“Sometimes people don’t think they’re qualified,” he said, “but if they can read, they are.”

 

Philip is one of four tutors on the St. Louis OASIS “Team 100” that recruits adults 50 plus to help children in grades K-4 improve their reading and language skills. The intergenerational tutoring program has been operating since 1989, but about 4-5 years ago, a need arose for more tutors in the north St. Louis area, according to Maureen Filter-Nolan, OASIS’ liaison with St. Louis Public Schools. “There were some ladies in the program who were helping, but felt they didn’t know the area well enough,” she said.

 

At that time, Martha Christmas, a retired educator who worked in north St. Louis for many years worked diligently to help find additional adults to help. And she kept finding them, eventually becoming a full-time recruiter for the program. Sadly, Martha has passed away, but four of her tutors, Philip White, Ernest and Charlesetta Sisson and Martha Hurley are now carrying on her efforts to recruit volunteers. Each of them has a different approach in how they do so.

 

Philip says that one of the challenges in recruiting for tutoring is that people think they have to have worked in education previously. Indeed, many OASIS tutors are retired teachers, but many are not – and don’t have to be. “You have to find their niche, get in where you fit in, and you’ll get them hooked,” he says. Philip takes advantage of all of his connections, from his church to his Omega Psi Phi fraternity brothers, to gain tutors for the program. He even recruits while out shopping. “If they’re there in the middle of the day, they’re available to tutor during the day,” he laughed.

 

Martha Hurley, a retired teacher, draws volunteers from her church, from the local AARP and of course, from retired teacher groups. “Usually that first year after retiring, they’re not receptive,” she said, “but after that I get them! They love kids and love to see when that lightbulb over their head goes on.” 

 

Charlesetta Sisson was a librarian for 40 years and her love of reading brought her to OASIS after she retired. “If you love to read, they will too,” she said. Charlesetta, who was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2009, recruited her husband Ernest into the program while she took a break to heal. Today, both Sissons are back, tutoring and recruiting. Ernest, a retired marketing and sales professional, uses those skills to find tutors. “My approach is one-on-one, calling the person and then going in for the ‘sale,’ ” he said.  

 

In 2011, the “fantastic four” shared their experience and knowledge with coordinators of another OASIS program, CATCH Healthy Habits, who also recruit volunteers as part of their job. Says Charlesetta about potential tutors, “you’ve got to be consistent, talk to them over and over again about the program … I always have a sign-up form with me.” (editor’s note: all four tutors at that point pulled out materials from their pockets!)   

 

These four lovely people are among thousands of adults who have given so unselfishly of their time to help students read. Now they bring in others who can also have that amazing experience.