Tim Blair, a professor of Reading and Literacy in UCF’s College of Education, met with a representative of the U.S. Department of Education on Monday to discuss his reading camp program for disadvantaged children in downtown Orlando’s Parramore neighborhood.
Blair leads a reading program, which is held Saturday mornings during the fall and spring and every day in June. The free tutoring program has been held at community centers in Parramore for 13 years and is staffed by education students from UCF.
On Monday, Blair spoke with Greg Darnieder, Senior Advisor to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, about UCF’s involvement with urban education and partnership with the City of Orlando’s Department of Families, Parks and Recreation.
Darnieder was in town to learn about the City of Orlando’s College Access Initiative, which focuses on helping Central Florida students pursue and earn college degrees.
“The city is proud of my program and its commitment to children and parents in Parramore,” said Blair. “The unique partnership between a college of education and a major metropolitan city can and should be replicated throughout the country—indeed that was my message to Greg Darnieder.”
To learn more about the College of Education, visit http://education.ucf.edu.