Tutors Sprout “OASIS” of Knowledge in Ferguson-Florissant

When someone decides to retire, some people decide to golf or move to Florida or take up a new hobby. For others in Florissant, they have decided to volunteer their time to help mold the minds of the next generation.

Many older adults in the area dedicate themselves to the OASIS Intergenerational tutoring program in the

The program allows adults 50 and older who have retired to serve as a tutor and mentor to children in kindergarten through sixth grade. This year, the program celebrated 20 years of existence in the district.

OASIS Program Coordinator Susan Lark said that the program started with 27 tutors for students and has grown into more than 100 tutors for 17 schools for one-on-one sessions.

“Many tutors tutor more than one child,” she said about the program. “Tutors have taken up to four students.”

The tutors focus specifically on language arts with students, such as reading and writing.

Lark said in the tutors 15-hour training, they’re provided with a curriculum to follow with each student.

Lark said that the tutor allows for the student to select a book of interest to read during the hour-long session. During that time, students might also journal or write stories with the tutor.

While Lark said there’s no district surveys or evaluations made for students’ progress, she said that the benefits are seen through the eyes of each tutor.

“I’m not sure who benefits the most,” he said. “The children, of course, benefit, but tutors will say they benefit for reward from seeing a child blossoming.”

While the program has grown during the past 20 years, Lark looks forward to seeing it continue to grow as the 25-year mark nears. She’s also excited to bring on board some new tutors for the 2012-2013 school year.

If you or someone you know is interested in participating in next year’s program, contact Susan Lark at 314-506-9130.