A Passion for Literacy: How One Student is Making a Difference
In today’s world, literacy is more than just the ability to read—it’s the foundation for success in education, career opportunities, and personal growth. For many students, however, reading is a challenge rather than a joy. Struggling readers—especially those with learning differences like dyslexia—often face significant barriers that make accessing grade-level content difficult.
One student, Zahara Taylor, is determined to change that. A once-struggling reader turned honor roll student and community leader, Zahara is on a mission to ensure that more students who look like her gain access to reading resources, achieve academic success, and recognize their true potential.
Her journey is deeply personal. Zahara recalls, “I wasn’t a strong reader. There was no joy in reading, and there should have been joy.” Like so many other students, reading was once frustrating rather than fulfilling. It wasn’t until middle school, when a reading tutor introduced her to Learning Ally, that everything changed. Being able to listen and follow along with audiobooks allowed her to finally read independently—and for the first time, experience the joy of reading.
With newfound confidence, Zahara’s perspective on her academic ability shifted. She realized that she had the potential to accomplish her goals and compete for academic opportunities. In 2024, she was nominated and accepted as Maryland’s HOBY Youth Leadership representative, where she joined students from across the state in leadership workshops.
During this four-day program, Zahara reflected on her own struggles with reading and recognized how fortunate she was to have had access to the right tools and support. She also realized that many students—especially Black children in under-resourced communities—did not have access to the same opportunities. That’s when her mission became clear: she wanted to give other struggling readers the same chance to succeed that she had.
Why Literacy Matters More Than Ever
The impact of literacy—or the lack thereof—goes far beyond the classroom. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), nearly 65% of fourth graders in the U.S. are not proficient in reading, with numbers even higher among historically underserved populations (NAEP Report).
For struggling readers, this lack of literacy skills increases their risk of:
- Falling behind academically, leading to lower graduation rates.
- Limited career opportunities, as strong reading skills are essential in nearly all professions.
- Lower confidence and self-esteem, as students recognize their struggles compared to their peers.
Many struggling readers begin to feel isolated and discouraged when they realize their classmates are advancing while they lag behind. Without proper support, they may disengage from learning altogether—a pattern that can last into adulthood.
📖 Discover how audiobooks can help struggling readers build confidence and engagement:
👉 Audiobook Solution for Kids Who Struggle with Reading
Zahara understands this reality and is working tirelessly to change the narrative. Her mission is clear: to ensure every student—regardless of background or learning challenges—has the opportunity to succeed through reading.
Creating Change Through Literacy Advocacy
Motivated by her experiences, Zahara launched “I Love Reading,” a community-driven project aimed at encouraging Black children to read and providing struggling readers with the resources they need to thrive.
How the “I Love Reading” Project Works
Through her initiative, Zahara is tackling literacy challenges head-on by:
- Raising awareness about literacy barriers that disproportionately affect Black students.
- Fundraising to provide accessible books and audiobooks to students who need them most.
- Engaging local schools and educators to integrate culturally relevant reading materials.
- Encouraging students to embrace the joy of reading through community events and peer mentorship.
Zahara specifically wanted to help low-income students and identified three schools in the Washington, D.C. metro area that would benefit from her project: two elementary schools and one middle school.
With the support of her mother, she raised nearly $2,000 to purchase culturally relevant books for the elementary schools and ten Learning Ally family memberships for students at Howard Middle School. But she didn’t stop there—she recruited her friends and dance group to help create reading nooks in elementary school classrooms and lead read-aloud sessions for younger students.
When she visited Howard Middle School, she shared her own story of overcoming reading challenges with students, serving as a model for what’s possible when struggling readers get the right tools and support.
Through her project, Zahara isn’t just distributing books—she’s creating a culture of literacy, representation, and empowerment for students who need it most.
📚 Looking for ways to support struggling readers? Check out this helpful guide:
👉 45 Ways to Support Struggling Readers
The Power of Representation in Literacy
Why Representation Matters in Books
Representation in literature is critical to student engagement and success. According to a study from the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC), only 12% of children’s books published in recent years featured Black protagonists, despite Black students making up a significant portion of the school-age population (CCBC Report).
Zahara’s initiative is helping to close this gap by promoting books by Black authors and ensuring young readers have access to stories that celebrate diversity, resilience, and empowerment.
Zahara’s passion for literacy led her to partner with Learning Ally, a nonprofit dedicated to helping students with dyslexia and reading challenges succeed through human-narrated audiobooks and accessible learning tools.
By working with Learning Ally, Zahara is expanding her reach and impact. Together, they are:
- Providing struggling readers with access to Learning Ally’s extensive audiobook library.
- Ensuring educators have the resources needed to support students with reading difficulties.
- Advocating for inclusive education policies that recognize the importance of accessible reading tools.
Through this collaboration, hundreds of students now have access to audiobooks and other literacy resources that were previously unavailable to them.
🎧 Learn more about how Learning Ally’s audiobooks support struggling readers:
👉 Learning Ally Audiobook Solution
How You Can Support Young Literacy Leaders Like Zahara
Zahara’s “I Love to Read” initiative is just the beginning of what we hope will be a lifelong journey of advocacy, education, and empowerment. Her efforts serve as an inspiration to students everywhere, proving that young people have the power to drive real change.
What’s Next for Zahara?
Zahara plans to expand her literacy advocacy efforts by:
- Partnering with more schools to host reading events.
- Building an online platform to share book recommendations and literacy tips.
- Encouraging other young leaders to start similar initiatives in their communities.
Zahara’s story is proof that one person can create meaningful change. As we celebrate young leaders like Zahara, let’s continue working toward a world where every child—regardless of background, ability, or learning style—has the opportunity to thrive through literacy.
Whether you’re an educator, parent, or literacy advocate, you can support efforts like hers in several ways:
- Encourage student-led literacy initiatives in your local schools and communities.
- Donate to organizations like Learning Ally to help provide audiobooks for struggling readers.
- Share Zahara’s story to inspire other young leaders to take action.
- Advocate for inclusive literacy programs that promote diverse voices and learning tools.
💡 Interested in making a difference? Explore ways to support literacy initiatives:
👉 Get Involved with Learning Ally
Supporting literacy is not just about improving academic performance—it’s about
empowering students to reach their full potential.