Reading at grade level by the end of third grade is one of the top determinants on whether or not a child will graduate high school. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools have one of the lowest reading proficiency rates in the state of North Carolina, with less than 40% of students reading at grade level by the end of third grade. Here’s where the YMCA steps in. Our nationally recognized literacy program, Y Readers, partners with schools all across our Greater Charlotte footprint to provide children with the educational support needed to increase their literacy proficiency.

Red, white and blue, and fireworks too! Happy 4th of July! 🎇

DID YOU KNOW: A child’s third grade reading level determines if they will graduate high school on time? Prior to the pandemic, literacy rates in our region were already low. Today, our schools are reporting an alarming decline. The Y is determined to reverse this trajectory. #YReaders, our nationally recognized literacy program, is offered free of charge to provide the additional support students need to gain self-confidence and be proficient in reading by the end of third grade. To continue this program we need your support. Y Readers gifts received from August 1-31 will be matched up to $30,000 thanks to The Leon Levine Foundation. More details to come!

Plan your next workout with the best place in Uptown! 💪 Join the Childress Klein Y for $30.10 per month for the first 3 months, with a one adult membership! Experience the Y as a member with a variety of group exercise classes, an indoor track, indoor pool, group exercise and cycle studios, private full-length lockers and towel service, and so much more! Click here to join today >>> http://ow.ly/wJBC50JJVaV

Our awesome volunteers help to transform lives and make our programs possible! This month we would like to highlight Ryan Sullivan, Keith Family YMCA Miracle League Volunteer. “Our announcers add such a fun element to our Miracle League games! Ryan Sullivan not only humors us with his jokes, he has gone above and beyond by his dedication to consistently being there, knowing almost all of the kids by name, getting the fans involved, and is able to adapt to our fun and chaotic games!” - Stephanie Spradley Keith Family YMCA, Miracle League Coordinator

Have you booked your body scan? 💪 There’s still time left to get your free body scan at Childress Klein. The benefits of a body scan are endless! This assessment can tell you everything you need to know about improving your health. Offer ends Saturday, June 25th so book today. >>> http://ow.ly/lfrq50Jziro

Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, is the oldest nationally-celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the U.S. June 19 marks the date that more than 250,000 enslaved Africans in the state of Texas became aware of their freedom, two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed on January 1, 1863. #Juneteenth is an opportunity to celebrate, lament and educate: celebrating emancipation, liberation, and progress; lamenting that there is still much work to be done; and educating for racial equity and inclusion of all people.

In honor of the upcoming Juneteenth holiday, we asked members of our Y team to share what Juneteenth means to them. Carnel Hoover began her career with the YMCA in 2017 as a member of the business office support team after retiring as a human resources director. She holds a bachelor’s in psychology, master’s in early childhood Education, MBA and a Ph.D. in business administration and PHR. When asked what Juneteenth means to her, she shared “I commemorate the holiday with a cookout with friends. We intentionally discuss the history of Juneteenth, what we’ve faced in our personal lives and where we are in America today.”