This spring, IU Indianapolis students served as tutors and mentors in Christamore House Family and Community Center on the near west side of Indianapolis, serving a critical community need for improving youth literacy skills. The Level Up With Literacy program was implemented through the Indiana University K-12 Student Success Corps (IU K12 SSC) and funded by a $4,000 grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF).
Level Up with Literacy uses a two-generational approach that works with caregivers and connects their K-12 students with IU Indianapolis tutors. This initiative was part of a broader effort to expand educational access in historically underserved communities like the Haughville neighborhood, home to more than 6,500 residents.
“This grant helped us launch the critical work of providing college tutors and mentors to K-12 children served by the Christamore House, just west of campus,” said Dr. Latosha Rowley, program manager in the IU Indianapolis Office of Community Engagement. “Our research proves that working with youngsters will help improve their reading, literacy, decision-making, and problem-solving skills and change lives.”
The program served 30 students in the Christamore House afterschool program during spring 2025. IU tutors provided intensive reading remediation, support, and instruction for eight students who needed additional literacy help. In addition, the program shared resources and materials with caregivers on topics such as child development milestones, creating engaging learning spaces, and understanding diverse learning styles. Families received regular newsletters and were invited to share feedback through satisfaction surveys.
IU tutors made an impact
IU Indianapolis students Elizabeth Ponce and Rayne Waddell served as the off-campus tutor mentors leading the literacy work at Christamore House.
Ponce, a freshman studying business marketing at the Kelley School of Business, serves as a youth leader at her church and helped organize a three-day youth conference. She said her experience in community building shaped the way she supported the children she tutored.
“Working with young kids not only brought me joy, but I felt like I already had experience with the ins and outs of teaching them,” Ponce said. “One of the main things I hoped to gain was problem-solving strategies. Even the patience and empathy I built with the kids helped me develop stronger relationship-building skills for my future.”
Her role included supporting reading and writing development through creative, engaging activities, and helping students prepare for tests and write papers, all with a focus on academic success.
Waddell, a sophomore majoring in biology and an aspiring oncology researcher, brought valuable experience to the program. She began tutoring by helping her younger sister, who was nine years younger than her, with reading and math. At Christamore House, she applied those same skills with students in the afterschool program.
“If I want to go into pediatric oncology, this was great experience,” Waddell said. “Even if I decide to take a different path, like teaching, working with kids gave me valuable insight that I’ll carry with me.”
Waddell provided one-on-one reading support tailored to each student’s needs, adapted to individual learning styles, assisted with homework, and fostered a positive, supportive learning environment.
Dr. Rowley highlighted the vital role both students played: “Liz built a positive rapport with students through healthy relationships. Rayne unfolded their curiosity and challenged them to grow. The IU tutor mentors’ commitment to the program has helped change the lives of the young people they served.”
Program Impact and Future Partnership
In addition to tutoring, the program provided books and journals to encourage reading and storytelling, as well as school supplies for all 30 families. These resources were distributed during the end-of-year celebration, ensuring every family left with materials to support continued learning at home.
Families shared positive feedback about the program’s impact. One caregiver remarked their, “child enjoyed working with the IU tutor and talked about it all the time.” Another expressed appreciation for the culturally relevant reading materials: “The books are wonderful because my son can see himself in the story.”
Christamore House staff also expressed strong satisfaction with the IU K–12 Student Success Corps tutors and the progress they saw in participating students. They shared that they would like to continue the partnership moving forward, citing the value it brought to their afterschool program.
About this partnership
Christamore House has served the near west Indianapolis community for more than 100 years through child and youth education, senior programming, and life skills training.
Founded in 2016, the IU K–12 Student Success Corps (SSC) began as a statewide initiative supporting students through collaborations with multiple IU campuses and K–12 public schools. Over time, it expanded to include community centers such as Christamore House, engaging students and families beyond traditional school settings. While the program has evolved in size and structure, it continues to support students and families with a student-centered, collaborative approach.
This local grant was part of more than $4 million awarded to nonprofit organizations, libraries, and schools in Dollar General’s hometown communities across the country to help extend a brighter future for K–12 students.
“We understand investing in youth literacy means investing in the future of students and our collective communities,” shared Denine Torr, executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. “Through these grants, we hoped to enhance the programs’ efforts to foster students’ critical thinking skills, creativity and confidence so they can unlock their potential and achieve their dreams.”
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation supports organizations that increase access to educational programming, stimulate and enable innovation in the delivery of educational instruction, and inspire a love of reading. Each year, DGLF awards funds to nonprofit organizations, schools, and libraries within a 15-mile radius of a Dollar General store or distribution center to support adult, family, summer, and youth literacy programs. The Foundation also offers a student referral program for individuals interested in learning how to read, speak English, or prepare for the high school equivalency exam. Referrals to a local organization that provides free literacy services are available online at dgliteracy.org or through referral cards found in Learn to Read brochures at Dollar General stores.
The “Level Up with Literacy” partnership and initiative exemplifies IU Indianapolis’ commitment to P-12 student success by supporting literacy development and providing mentorship that helps K–12 students build strong academic foundations.
A comprehensive list of Dollar General Literacy Foundation grant recipients may be found at www.dgliteracy.org. For more information about “Level Up with Literacy,” email sscp@iu.edu.
