[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16784]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           THE SMART PROGRAM

 Mr. SMITH. Madam President, today I rise to recognize a proven 
early literacy program called SMART, which stands for ``Start Making A 
Reader Today.'' The program gives children who have difficulty reading 
the extra support and one-on-one attention they need to learn to read 
and succeed.
  Each year, SMART matches more than 11,000 young children in Oregon 
with adult volunteers for weekly one-on-one reading sessions. 
Independent research shows that these relationships have a measurable 
impact on the students' reading performance. At a time when we are 
striving to better serve our Nation's students, this Oregon program is 
a model for the Nation. SMART has improved young Oregonians' 
performance on important benchmark exams, and has given students an 
important boost of confidence for continued academic success.
  Twelve years ago, Johnell Bell was a first grader struggling to learn 
to read. His teacher noted Johnell toiling to keep pace with his 
classmates, and recommended him for SMART. For several years, Johnell 
worked with one of SMART's 10,000 volunteers to develop his reading 
skills. With free books at his disposal, Johnell practiced reading at 
home and quickly developed into a star student and a dynamic young 
leader. Now a student at Portland State University, he is returning the 
favor. Every week, he spends time between classes with two SMART 
readers.
  We should learn from proven successes and invest in programs that 
have a measurable impact on our children's future. By successfully 
mobilizing communities to improve the lives of thousands of children, 
SMART, and other programs like it, provide hope for America's 
children.

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