Our Story
Did you know that you can impact the greater Austin area community by the simple act of volunteering to read with children for 30 minutes a week?
1 Volunteer + 2 Children + 30 Minutes
= Changing the World!
Our History
In 2009, a group of 10 pastors met with superintendents from 7 Central Texas school districts to discuss the biggest challenges facing their schools. With the guidance of Susan Dawson, a pioneer in solving educational issues at E3 Alliance - Education Equals Economics, the pastors decided to adopt 3rd grade literacy as their focus. They envisioned the churches of Greater Austin partnering with elementary schools to provide volunteer literacy partners, ensuring every student reads at grade level. This group of pastors later adopted the name, Christ Together Greater Austin.
That same year the foundation of this mission and program initiative was laid. During the 2010-11 school year, the first pilot program was launched at Naumann Elementary School in Leander ISD. Over the next 4 years, numerous churches and volunteers joined the initiative. In 2015, with Christ Together Greater Austin now leading the charge, Amy Hagen was hired as our first Executive Director. Alongside Pete Inman, then the Executive Director at Christ Together Greater Austin, Amy took steps to expand and grow the program, ensuring more students would benefit from Education Connection's literacy initiative.
Today, more than 1,280 volunteers are reading with over 3,000 students in 16 school districts across Central Texas, by sitting with elementary students each week for 30 minutes to read one-on-one. With the program growing rapidly and with more students in need of extra literacy support, there’s a place for you to make a difference in their literacy journey and life.
With over 250 elementary schools located in the Greater Austin area, the need to reach every student is tremendous. As a faith-based community, we have an opportunity to partner a church and/or business with each school, reading to elementary students one-on-one, while supporting educators as they help them to learn and grow.
We partner with churches, community businesses, and public schools in the Greater Austin area seeking volunteers to help impact the lives of elementary students.
Our Core Values
Humility
Not bringing in our own agenda.
We strive to be a support to the schools, classrooms, and children.
Consistency
Making a volunteer commitment for a school year of service. Truly using one's servant heart to honor constant reading with children.
Simplicity
The idea that Education Connection needs to be something that imposes little on the schools/teachers and simple enough that a volunteer without "teacher training" can do and will make a difference to the child.