We build early literacy skills for primary grade children in communities with limited resources. Our vision is that every child will read at grade level or above by the third grade and be eagerly engaged in learning.

Description:
Super Stars Literacy (SSL) works with children in kindergarten through second grades who exhibit significant delays in reading acquisition or reading skills development and thus are at serious risk of school failure. SSL program staff work with classroom teachers to identify students scoring in the lowest quartile in reading for admission to our program. SSL provides intensive literacy instruction combined with social/behavioral skill development. SSL program staff combine several instructional strategies which are designed to enable each child to cultivate literacy skills including: 1) Comprehension (vocabulary, critical thinking, listening and speaking); 2) Decoding (phonics, phonemic awareness and sight words); 3) Writing (encoding and composition). The program activities provide both direct instructional experiences as well as experiential, independent learning designed to facilitate literacy acquisition. An individualized program combining both individual instruction and group support is developed for each student. Students are tracked for progress through on-going classroom teacher coordination that links learning to the classroom curriculum and keeps the program staff informed of students’ needs in the areas of academic, developmental, and emotional support.

History:
In 2002, the Junior League of Oakland-East Bay launched Super Stars Literacy at Hoover Elementary School in West Oakland. Hoover is located in one of the Bay Area’s poorest, most underserved, and highest crime neighborhoods. In February 2007, Super Stars Literacy expanded to second school in a similar low socio-economic community of Oakland, Parker Elementary. The demonstrated success of the SSL program at these schools has led us to further expand the program to 4-6 schools for the 2008-09 school year, and to thereafter continue expanding across the East Bay.

Contact people:

Mike Mowery, Executive Director, (phone), (email) Erin Drake, Program Director, (phone), (email) Rose Lynn Abesamis-Bell, Program Director, (phone), (email)

Main office number: (510) 777-0870
Office fax number: (925) 256-8137

Address:

675 Hegenberger Road, Suite 250 Oakland, CA 94621 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.superstarsliteracy.org

Directions:

Super Stars office is located just south of Oakland Coliseum.   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: Oakland Coliseum BART,   Walk distance (in minutes): 10

Miscellaneous Information

Besides English, which languages are spoken at your agency?
	Arabic, Spanish
What is the minimum age for volunteers at your agency?
	21
Is your agency wheelchair accessible?
	Yes
Does your agency have the capacity to host groups of more than 10?
	Yes
Does your agency have the capacity to host groups of more than 20?
	No