Norma Jean Mitchell is among Greater New Haven’s many Jewish Coalition for Literacy (JCL) volunteers reading partners who are back in the classroom this year, helping New Haven schoolchildren – like Daniel Juarez (pictured here with Mitchell), a student at Columbus School – develop language and reading skills.

A project of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, JCL is a nondenominational program that recruits, trains, places and supports reading partners to read one-to-one with children in New Haven public schools for one hour each week. The flexible program allows volunteers to choose which day of the week, time of the day and specific school and grade level they prefer.

New Haven JCL coordinator Brenda Brenner can’t help but “qvell.”

“Our JCL reading partners, numbering 165, offer students an opportunity to interact with caring adults who are enthusiastic about sharing the pleasures of reading, conversation and learning together,” she says. “They share a commitment to helping children become the very best they can be.”