Xavier Aguilar 
EDINBURG – The Red Rover Readers program is a non-profit group that aims to help children express their emotions and ideas through stories about animals.
This program teaches volunteers how to keep kids engaged in storytime. Teaching kids about empathy and developing positive relationship skills, while also improving literacy skills.
UTRGV lecturer and co-sponsor of the group, Janet Martinez, emphasizes the importance of teaching these life skills.
“Getting it to the schools, getting it to the children across the community, so that we don’t see these continuous problems of animal abuse, bullying, of a lack of compassion, a lack of empathy,” says Martinez.
Martinez adds that it helps empower children by doing more than having them go through the motions but teaches them to process their feelings and ideas.
“Students need the social-emotional skills, they need self-awareness, self-management social awareness, responsible decision making, and relationship skills and this program besides the literacy is what it is for,” Martinez says.
Volunteers are trained to ask open-ended, non-leading, and non-judgmental questions.
With lesson guides on hand—volunteers can help readers engage in the perspective process.
By putting readers into the characters’ shoes, showing both sides of a story.
President of the Red Rover RGV group, Chelsea Hughes encourages UTRGV students and community members to volunteer.
“If you love animals and people and want to connect with your community this is a thing that’s on a lot of our flyers, this is a fantastic program for you,” says Hughes, “You can be as involved with the club you can be really involved or just do an occasional reading.”
The next training course will be Friday, Feb. 3, from 9 a.m. to noon at both campuses.
For any questions, email redroverreadersrgv@gmail.com
