Dodger Goes to Bat for Literacy

It had all the elements of a big game: screaming fans, big plays and a few scuffles. But on the grass at Dodger Stadium, there was only one Dodger at the plate: Shawn Green.

The outfielder went to bat Wednesday as the official spokesman for Koreh L.A., a literacy program of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles.

“I wanted to work with kids and there is no better cause,” said Green, who approached the federation about representing its literacy effort. “Being a skilled reader is important for everyone, especially children.”

Named for the Hebrew word meaning “read,” Koreh L.A. pairs reading partners from the Jewish community with first- through third-graders. The volunteers spend one hour a week reading with students in 33 schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Koreh L.A. was started last fall in response to the America Reads Challenge initiated by President Clinton. In California, 80% of fourth-graders read below a proficient level, according to national test scores cited by the program.

The program has more than 600 volunteers, but with a $100,000 grant from the Winnick Family Foundation it is working to expand its reach by recruiting 5,000 more over the next five years.

Program officials hope Green’s unsolicited endorsement of the program will encourage more volunteers from the Jewish community to join the fight against illiteracy.

“Once again [Green] is stepping out in the tradition of great Jewish role models,” said Deborah Kattler Kupez, chairman of the program. “He’s exceptional.”

Celebrating Green’s announcement were student volunteers from Shalhevet High School and their first-grade reading partners from Carthay Elementary School.

“It’s amazing,” 14-year-old Shalhevet freshman Sarah Mayman said of Green’s endorsement. “It will make more people volunteer.”