Entries by Emily Merritt

United WE READ Continues Serving Students in Summer 2020.

Over 1,000 books were given to Greater Kingsport students and families through school feeding sites and at a local apartment complex. United WE READ was set to offer our 4th annual Camp Read to Lead this summer (see 2019’s summary here)! With a generous grant from the Ballad Health Foundation, we were excited to continue offering […]

Resources for Families Learning Together at Home | Our Response to COVID-19 Closures

Families, while you and your students are home due to many COVID-19 precautionary closures, United WE READ remains committed to our mission of “engaging, empowering, and equipping all children, families, and the Greater Kingsport community with tools and strategies that build a literacy rich culture, and a pathway to lifelong success.” Right now, that pathway […]

United WE READ’s Two School District Partners Are Achieving Great Results!

This week brought significant milestone announcements for both Kingsport City Schools and Sullivan County Department of Education. United WE READ supports our educators in their daily work to achieve literacy growth for ALL students. So when the official results return and that growth is clearly showcased, we love to highlight their great, ongoing work. This […]

3rd Annual Camp Read to Lead is Underway!

United WE READ’s Camp Read to Lead  is currently in operation for a 3rd summer of growth, is funded by a partnership between Ballad Health Foundation and United Way of Greater Kingsport, and is hosted by Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kingsport and Bloomingdale Baptist Church! Our 2019 theme is “Super Reader, Super Self!” […]

Summertime – Road Trip Ideas

It’s summertime and that means many families will be hitting the road for trips, family visits, vacations, or even just the daily shuttling to camps and activities. ( Raise your hand if you’re taking a car ride with kids at any point this summer🖐🏽🖐🏿🖐🏼). Why not make that car time valuable for brain building, interacting […]

Thank you, Robin McClellan, for championing our students!

United WE READ is grateful for the many educators, leaders, and community members who pour into our students each and every day. On this #InternationalWomensDay, we wanted to give a special shout-out to longtime UWR Leadership Team member and champion for students, Dr. Robin McClellan of Sullivan County Department of Education. Recently, Dr. McClellan has […]

Read Across America – EVERY Day!

In celebration of Read Across America Day, United WE READ partnered this year with Roosevelt Elementary School in our local Kingsport City Schools district. We provided books and a grab-bag of items to promote our message which reminds students and families to Read 20 Minutes Every Day! All PreK through 5th grade students at Roosevelt […]

Local United Ways and Ballad Health Announce Early Grade Reading Partnership

United Way of Greater Kingsport and the United WE READ Initiative are excited to announce their participation in a regional partnership between Ballad Health and seven area United Ways. With a $300,000 regional investment committed from the United Ways, Ballad Foundation, and Ballad Health employees, the momentum and support of this partnership ensures that United […]