REAP was born out of a passion to help struggling readers. Jen and Jeremy Rhett are the parents of dyslexic children. They saw firsthand how their kids blossomed with the help of specially trained tutors. They knew that lots of kids struggle with reading for a variety of reasons. They also knew that most of these kids would never have a tutor, which means they would likely fall behind their peers. They would struggle to keep up in middle and high school, then struggle to find a good job.
“Structured Literacy changed our kids’ lives and we knew it could help other kids who might never learn to read otherwise.”
Jen and Jeremy decided to use their small business to give back to the community, specifically to help struggling readers. They decided to focus on teacher training as a way to help kids learn to read proficiently. They founded REAP in 2013 with the goal of training one teacher in Structured Literacy. Instead of one teacher, they funded and coordinated training for a dozen teachers that first year. REAP was flooded with applications from teachers who desperately wanted this training to help their struggling readers.
photo: REAP Summer Reading Institute 2017
Fast forward eight years…REAP has its own team of instructors called Literacy Leaders, and has trained more than 1,000 public school teachers and pre-service teachers in Structured Literacy. These trained teachers have helped more than 40,000 metro Atlanta readers including kids with dyslexia or ADHD, economically disadvantaged kids, English language learners, etc.
Jen and Jeremy have been amazed by the excitement they see from teachers when they finally understand how to break through to their struggling readers. The Rhetts are grateful for all the support from community members and organizations that help them accomplish their goals.
“We believe reading is a civil right. Every child deserves the chance to become a reader. We empower teachers with the skills to transform struggling readers into successful learners with a bright future.”