Children in kindergarten through third grade are keeping their reading skills on track during the summer months with help from Hoener and 16 other Oasis tutors who raised their hands to volunteer in a partnership between the Oasis Intergenerational Tutoring program and St. Louis County Library. The pilot program started July 18 and will run through August 8, and is taking place at the Weber Road Branch and the Florissant Valley Branch.
Children participating in the free program work one-on-one for 30-minute sessions with older adults who serve as tutors with the Oasis Intergenerational Tutoring Program, the largest older adults tutoring program in the U.S. The sessions focus on reading and literacy skills. Each week, children participating in the program take home a free book to encourage reading after the tutoring session.

“We are delighted to be partnering with the St. Louis County Library to reach more children in the community,” says Mary Click, national director of Oasis Intergenerational Tutoring. “The tutors who have agreed to participate in this summer pilot are already dedicated to their work throughout the school year, and it is very encouraging that they are ready to help in the summer as well. Summer reading is key to helping students retain knowledge and skills they gained during the previous school year.”