Tucson OASIS tutoring program to expand, thanks to grants from the Stocker and Vance Foundations
Two grants, one for $29,150 by the Stocker Foundation and another $10,000 grant by the Vance Foundation were awarded to Tucson OASIS. The grants will support students participating in the Tucson OASIS Intergenerational Tutoring program in improving their reading skills.
The tutoring program, delivered in partnership with the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD), pairs OASIS volunteer tutors age 50 and older with students in grades K-5 who are in need of help with reading and language skills.
Tutors and students meet once a week for one-hour sessions. The grants will allow OASIS to expand its tutoring program overall, which includes supporting a new, high-impact program in TUSD that connects students and tutors two to three times per week.
This multi-session model, according to David Eppihimer, Executive Director of Tucson OASIS, helps participating students improve their reading levels. “Through studies conducted in Pittsburgh and St Louis where the multi-session model is in place, 67% of participating students improved their reading levels.” Landmark research by Washington University in St. Louis revealed that students who received multiple contacts with reading tutors throughout the week have an increased likelihood for success.
Maggie Shafer, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Schools at TUSD, says that with expanding the program to add more tutors, as well as the new multi-session approach, she is confident both efforts will have an even stronger effect on the district’s young students reading comprehension.
Active in Tucson for 20 years, the program currently has over 170 volunteers mentoring approximately 250 students in six districts throughout Pima County. With this new additional funding for expansion and introduction of the new high-impact program, OASIS also hopes to add more tutors and reach additional under-resourced students. “With the support of these two funders, the ability to expand, combined with this new approach to be implemented in the 2012-2013 school year will have a powerful, positive impact on the already successful and time-proven OASIS Intergenerational Tutoring program,” according to Eppihimer. “We are very appreciative of the Stocker and Vance Foundations for their generous support and confidence in Tucson OASIS.”
To learn more about the OASIS, please contact Tucson OASIS at 520-322-5627, or visit us online at
www.oasisnet.org.
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OASIS is a national education organization dedicated to enriching the lives of adults age 50 and older through lifelong learning and service. OASIS brings people together to learn, lead and contribute in their communities. Tucson OASIS is part of a national network that serves a diverse audience through educational centers and community partners in 40 U.S. cities. For more information, please visit
www.oasisnet.org.