02:47 PM CST on Friday, March 3, 2006

Vickie Newton, News 4

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Olivette (KMOV) -- Ready Readers uses volunteer readers to inspire young, at risk children to read. Vickie Newton has the story of one of those readers, who is much more than just that.

KMOV

Mr. Shawn reads a story

Shawn's workday begins like most of ours; a desk, a computer, a phone.  Then, it's break time.  But this is no ordinary break.  Shawn is a Ready Reader.  He is a friend and a role model and for that he gets the greatest feeling in the world.

When Shawn heard about Ready Readers, he wasn't sure it was for him.  Now, these moments are as full filling for the man as they are for the child.

You can't put a price on a little girl’s smile, or a boy with bulging eyes.  

It's time for the show to close.  The children will long for the day the man returns.  And the man will venture back into the real world, and feel really, really good about himself.

Quite simply, Ready Readers can use more readers, specifically more male readers. But reading is only a very small part of the task.  Influencing young lives is the big picture.