Reading is the foundation of a good education, and L.J. Bell celebrated the volunteers who help their first graders learn to read with a luncheon Friday.

The keynote speaker was North Carolina Superintendent of Schools Dr. June Atkinson, and everyone who participated sang the praises of the Growing Readers Program at L.J. Bell School.

Retiring first grade teacher Kathy Crouch took the podium before Atkinson and had children read their impressions of participating in the program.

All of them said they enjoyed learning to read with the volunteers and thanked them for their time.

“I’ve been teaching 30 years ... and the Growing Readers Program is by far the best program I’ve ever been involved with,” she said. “I know that as volunteers, you don’t get paid for your time ... and you don’t receive the credit you deserve. Sometimes you don’t even get to see the success stories in the classroom.”

She shared the success story of Rekiyah Short, who was behind at the beginning of the year, and now is reading at a second grade level.

“Yesterday, she looked at me and told me she wants to be a teacher when she grows up,” Crouch said.

The Growing Readers program has been in existence since 2002 under the direction of Principal Bobbie Sue Ormsby.

According to a RCS release, the program began with only 12 volunteers, but today has 70.

“We designed this program because we recognize how important it is that our students are able to read well.” Ormsby said. “The volunteers do such a wonderful job, and we appreciate all of their efforts.”

“As volunteers, you don’t get paid money, but you do get wonderful psychological paychecks,” Atkinson told the perhaps 50 people in attendance. “Children need more than just one caring adult in their lives, they need to know that the community cares about them, and stands behind them.”

Barbara Conder and Isabelle Willard are two retired teachers who participate in the program.

They discussed its benefits as they ate their meals with chicken and broccoli and pasta salads served in appreciation of their volunteer work.

“We really are trying to put forth a positive image for the children and the community that Growing Readers is an important program for the success of our school system,” Conder said. “We want every child to succeed.”

She said she taught first grade until retiring.

“This is really coming full circle for me,” she said. “It’s exciting to be able to see a child identify a new word, and be happy that they learned something new. It gives you a good feeling.”

“It also keeps you in touch with the local school system,” Willard said. “I’m the type of person, I don’t want to just read about it in the newspaper, I want to be a part of it.”

She said her background as a teacher is one of the factors that piques her interest in education.

Richmond County Schools Superintendent Dr. George Norris, and Board of Education Chairman Bruce Stanback were also in attendance and spoke before Atkinson.

Norris identified the Growing Readers Program as a factor in the success of L.J. Bell students.

“It’s not hard to see why these students do so well on standardized testing,” he said. “It’s because of the great staff here at L.J. Bell and time you put into this program.”

“As a director of an afterschool program with children struggling with reading, I know how important it is to have volunteers like you to come out and help them,” Stanback said.

Ormsby hopes the volunteer program can continue to grow.

It was originally intended for first graders, but two years ago was expanded to second graders with assistance from Rockingham Rotary.