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SALT LAKE CITY -- A few hundred Utah students who are struggling in reading will get help from a small army of volunteers right in their neighborhoods.
It's no secret that schools have a need for reading tutors, and the state has a volunteer tutor training program already created. The federal program AmeriCorps can help administer the program and support schools, but they needed one component.
"The biggest problem is volunteers," said Sue Okroy, with the State Office of Education. "We have the program, it's already scripted, but the problem is finding enough volunteers."
Okroy's office created the STAR program that helps tutors effectively reinforce state language curriculum. It operates in most of the state's school districts.
Okroy and others were encouraged to learn that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints' Humanitarian Services department would assist in providing that missing gap.
LDS Humanitarian Services recruits church members to become tutors and pairs them with the pilot schools according to the principal's needs. Volunteers from the Ogden, Riverdale, Cache County and Salt Lake stakes are about to begin tutoring students at Taylor Canyon, Riverdale, Rose Park and Washington elementary schools.
For volunteers, the service opportunity promises to help their neighborhood kids in a way that influences their entire life.
"I want the kids to have every advantage so they can read better in school and succeed in life," said volunteer Gayle Macey.
I want the kids to have every advantage so they can read better in school and succeed in life.
–Gayle Macey, volunteer
#macey_quote
The pilot program is modeled after a similar program in Orem at Windsor Elementary School. In that school's case, surrounding LDS stake members observed the need themselves and mobilized volunteer readers.
Since then, the school's reading test scores have increased, according to principal Craig Jensen. But the biggest changes took place in students like Otavio Silva.
When Otavio started reading with his tutor a few year ago, he scored at the lowest level on state reading tests. He was at risk of falling permanently behind and, eventually, dropping out of school. Today, Otavio scores at the top reading level and has the confidence to set goals with enthusiasm.
"I read daily, and I'm trying to finish the whole series. That's my goal for this year," he said.
Volunteer organizers at Windsor Elementary envisioned a program where people could find a meaningful way to serve by walking out their front door. "If I had a dream, it would be that people would walk 10 minutes away from their home and find a place to serve," said coordinator Kathy Gowans.
That dream will become a reality now at a few additional schools, where volunteers will double up intensive reading with students who have fallen about a year behind.
"Our goal is with one-on-one tutoring, they can get bumped back up to reading on their grade level," Okroy said. "Our goal is to help students learn to love to read."
With those goals in mind and new training in their arsenal, this small army will move into schools next week hoping to improve literacy and lives.
If you or your church group are interested in this program in your neighborhood school, visit readtoday.com.
Email: dwimmer@ksl.com
