If reading is fundamental, the City Impact Reading Program is a vital tool in helping children read and also grow confidence in the classroom.

A simple word, a finished sentence, a story -- read all by herself. It's something most first graders learn to do, and now Channele Allen can do it too.

Dee Roth volunteers for City Impact's Impact Learning Center. She's helped Allen progress from a non reading level to a first grade level in 18 weeks. Roth believes this is only the beginning of better things for Allen.

"I'm confident that I'm going to make a difference in her life because she is more of a confident reader now. I think now she will be able to succeed her school work and do well," said Dee Roth, volunteer.

More than 100 volunteers like Roth have helped children in the program improve an average of two grade levels in reading.

Todd Bowman, the program's director, believes if you make children into stronger readers, you also make them into confident people.

"We have seen time and time again students who come in as a struggling reader make rapid progress become a strong reader reading above grade level. We have seen transformation in their personality and belief in themselves. They go from lacking confidence to confident," Bowman said.

Allen is just happy to read and reap the rewards.

"I get to learn my words, and I get master my words, and my stories and I get prizes when I read it," she said.

The reading program finished their first year with each child improving their reading at least one grade level. For more information on the City Impact Reading Program, click here.