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The University of Mount Olive recently announced that its reading clinic program received a grant of $67,725 from the Anonymous Trust for the 2025-26 academic year. This funding will support elementary students struggling with literacy while providing education majors with hands-on teaching experience.
“The UMO Reading Clinic is an innovative initiative that exemplifies a win-win opportunity for both our students and the community,” said Amanda Bullard-Maxwell, Assistant Dean of Education in news announcement. “Not only does it provide our future teachers with invaluable experience, but it directly reflects UMO’s commitment to community engagement and service.”
The program began as a pilot in 2023, working with 10 students from North Duplin Elementary. The clinic uses research-based resources like Flyleaf decodable texts and tailors instruction to each student’s reading level to provide personalized and effective literacy development.
“The students are always eager to learn, and they arrive at the clinic excited and motivated,” said Ashley Johnson, Associate Professor of Education and Fieldwork Coordinator at UMO.
“One student even tells his parents he’s ‘going to college’ when he comes for his tutoring sessions,” said Johnson. “It’s inspiring to see both the academic growth and the confidence these young learners are developing.”
The new funding — almost three times the original grant amount — will support several major upgrades, including expanded small group tutoring, a new summer reading camp, stipends for lead teachers, a partnership with Carver Elementary School, and efforts to widen the clinic’s impact across Duplin and Wayne counties.
“The continued generosity of the Anonymous Trust allows us to expand our reach, deepen our services, and ultimately impact more students and future educators,” Johnson said.
