
History
REACH for Literacy is a nonprofit based in Lacey, Washington with a mission of improving lives through literacy. At the request of clergy from St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church, Clarkson created REACH in 2018 to address the literacy gap within North Thurston Public Schools, where nearly 40% of students fail to reach state standards and nearly 70 % qualify for free and reduced lunches.
In its first two years, REACH was run by volunteers as a summer program in rooms at St. Andrew’s church. The program targeted the ‘summer slump’, the lack of academic progress or even regression that students from lower socio-economic backgrounds often experience during the summer months due to a lack of resources or enrichment in their home environments. In 2018 and 2019, 25 students in grades 1-5 enrolled in the REACH program for free services designed to boost skills in phonics, reading comprehension and fluency. After reaching full capacity, an additional 20 students were placed on a waiting list. The program was put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic but resumed in summer 2021.
REACH for Literacy is a nonprofit based in Lacey, Washington with a mission of improving lives through literacy. At the request of clergy from St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church, Clarkson created REACH in 2018 to address the literacy gap within North Thurston Public Schools, where nearly 40% of students fail to reach state standards and nearly 70 % qualify for free and reduced lunches.
In its first two years, REACH was run by volunteers as a summer program in rooms at St. Andrew’s church. The program targeted the ‘summer slump’, the lack of academic progress or even regression that students from lower socio-economic backgrounds often experience during the summer months due to a lack of resources or enrichment in their home environments. In 2018 and 2019, 25 students in grades 1-5 enrolled in the REACH program for free services designed to boost skills in phonics, reading comprehension and fluency. After reaching full capacity, an additional 20 students were placed on a waiting list. The program was put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic but resumed in summer 2021.
Our Founder
Barbara Clarkson
Barbara is on a mission to transform lives through literacy education. The Lacey resident and founder of the REACH (Reading Enhances All Choices for Humans) program, has big plans for a new non-profit literacy education center to be located on the campus of St. Andrews United Methodist Church in Lacey.
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REACH for Literacy was founded by education advocate A. Barbara Clarkson, known by her friends as Barbara. Barbara has a strong background in education and workforce development. In her more than 50-year career, she has overseen numerous nonprofit and state programs, including the Yakima Valley Opportunities Industrialization Center, an educational and employment training program that served 19 different state agencies, and the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, where she served as a program specialist. Through her work with The Thurston Group of Washington State, she continues to champion access to higher education for African-American and underrepresented students, sending hundreds of youth from the Pacific Northwest to college with over $8 million in scholarships.
For 14 years she served on the Board of Trustees at the South Puget Sound Community College and in 2018, the board passed a unanimous vote to recognize her tireless efforts to improve access to education for underserved students and increase equity by naming the campus Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Center (DEIC) in her honor. |
Literacy Center Building Project
REACH currently serves K-5 students within the North Thurston Public Schools and beyond, but over time will expand to include older students, adults, military service members, veterans, and military spouses as well as serving as a workforce development site serving the literacy needs of local employers. Volunteers from St. Andrew’s provide one-on-one support, group activities, and mentorship. In the short-term, the goal is to collaborate with Saint Martin’s University and bring in Education students who will serve as interns. Eventually, the Center will be fully staffed by paid employees. |
![]() Exterior renderings for the proposed project designed by KMB architects.
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Capital Campaign
In 2020, REACH launched a capital campaign to develop a literacy center on land provided by St. Andrews UMC. The $2.6 Million center will feature classrooms, offices, restrooms, laundry facility for homeless students, as well as a small commercial kitchen to provide meals and snacks. It will operate independently of St. Andrews with its own staff, volunteers, and oversight.
In 2020, REACH launched a capital campaign to develop a literacy center on land provided by St. Andrews UMC. The $2.6 Million center will feature classrooms, offices, restrooms, laundry facility for homeless students, as well as a small commercial kitchen to provide meals and snacks. It will operate independently of St. Andrews with its own staff, volunteers, and oversight.