REAP: Reading is Essential for All People
REAP was born out of a passion to help struggling readers. Jennifer and Jeremy Rhett are the parents of dyslexic children, and they felt the need to use their small business to give back to the community, specifically struggling readers. Carla Stanford—friend, neighbor and a public school teacher for 20 years—worried over the young readers who moved from grade to grade without acquiring the solid reading skills they would need to succeed with school and a career.
Their friendship and shared passions led the three to create REAP. They knew that with the right tools in their teaching toolbox our dedicated public school teachers could make good readers great readers, and struggling readers into strong readers.
The Internal Revenue Service recognizes Reading is Essential for All People Inc. as a Section 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization.
Sponsors & Partners: check sponsors, partner, collaborators and friends of REAP.
CertaPro Painters of Atlanta assists with REAP’s operating costs so that 100% of individual donations go directly to public school teacher training.
Who is REAP?
Jennifer Rhett: Executive Director & Founder
Jennifer Rhett is a mother of three, a small business owner, and the Executive Director of Reading is Essential for All People (REAP). Jennifer co-founded REAP in 2013 after discovering that 32% of 4th graders in GA are not able to read at a basic level. She serves on the board of the National Coalition for Reading Excellence and works with organizations across the country to bring a stronger foundation of reading instruction to public school teachers. Jennifer currently resides in Decatur, Georgia and has been working closely with educators and volunteers to improve reading proficiency in public school students across Metro Atlanta.
Carla Stanford: Vice President & Founder
Carla Stanford co-founded REAP in 2013 as a way to help all children learn to read. She has been educating children for 20 years. Carla’s special passion is unlocking the potential within struggling readers and developing the love of reading in all the children she teaches.
Several years ago, after earning “Teacher of the Year” in her school district, Carla used her award money to pay her tuition for specialized training in the foundations of reading (Orton-Gillingham). Right away she witnessed the positive impact this teaching methodology had on her students, and she truly understands its value and its potential. As a fellow educator, Carla knows that public school teachers work very hard to reach all their readers, especially those who struggle. She wants all public school teachers to have the opportunity to take part in this valuable training so they can have the tools to make all their students stronger, more confident readers.
Carla formerly served as the Director of Education for REAP and is currently serving as a consultant and board member while she pursues a doctorate in California.
Surrounded by struggling readers his entire life, Jeremy recognized at a young age that 1980’s educators were not equipped with the proper tools for all learning styles. As a father of three he was surprised to learn that 21st century teachers are still having difficulties reaching many of their students.
As a CertaPro Painters franchise owner, Jeremy attended the 2013 national CertaPro conference and was inspired by its message: use your business to drive a personal passion in your community. He and wife, Jen, spent the eight-hour return trip from the conference crafting the plan for REAP. With the support of reading specialist Carla Stanford, the three immediately began their mission to impact reading instruction on a large scale. Jeremy serves on the board of REAP and continues to lead the CertaPro Painters business, which covers part of the operating expenses for REAP.
Info coming soon.
Susan has a long-standing track record of working on behalf of public-school children. She is a member of the Georgia State Advisory Panel for Special Education, which advises the Georgia Department of Education Divisions for Special Education Services and Supports on the provision of special education and related services for students with disabilities. Susan also serves as the Special Education Committee Chair for E. Rivers Elementary, an Atlanta Public School. Susan is a classically-trained chef, and has leveraged that knowledge and experience on behalf of children and families facing food-security issues through Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry initiative.
Info coming soon.
REAP Timeline
2010-2012
- Friends Jeremy Rhett, Jennifer Rhett, and Carla Stanford, worry over reading proficiency in public school students.
October 2012
- Carla takes a class in the Orton-Gillingham Approach to reading instruction and begins successfully implementing the strategies in her 1st grade public school classrooms.
January 2013
- Jeremy, Jen, and Carla realize the best way to reach struggling readers is through their most valuable resource—their teachers.
- REAP is born!
- REAP will fund training for public school teachers in the foundations of reading instruction, specifically multisensory, systematic, and direct phonics instruction.
February – April 2013
- REAP receives 35 applications from public school teachers, and partners with the Decatur Education Foundation and IDA-GA to fund the training for 12 public school teachers.
- REAP partners with The Schenck School to provide the training using nationally recognized experts.
February 2014
- REAP receives over 100 applications and raises over $95,000.
- REAP partners with The Swift School and GeorgiaETA to provide additional nationally recognized instructors for the training.
Fall 2014
- 74 public school teachers enter the training program.
December 2014
- REAP joins the national organization Coalition for Reading Excellence.
Winter 2014-15
- REAP for Roswell, a committee developed to raise funds for training teachers in Roswell and throughout Fulton County, kicks off the year by hosting an awareness event and raising funds to train teachers in Roswell and Fulton County schools.
Spring 2015
- Teachers are overwhelmingly thrilled with the training and the results they are seeing in the classroom with typical, advanced, and struggling readers.
March 2015
- REAP receives 216 applications for training and accepts 94 teachers.
Fall 2015
- REAP begins shoulder-to-shoulder coaching and modeling to further the development of teachers already trained.
