They're learning to sound out the word and break it into syllables. Reading can be a challenging task for a third grader, but doing it with an older buddy can help.
Elizabeth Hirst is a representative from Teen Trendsetters. She says, "the whole goal here is for academic achievement to help students at both levels learn. Learn to be leaders, learn to be better readers and then ultimately have better success at education and graduation."
Teen Trendsetters is a program managed by volunteer USA. Calhoun County has matched Blountstown high with the elementary school 3rd graders.
Trent Smith is a Blountstown high schooler involved in the program. He says, "I anticipated it would be a new and fun experience but I didn't realize it would be so enlightening to become involved with a third grader and get to know them and about their hobbies."
Most of the reading is science based. Tuesday, the students learned about Jane Allgood and chimpanzees. The magazine the high schoolers teach covers vocabulary, a short passage, a wrap up, and often there is a hands on section.
"today we have this little science experiment with our hands and its just explaining how hard it is not to use an opposable thumb," says Smith.
And the little ones say its a big help.
"cuz they know a lot of things and we know some things. And they can help us if we don't know it," says Tyra Langley, a 3rd grader in the program.
Teen Trendsetter originally started just in Florida back in 2002, and it has grown to about a half a dozen states in the southeast.
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