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Our learning support and mentoring programs in 90 Australian communities directly help children in need achieve their goals through education.
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Stormii’s confidence soared at the most unexpected time

Students on programs

18 May 2021

Krystal was worried: her 10-year-old daughter Stormii had fallen behind in reading and didn’t want to read aloud in class or write stories. Life had delivered their family some big blows, including a stroke for Krystal at just age 24 and a long period of unstable income for her and her partner. With so much to juggle, Krystal was unable to help Stormii catch up.

Then Covid-19 hit and Stormii’s school in regional Victoria shut down for over two months. Stormii struggled with home learning and Krystal saw she was falling further behind.

But, at one of the most difficult times for students, generous Smith Family supporters like you ensured Stormii could join our student2student program. Stormii was matched with a peer reading buddy and, by the end of the school shutdown, her literacy had dramatically improved!

“Before, Stormii was reluctant to read and she would second guess herself,” says Krystal. “When we tried to read stuff together, we’d both get too frustrated and when she tried to write her own stories, she’d soon stop because she couldn't spell the words. But with student2student, suddenly it wasn’t a parent helping Stormii; it was another child encouraging her.

Stormii’s buddy has been absolutely fantastic. As she reads, her buddy will say; ‘You’re doing such a wonderful job’.

Krystal, Stormii's mum

Stormii’s confidence is really high. She doesn’t second guess herself anymore.

Krystal, Stormii's mum

“Stormii’s reading buddy has been absolutely fantastic. If she struggles, her buddy will say ‘Let’s sound it out like this’. Stormii’s now gone up several reading levels and is reading out loud in class. Nowadays, she writes nearly a full A4 page-worth of a story in a night.”

“Reassuring” is how Krystal describes the way student2student and The Smith Family’s other wrap-around programs feel to her family. “Stormii’s confidence is really high now,” Krystal says. “She doesn’t second guess herself anymore.”