Student Life

Description: Liberty Kids is a children's literacy program designed to help first through third graders who struggle with reading. For an hour and a half once a week, volunteers and the participating children meet after school to read together in pairs, socialize as a group during a brief snack time, and participate in group storytime. The program aims to build confidence in the young readers while strengthening their reading skills by providing one-on-one mentorship and reading assistance in a fun, comfortable environment.

Colgate volunteers are idolized by the children, who do not usually get an opportunity to read with another person or to read with someone other than their parents.  The children are very anxious to see the volunteers every week.

Students carpool or walk to the local elementary school (about two blocks from campus) while the children picked up by a late bus after the program is finished.

Community: Colgate students volunteer with local area children at Hamilton Central School.

Volunteers say: "It's amazing what even a few weeks of reading with the same person can do for these kids. They become so much more confident in their abilities, and they really love getting to hang out with us."