Entrepreneur Gives $100K to Improve Literacy at Ferndale High School

FERNDALE, MI — The founders of a Ferndale startup that sold to Campbell Soup Co. last year for $231 million are using part of their proceeds to improve literacy among Ferndale High School students.

Jack and Annette Aronson, lifelong Ferndale residents and founders of Garden Fresh Gourmet, reached out to Ferndale School Superintendent Blake Prewitt this summer to talk about implementing a new reading intervention program for the 2016-2017.

And they put their money behind it, with a $100,000 pledge — about half the amount needed to employ a full-time reading specialist, buy new laptop computers and flexible classroom furniture, as well as the READ 180 curriculum.

The Arsonsons have challenged other local business and community members to match the remaining $100,000 for the program, according to Bill Good, director of communications for Ferndale Schools.

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Jack Aronson will present the $100,000 check to Ferndale Schools at 10 a.m. Friday at Ferndale High School, 881 Pinecrest.

Developed at Vanderbilt University, READ 180 has been verified in multiple peer-reviewed studies as a leading intervention tool designed to raise achievement for struggling adolescent readers. It blends reading comprehension, academic vocabulary, and writing skills for students, grades four and up. From a technical aspect, READ 180 software uses student performance data to individualize and differentiate the path of computerized reading instruction.

For more than 15 years, READ 180 has been the subject of continuous research and validation efforts. The results of this research have provided concrete data that overwhelmingly demonstrate drastically improved reading achievement for a diverse and vast student body nationwide.

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