City of Mesa highlights growth of Experience Corps reading-tutor program with Mesa Unified District and AARP Foundation

Catherine White, Education and Workforce Coordinator for the City of Mesa, said the city is expanding the Experience Corps tutoring program that pairs retired adults with students who need additional reading support.

The program aims to boost reading skills and student engagement by matching retirees with pupils for regular one-on-one sessions. "When I think about this program and I see the progress that the students make throughout the year, it makes me so happy and proud," White said.

White said the city is working with Mesa Unified District (4235) — referred to in the meeting as Mesa Public Schools — and the AARP Foundation on the initiative and described strong interest from community volunteers. A speaker identified in the meeting as a volunteer noted the relationships formed through the program encourage attendance: "With those relationships, they wanna be here on Tuesday and Thursday because they know they're gonna see their reading tutors." The volunteer also said there is broad community interest in donating time to the program.

A student participant told meeting attendees the tutoring helped build confidence: "It helped me to speak up and, like, not like asking the teacher what's this word and all that." White said the city hopes to "keep growing, and expanding in a sustainable way over the next few years," adding that the partnership with Mesa Unified District and the AARP Foundation supports that goal.

Meeting remarks focused on program benefits — reading gains and stronger adult-student connections — and plans for measured expansion. No funding amounts, specific school participation counts, or implementation timelines were provided during the remarks.