(MURFREESBORO) Church and community leaders met for lunch Thursday at Murfreesboro's First United Methodist Church to learn about Project Transformation Tennessee. This is a summer program that works to improved reading skills and confidence levels of challenged first through sixth grade students.

Murphy Fair, who is known for his reporting of high school sports across the Volunteer State, was the emcee. He saw a difference in the students who attended Project Transformation at his church in Cannon County this past summer.

He told NewsRadio WGNS . . .

Executive Director Courtney Aldrich said, "It's an 8-week experience that develops students' literacy and social-emotional skills in a high-energy and relational environment."

Studies show that only one-third of today's elementary school students read at grade level. Two-thirds are below, and are falling farther behind every day. Project Transformation was developed to turn today's students around.

Fair continued . . .

For more information, visit www.PTtennessee.org.