SLD Read will roll out the red carpet in October for its Literacy A-Listers event, a night of dancing, desserts, awards, and personal stories that celebrate students, families, tutors, and community advocates working to close the literacy gap.
The celebration will be held Oct. 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch of the Kent District Library. SLD Read is a reading support and tutoring program that serves families across West and Southwest Michigan. It rotates the A-Listers event among its hubs in Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, showcasing its proven, structured approach to boosting reading skills.
“We serve about 13 counties a year,” says Kristen Potts, CEO of SLD Read. “We’ve been in Kalamazoo for 51 years and Grand Rapids for 50.”
The evening will also feature the Kathryn Timmer Literacy Award, which honors those who strengthen the community through literacy. This year’s recipients are the Keller Foundation, whose trustees are owners of Cascade Engineering, and Marilyn Johnson, an SLD Read tutor.
“They have both shown incredible commitment to strengthening community through literacy,” Potts says.
The award is named for Kathryn Timmer, a former SLD Read employee and tutor. Past recipients include Dr. Michael Ryan, Eva Aguirre Cooper, Maranda, Herman Miller, and former Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss.
‘Embracing the science of reading’
Board President Hilary Arthur knows firsthand the power of SLD Read’s approach.
“I became a tutor with SLD Read because their work changes lives,” Arthur says. “Working as a tutor with SLD Read is a real-life highlight for me. There is absolutely nothing better than building a teaching relationship, supporting and guiding a student, and seeing them simply light up when a concept clicks.”
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SLD ReadA SLD Read volunteer with a student.
When her work schedule grew, Arthur transitioned from tutoring to the board.
“As a former tutor, I’m able to shed light on the tutor and student experience, which allows me to share practical insights with the rest of the board,” she says. “This board is a fantastic group of people, committed to expanding literacy. It’s inspiring to work together to support SLD Read’s work.
“I believe that reading is a fundamental right and that every single person should have the opportunity to learn to read. I’m proud to support SLD Read’s mission, and it is exciting to see Michigan embracing the science of reading.”
Arthur, a practicing attorney, emphasizes that no teaching degree is needed to make a difference.
“The training and ongoing support SLD Read provided me as a tutor gave me everything I needed for success with students,” she says. “Anyone interested in tutoring should reach out to SLD Read for information on the next tutor training session.”
Individual attention
SLD Read provides one-on-one reading, writing, and spelling interventions for students who are more than six months behind grade level in reading.
“The majority of our students come to us somewhere between two and four years behind in their reading proficiency,” Potts says. “Our program includes phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary – all the major components necessary for people to learn to read.”
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SLD ReadSLD Read’s Literacy A-Listers celebrates student success and community literacy champions with dancing, desserts, and inspiring stories.
While the nonprofit can serve all ages, limited tutoring staff means the focus is on first through fifth graders. However, pandemic disruptions have led to a surge of middle school students seeking help.
“In the past two years, we have served more middle school students than we ever have,” Potts says.
About 250 students are served each year, with roughly 30% in Kent County. SLD Read partners with schools including North Park Montessori, Ridgemoor Montessori, Martin Luther King Jr. Academy, and Immaculate Heart of Mary.
“We would love to be able to build our relationship with KDL,” Potts says of the library collaboration. “We’ve had a very good relationship with them, providing training and educational opportunities for their patrons and staff.”
Potts expects 30 to 40 students and families to attend the October celebration. “We have a DJ, a huge dessert spread, fun raffles and activities,” she says. “Everyone gets an award for their work around literacy.”
The event is free for current and past students and tutors; parents, guardians, and community members can buy tickets for $20. A link to the registration form is at
sldread.org.
“This is a way to welcome families into a library, maybe for the first time,” Potts says. “We’re really looking forward to being able to welcome our guests there.”
Photos by SLD Read