The Bethany Lutheran College Education Department has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the Sauer Family Foundation based in St. Paul, Minnesota. The grant will fund the continued operation of the Bethany Literacy Clinic which provides local elementary school students with supplemental reading instruction free of charge.
The Bethany Literacy Clinic was launched in June 2022 through a $93,500 grant from the Sauer Family Foundation. That initial grant funded the Clinic throughout its first two years of operation. The new grant will provide the Clinic with funding for another three-year timeframe.
The Clinic operates on the Bethany campus where Bethany students facilitate one-on-one meetings with young readers seeking help. The meetings are arranged at a time that works for both the Bethany student tutor and the family of the young reader. The students being helped commit to participate in a minimum of two 70-minute sessions per week. The Bethany Literacy Clinic assisted over 100 students with reading skills training during the 2023-24 school year.
“We’re so very thankful for continued support for the Bethany Literacy Clinic from the Sauer Family Foundation. There are so many students in the Mankato area who will benefit from this grant, most importantly the young students needing help with their reading skills; but also our own education students who will have the opportunity to continue mentoring and teaching reading skills in a special environment for another three years,” said Dr. Carrie Pfeifer, Professor of Education at Bethany Lutheran College.
Bethany senior education major Calla Alfred is among the Bethany students providing help for the young readers.
“We’re so blessed to be able to provide families and children with reading intervention free of cost. This clinic has helped me tremendously in navigating my future career as an educator and opened my eyes to the many different ways children learn. The tools and strategies I’ve used in the clinic will be extremely useful in my future classroom,” said Alfred.
Parents of the young readers are also very pleased with the help that their children are receiving.
Nichole Schendel said of her daughter Lily’s involvement with the Center, “Lily’s progress has been phenomenal this past year. She has gained so much confidence and has said that she loves reading now! The [Bethany] students are gifted in their approach. After a long day, the last thing my child wants to do is learn more instead of play, but Jordyn makes learning fun and two minutes into session, Lily is laughing and having a great time!
Families of students residing in the Mankato area who are interested in learning more about reading help may reach out to Dr. Pfeifer by emailing her at Carrie.Pfeifer@blc.edu. One-on-one 12-week sessions take place in the fall and again in the spring. Space is limited.
About the Sauer Family Foundation: The Sauer Family Foundation (est. 1996) is a private foundation that serves children in Minnesota who are at-risk or experiencing abuse or neglect, exposed to toxic stress or trauma or have challenges developing reading, writing or math skills. The foundation also makes grants to diversify the workforce, so children see themselves reflected in the adults employed in education, social work and children’s mental health. This includes support to schools and early childhood settings, non-profit and research organizations, government agencies, collaboratives and networks. For more information about the Sauer Family Foundation, visit www.sauerff.org.
About Bethany: Bethany Lutheran College, founded in 1927, is a Christian liberal arts college located in Mankato, Minnesota. Bethany offers studies in twenty-six undergraduate programs, and the College established its first master’s degree program in 2021. Bethany’s mission focuses on educating students through personal, mentoring relationships focused both on intellectual and spiritual development, with classes delivered in a relevant and challenging academic environment. Bethany prepares students to use wisely their God-given talents in the family, church, workplace, and community.