One church in Brookhaven is taking education of the community’s children into its own hands.

The Junior Women and Youth Ministries of St. James Baptist Church are sponsoring a community reading program for second- and third-grade students. Through July 28, teachers will be meeting every Tuesday from 6 to 7 p.m. with young people to focus on reading comprehension and literacy skills. The program, themed Discover the Magic of Reading, meets in the Clarence Coleman Fellowship Center at St. James located at 949 East Monticello St. in Brookhaven.

“We have so many children that are failing the test simply because they are having trouble with phonic sounds, comprehension and reading at their grade level,” Keosha Hooker, one of the program’s organizers, said. Hooker is a first-grade assistant teacher at Mamie Martin Elementary School.

The last retest for third graders who failed the third-grade reading gate test was Monday but administrators of the program are hoping to catch younger students’ problems before they encounter the test.

Volunteers from the St. James congregation started the program, which now has more than 40 participants, when their pastor, Rev. Larry Jointer, brought forth the idea.

“I was presented the problem with the third grade reading gate where students, regardless of their grades, would be held back. I was asked what could the church do, and I presented it to the congregation,” Jointer said.

Jointer said it’s important that children get to read during the summer, and it’s important that the community show school systems that there are other entities with resources available to them.

Hooker said the program, although started through the church, is open to the community and seeks to help students in kindergarten, first, second and third grade. She said they also have older children who come to take advantage of the services being offered.

Jointer said as a leader in the community they have to understand that everyone should be visible in the education of their children.

“It’s not about religion, it’s about relationships. Healthy relationships build a healthy community, a healthy church and a healthy school,” Jointer said.

“This is more like an outreach program,” Rochland Porter said. Porter works as a counselor.

The program uses about 15 teachers, both currently working and retired, who work on a rotating schedule.

Dorothy Quinn is a retired teacher but currently teaches GED classes through Brookhaven School District as she heads through her 34th year of teaching. She said that when other educators in the area heard about the program they asked to join and offer their services.

Porter said the reading program’s objectives come from the state’s Common Core reading objectives.

Hooker said the curriculum is both computer- and paper-based with first and second graders utilizing flash cards and post-its to learn while third graders work on the reading gate practice test. She said throughout the program they encourage reading of books. At the end of the program, the boy and girl who have read the most books will each receive a bike.

Porter said that registration for the program is not yet closed. Anyone interested in getting a student enrolled should come around 5:30 p.m. and fill out a form with contact information.

For more information about the program contact Lerenda Benjamin at 601-316-5546 or mslbenjamin@gmail.com.