Why I Serve: A Board Member’s Commitment to Literacy and Equity

Jillayne Samatas Benjamin serves as Vice President of the CLF Board of Directors. She is as a reading and math interventionist and academic coach and has been an educator for over 20 years.

For more than 20 years, I have been educating in various capacities and supporting students and teachers across multiple grade levels. Currently, I am a K–8 reading and math intervention teacher and academic coach. In early 2024, I joined the Board of Directors of Classmates Literacy Foundation, an opportunity that felt deeply aligned with my lifelong commitment to literacy and educational equity. Through this role, I also had the opportunity to participate in the Slant System training, which has been transformative for me in my teaching practice.

Literacy has always been a deep passion of mine because I have seen firsthand how it changes the trajectory of a child’s life. When a student begins to see themselves as a reader, their confidence expands far beyond the classroom. The Slant System training challenged me to think even more intentionally about how I deliver instruction and how I ensure that every student, especially those who struggle, receives the structured support they deserve. It gave me practical tools, but it also strengthened my belief that systematic, explicit instruction opens doors for all learners.

Through this experience, I have evolved as an educator and leader, deepening my reflection and strengthening my practice while remaining committed to creating learning environments where students feel capable and seen. Serving on the board of Classmates Literacy Foundation and engaging in this training has reinforced why I entered education in the first place. It has been a growth experience I am truly grateful for, both personally and professionally.