Farmington-area retirees and other community members can express interest in volunteering to read with third-graders through a new volunteer program being developed by the Farmington/Farmington Hills Optimist Club and Farmington Public Schools.
The program, called Book Buddies, would match volunteers with elementary students for one-on-one or small-group reading sessions, according to the Optimist Club's website. Teachers at participating schools will identify which students could benefit from extra support.
Each volunteer would spend about one hour per week at an assigned Farmington Public Schools elementary building. That hour breaks into two 30-minute reading sessions held outside the regular classroom, where students practice reading aloud, listen to stories and work on vocabulary.
The commitment spans the full school year.
Farmington Public Schools will train volunteers, coordinate placements with elementary buildings and work with teachers to select students. Sonja James, the district's director of community engagement, is helping lead the effort alongside Optimist Club members.
No teaching background is required. The club's website describes the program as a strong fit for retirees who are available during school hours, though anyone who can keep a consistent weekly schedule is welcome to apply.
The initiative arrives amid a dip in third-grade reading scores statewide. On the spring 2026 Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP), 38.2% of Michigan third-graders scored proficient in English language arts, down from 38.9% the prior year, Bridge Michigan reported. Farmington Public Schools enrolled 9,110 students in 2024-25, according to federal education data.
An official start date for Book Buddies has not been announced. The Optimist Club says it is preparing to launch and is building a roster of interested volunteers. Prospective participants can express interest through the club’s contact form, which is linked from its Book Buddies page. Training details, school assignments and the program schedule will be shared once plans are finalized.
