Our Origin Story
Wise Readers to Leaders is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that began in 2014 as an outreach program through Stephen Wise Temple in Los Angeles. What started as a small literacy initiative serving 50 students at a single site quickly demonstrated a profound impact.
As our program grew, we expanded our work beyond the original campus. We have evolved from serving 50 students (scholars) at one location to reaching nearly 450 scholars annually across multiple campuses throughout Los Angeles. We developed our own culturally responsive literacy curriculum, designed by leading educational experts to better engage and support Los Angeles’ diverse communities.
In order to cultivate a nurturing learning environment, we developed a comprehensive teen leadership program for teens across Los Angeles that emphasizes cross-cultural experiences, community service opportunities, and meaningful hands-on mentorship. This initiative empowers teens to grow as confident leaders while fostering empathy, collaboration, and a deep commitment to equity in education.
What began as a small summer program has grown into a year-round, multi-layered support system for scholars, teens, and families.
Our Mission
Wise Readers to Leaders is dedicated to closing the literacy achievement gap for youth from underserved communities and preparing future leaders for a diverse world through innovative, culturally responsive literacy instruction and cross-cultural leadership programming.
Our programs prevent summer learning loss and help mitigate academic setbacks. Each summer, we provide free, high-quality literacy instruction to hundreds of K–8 students from historically underserved communities across Los Angeles. Our academic programming is paired with camp-style enrichment activities to foster both academic and personal growth.
Operating year-round, we extend literacy beyond the classroom through our Remote Tutoring Program, which pairs teen volunteers with younger scholars for weekly reading, math, and mentoring sessions, and our year-round Remote Enrichment and Literacy Classes, led by our trained staff. We strengthen these relationships through in-person literacy events, field trips, and community service projects. In addition, we support our teen volunteers as they navigate high school, extracurricular involvement, and the college application process.
Wise Readers to Leaders is not just a literacy program. It is a holistic learning and family support model built on the foundation of reading.
Our Vision
We envision a Los Angeles where a child’s zip code does not determine their academic trajectory or future opportunities. One where every child deserves the opportunity to become the best version of themselves.
Research shows that students from low-income communities often lose more than two months of reading achievement each summer, while their higher-income peers make gains. When this pattern repeats year after year, the cumulative impact widens the achievement gap significantly by high school, sometimes leaving students two to three grades behind.
At the same time, many of the students we serve attend Title I schools where over 85% of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. During the summer months, access to consistent, nutritious meals becomes limited, creating an additional barrier to academic success and well-being.
Wise Readers to Leaders exists to interrupt this cycle. We strive to expand our reach, deepen our impact, and open additional sites across Los Angeles. Our vision is rooted in equity, opportunity, and the belief that every child deserves the resources, mentorship, and community support necessary to thrive.