LETTTER: Everybody Wins! program needs local mentors
October 25, 2025 | By Jeannie RandallTo the Community:
In the heart of our community, a quiet revolution is taking place, one book at a time. Through the Everybody Wins! Vermont program, local students are not just learning to read – they’re learning to love it, thanks to the dedication of caring adult mentors.
Waterbury volunteer Caitlin Hollister meets with her mentee in the library at Brookside Primary School. Courtesy photo
Everybody Wins! Vermont is a statewide, nonprofit, children’s literacy and mentoring program that pairs community members with students for meaningful, one-on-one sessions each week right here at Brookside Primary School. These sessions – a blend of reading, games, and conversation – are a vital tool in helping children develop a passion for literacy, build confidence, and form a lasting bond with a supportive adult.
The impact of this simple commitment is profound. “Everybody Wins has had such a positive impact on the children,” one second-grade teacher said. “Every mentor was carefully matched with students and they always looked forward to the program weekly. I heard so many comments about positive experiences: ‘This was the best year ever!’ ‘My mentor knows so many cool things!’”
Second-grade mentors needed
While new mentors and mentees continue to be matched, the program faces a growing demand. Currently, there is a waiting list of second-graders at Brookside Primary School eagerly awaiting a mentor to read with on Thursdays from 11:15 a.m. until noon.
In addition, to meet the growing interest from students, the program is actively seeking more community members to join the program in Waitsfield, Montpelier, Northfield, and Waterbury. Mentors consistently report that they find the experience incredibly rewarding, proving that the benefit goes both ways.
Everybody Wins! Vermont is actively recruiting caring adults who can commit to one hour a week during the school year. The more mentors who join, the more students can benefit from this life-changing program.
Thanking volunteers
Everybody Wins! Vermont would like to celebrate all the amazing mentors and mentees at Brookside Primary School! A huge shout-out goes to all the mentors (past and present) for giving their time, energy, for being reliable, supportive, and fun adults in their mentees’ lives. Their dedication is building literacy and lasting bonds that strengthen our entire community.
If you can spare an hour a week to make a lasting difference – helping a child build strong self-esteem, reading skills, and a lifelong love of books – Everybody Wins! Vermont would love to hear from you. The mentor application and more information are online at Everybody Wins. (A paper application can be mailed upon request.) Direct any questions by email to waterbury@everybodywinsvermont.org.
Jeannie Randall, Everybody Wins! Vermont site coordinator
Brookside Primary School