Summer Reading Clinic Builds Confidence and Community

Harmony Community Cares Summer Reading Clinic is underway, running virtually through the end of July. The clinic offers one-on-one instruction focused on decoding, comprehension, and confidence-building.

This program is made possible by the Be the Boat Fund, a donor advised fund of the Oak Park-River Forest Community  Foundation.

Now in its seventh year, the Summer Reading Clinic continues to be one of HCC’s most impactful programs. It helps students strengthen essential literacy skills while also providing meaningful summer work for CPS teachers and college students seeking valuable experience.

The clinic was built by Liza Raino-Ogden, who brings years of experience and advanced training, including a Master’s in Language and Literacy from Harvard and certifications in elementary and special education. After working at a private clinic that charged families $2,000 a week, she returned to create a free, research-based program that brings expert reading intervention directly to the community. This year Janay Brooks holds serves as co-director, Janay has a bachelor’s degree in special education and brings both professional knowledge and lived experience to her role. 

Together, Liza and Janay train tutors using Orton-Gillingham methods to focus on phonemic awareness, decoding, comprehension, and confidence-building. “Last year, we even created a custom plan for a student who needed support in both reading and math,” Janay shared. “We’re committed to meeting each child where they are.” Students are assessed at the start and end of the program, and every year, without exception, participants show measurable progress. Students also receive gift cards at the end of the program as a reward for their hard work; a small way HCC celebrates growth and affirms every learner’s journey.