We're excited to share that Episode 4 of SERP Stories is now live!

In this episode, host Dr. Kala Jones asks a question that cuts right to the heart of adolescent literacy: What happens when we stop asking "Can they read?" and start asking "Do they see themselves as readers?"

Through candid conversations with STARI teachers, moving reflections from students, and the wisdom of academic scholar Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, Episode 4 explores the often-overlooked dimensions of literacy instruction—belonging, confidence, and academic agency. These aren't soft skills or nice-to-haves. They're essential to transformation.

STARI students aren't just learning to decode or comprehend. They're reclaiming something that school took away: the belief that reading is for them. Episode 4 shows how that happens, one classroom at a time.

🎧 Listen to the episodes here: serpinstitute.org/podcast

Share it with someone who's fighting for the readers others gave up on but STARI never did.