer Leadership Academy is open to high school students who are enrolled in Reach’s tutoring program during the school year. To be eligible, students must have participated in tutoring throughout the school year and have a strong record of attendance and performance. Applications open each spring and will be shared on our website. Because the academy is for current tutors, it is not open to students who have not been part of the program.

Yes, Reach teens are eligible for scholarships. Scholarships are awarded based on criteria including student attendance, participation, and demonstrated leadership. The scholarship funds are generated through sales of books written and published by our teens, so every book sold helps support the next generation of teen tutors.

Reach partners with schools that need support in literacy, connecting with both  elementary and high school campuses we believe would benefit from our program. Schools are also welcome to contact us first.

Reach currently serves students in elementary school (grades 2-5) and high school (grades 9-12). We do not yet support middle school (grades 6-8), but we plan to in the future. If you’d like to be notified when middle school becomes available, email us at info@reachincorporated.org.