Children's Tutoring Initiative

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Columbus, OH
Children's Tutoring Initiative

One lunch hour each week, One life changed forever! The weekly tutoring sessions provide the individualized literacy support that help students.

Volunteer tutors are meeting the needs of struggling elementary school students central Ohio school districts.

10/02/2026

What helps a student go from simply reading the words to truly understanding the story?

Strong reading comprehension helps students make sense of what they read, connect
ideas, and build skills that support their progress in and beyond the classroom. And
sometimes, strengthening those skills can start with a few simple changes to how we read
together.

In honor of National Book Month, we're sharing 3 simple ways you can help build a student's
reading comprehension.

What's one strategy you use to help a young reader better understand what they're
reading?

09/26/2026

This Hispanic Heritage Month we’re celebrating the stories, cultures, and voices that have shaped many generations 📚❤️

Books give young readers the opportunity to see themselves reflected in the stories they read while also discovering experiences and perspectives beyond their own. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Charleys Kids is sharing a few books that highlight Hispanic and Latinx stories, characters, and culture.

Save this list for your next read, or share it with someone looking for a new book to add to their shelf!

09/24/2026

Leaders Arise more than reading support. It’s about developing the next generation of leaders and preparing high school students for what comes next.

Kevin, who works as a teacher leader for Graduate Success & Career Connected Learning, has seen firsthand how Leaders Arise helps students build real-world skills in communication, teamwork, responsibility, and understanding the perspectives of others.

High school students walk away with more than a program on their resume. They gain a leadership mindset, stronger communication skills, greater confidence, and workforce readiness skills they can carry into college, careers, and their communities.

The high school students build those skills while making a difference, serving as reading mentors and helping younger students grow in literacy skills and build their confidence.

That’s the power of Leaders Arise. Developing tomorrow’s leaders while helping today’s young readers thrive.

𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲? 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐲𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐝𝐬.𝐨𝐫𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐬.

09/22/2026

Amira knows what it feels like to struggle with reading. As a child, there were days she didn’t even want to go to school.

Years later, she became the mentor she once needed.

Through Leaders Arise, Amira is now helping a younger student build confidence as a reader while growing as a leader herself. Along the way, she discovered something she didn’t expect: a stronger sense of ambition for her own future.

That’s what can happen when young people are given the opportunity to lead. They don’t just help someone else grow. They begin to see what’s possible for themselves, too.

Charleys Kids is creating more opportunities for students like Amira to lead, mentor, and make a difference. Help us grow the impact.

Visit CharleysKids.org to learn how you can get involved.

09/18/2026

Brayden grew up in this community. Now he’s giving back to it, one student at a time.

As an aspiring educator, volunteering with CTI gave him something he wasn’t expecting: real, hands-on experience helping a child see what’s possible for themselves through learning.

09/16/2026

One of our favorite stories comes from a school principal, not a volunteer.

A student got off the bus, saw him, and said, “You’re not my mentor.” A small mix-up, but it said everything about the bond that had formed between that student and their CTI volunteer.

That’s the kind of connection one hour a week can build.

09/14/2026

Stephen didn’t sign up expecting it to change him too.

He talks about the days that feel small, when you’re not sure if any of it is landing. Then a student remembers something from weeks ago, or shows you just how much they’ve grown, and you have your answer.

Showing up consistently is the whole job. The rest tends to follow.

09/12/2026

As summer comes to a close, one of our favorite memories is the Columbus Book Festival, where parents, volunteers, and neighbors came together through a shared love of reading and books.

It was a powerful reminder that kids thrive when a community surrounds them with encouragement, opportunity, and support.

We’re proud to be a community partner supporting students, teachers, parents, and volunteers. More than 50 people signed up to join us in this work! We couldn’t be more grateful.

Thank you, Columbus, for showing up for children and literacy!

09/10/2026

Most people think you need a teaching degree to tutor. You don’t!

CTI volunteers get real training before they ever sit down with a student, and background
checks are provided at no cost to you. You need about an hour. We handle the rest.

09/08/2026

We approach reading as both a skill and a source of discovery — helping students build confidence while developing a genuine love for books and learning.

Every CTI student is paired with a consistent volunteer, every week, so reading comes with real relationship, not just repetition.

This spring, 90% of our students said they enjoyed their sessions, and 87% said they felt more confident as readers.

Address

5000 Arlington Centre Boulevard
Columbus, OH
43220

Website

http://childrenstutoring.org/

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