RELEASE ON RECEIPT




Media Notice: Jim Henderson, principal of Johnson Elementary School, 
1645 Cherry Avenue, has okayed the use of still and video cameras to 
photograph children working with Book Buddies tutors.  He suggests calling 
ahead to make sure tutors are in the school.  The school's number is 295-5176.

CHARLOTTESVILLE CHILDREN GAIN ADDITIONAL READING HELP
THROUGH INCREASED FUNDING AT U.VA.

	CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Oct. 21 -- An increase in federal funds at the 
University of Virginia is helping Charlottesville elementary school children 
gain reading help.
	U.Va. has received approximately $1.2 million in federal work-study 
funds this fall after responding to "America Reads Challenge," President 
Clinton's initiative encouraging communities to support reading through 
volunteer tutoring programs.  The gain of about $400,000 in funds is 
supporting the work of U.Va. graduate students in Book Buddies, a program 
that places trained community volunteer tutors with at-risk students in six 
city schools.  With the increased help provided by the University, Book 
Buddies will expand to tutor more students in city schools.  In addition, 
Albemarle County school officials have expressed interest in gaining the 
tutors.
	Established six years ago by faculty in the McGuffey Reading Center 
in U.Va.'s Curry School of Education,in cooperation with city school 
officials and community leaders, Book Buddies has been providing tutors for 
students in first grade. With the addition of 24 more graduate students 
supported by federal funds, Book Buddies will expand this month to second 
grade.  Tentative plans call for expanding into third grade next year.  In 
addition, an extended day program also is being planned at one school.  
About 140 volunteer tutors and U.Va. students will begin working with city 
school children in October.
	Curry School faculty who are experts in early childhood reading 
train the community volunteers and graduate students, who serve as tutors and 
reading coordinators.  Integral to the success of the program, the reading 
coordinators provide lesson plans and teaching support to the tutors, who 
instruct children twice weekly in reading, writing and phonics during 
45-minute sessions.   Each coordinator assists 15 tutors.
	Malcolm Jarrell, an instructional coordinator at Venable Elementary 
School, believes the lesson plans are invaluable to the tutors. "They give 
people in the community a clear, effective way to help students," he said.
	With the increased personnel made possible through federal funds, 
Curry School faculty plan to work on helping students keep their reading 
gains.  "Research documents an eroding effect on children when tutoring ends," 
said Marcia Invernizzi, who conceived the Book Buddies program.  "With more 
University students involved in the program, we can work on sustaining the 
reading gains.  We will also be able to meet the reading needs of new 
children who were missed in first grade," she said.
	Book Buddies has gained state and national attention for being one of  
few successful community volunteer programs with documented results.  About 
two-thirds of the tutors have been with the program for at least three years, 
and 14 percent have been tutors since the program began.
	 "Charlottesville City Schools enjoys a collegial partnership with 
U.Va. and the community that makes the Book Buddies program a success," 
noted Nancy Toms, division coordinator of instruction.  "The University 
work-study students will enable us to help more children in the schools."
					###
                                                             October 20, 1997
          For more information, contact Marcia Invernizzi at (804) 924-0844, 
Malcolm Jarrell at (804) 296-9151, or Nancy Toms at (804) 984-7036.  
Yvonne Hubbard, director of U.Va.'s Office of Financial Aid to Students, 
is at (804) 982-4780.