Reading Specialist: Ruth Benge
Ruth Benge is the Reading Specialist at CRDI as of July 2023. She is from Adrian, Michigan and a former ISD Early Literacy Coach. She supported district coaches and teachers by providing job-embedded, ongoing professional learning and coaching to strengthen and enhance classroom literacy instruction which is aligned to research. Ruth received a BA from Concordia University Ann Arbor and MAR from Spring Arbor University. She has over 20 years of experience in education as a classroom teacher, reading specialist and literacy coach. Ruth also has recently completed the Dare To Lead training which is based on the research of Brene Brown, PH.D. The Dare to Lead training has positively impacted all facets of her work: professional and personal. Ruth is married to Matt Benge who is also an educator with a shared love for coaching - PBIS, football & basketball. Together they have three adult children Leah, Kaylee and Noah. Their oldest daughter Leah currently lives in Maryland with her husband. Leah graduated from University of Michigan with a political science degree and working as a paralegal for a CA based law firm. She is studying for the LSAT in hopes to start law school soon. Their second born daughter is Kaylee who lives in South Carolina. She graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a biology degree and currently works for a “big pharma” company as a mirco-biogolist 2. And their youngest son, Noah, is a senior at Michigan State University and will graduate with an economics degree and is planning to come to CSUMB next year for a Masters in Business. Ruth and Matt love their dog, ZuZu, a goldendoodle who gives them countless hours of love, affection and fun. She also enjoys many hobbies: reading, biking, hiking, running, cooking, gardening, live music, painting rocks, traveling and playing games with friends and family. Ruth is very excited to serve and partner with community youth and their families in creating opportunities for readers and writers to thrive.