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esse Brill of the Class of 1960 is determined to make a positive impact on children’s lives in underserved areas of Oakland, CA, where only 35% of elementary students read at or above grade level. He has been making presentations to congregations at various churches to promote a groundbreaking reading program called the Warriors 1-2-3-4 Program.

 

The Warriors 1-2-3-4 Program focuses on providing reading resources and support to parents before their children reach school age. The four elements of the program encourage parents to:

 

(1)   Teach their child the ABC’s by singing the ABC song and utilizing the box of flashcards that the program provides upon sign-up.

(2)   Familiarize their child with the sounds each letter makes.

(3)   Teach their child to write or type their name while sounding out each individual letter.

(4)   Read with their child for five minutes before bedtime every day.

 

Parents/guardians receive a text and/or email at the end of every Sunday that asks four simple questions:  How many letters did your child learn this week? What is the total number of letters your child knows? How many letters in your child’s name do they recognize? How many times this week did you read to your child? Encouragement and follow-up is given to everyone, even those who don’t respond.

 

Jesse says that churches are critical to the program’s success because they offer an information/sign-up table at the conclusion of each Sunday service, so parents and guardians can inquire about the program as they depart.