Reading Partners, a nationwide organization that aims to aid elementary aged students who struggle with reading, is a weekly destination for freshman Jazz Ward.

“I volunteer at this place called Reading Partners and it’s basically helping kids in third and fourth grade get better at reading,” Ward said.

With a Twin Cities section of the organization, Reading Partners teams up with schools throughout the Metro area, giving students access to volunteer tutors to help improve their reading.

Ward volunteers at Phalen Lake Hmong Studies Elementary School in St. Paul. She chose Reading Partners as her volunteer location because of her love for reading: “I was going to volunteer at one of my dad’s hospitals but that didn’t work out but I still wanted to volunteer and I really like reading,” Ward said.

Each volunteer is assigned to one student, so great relationships are formed that add to the experience.

“The girl I tutor is super sweet and I love her and we get along really well and you know it’s kind of like a new friend,” Ward said.

Besides being for a good cause, all the organization asks for from their volunteers is one hour a week, which for most is a doable time commitment. Anyone can volunteer by filling out an online formthat submits some basic information to the organization. From there, a member of the team will contact the potential volunteer within a week or so.

“You can just go to the website and there’s a bunch of different elementary schools where you can volunteer and you just do a quick orientation and then you’re good to go,” Ward said.