OGDEN — Nine years ago, Sue Carver was driving a school bus for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. During her shifts, she would stop by Heritage Elementary School to help students in her friend’s class learn how to read.

One year, a foster grandparent came to the school to volunteer and Carver’s friend told her she should apply to do the same. In addition to volunteering, she would receive a small stipend of $4 per hour.

“So I applied and got approved,” she said. “After my friend retired, I decided to stay at the school and keep reading with the kids.”

When Carver met a second grade boy who was struggling, she decided to come up with some fun games to help him learn his vocabulary words.

“I would do Go Fish or the Match Game,” she said. “When he first came to me, he was reading about 25 words and by the time he was finished, he was reading 135 words. At the end of his sixth grade year, he came and found me and gave me a hug and thanked me. He’s always held a special place in my heart.”

Carver is one of 47 foster grandparents who volunteer in local schools every year. The program is run through Weber Human Services and serves schools in Weber, Davis, Morgan, Box Elder and Cache counties.

“We are looking for more volunteers right now,” said Charity Rowberry, volunteer services supervisor at WHS. “I feel there are seniors out there that still don’t know we exist.”

Rowberry said volunteers are always being recruited, but the schools are still in need of one-on-one tutors. To qualify, she said, you must be 55 years or older, willing to serve a minimum of 15 hours per week, live on a moderate to low income and be willing to have a fingerprint background check. The stipend received is tax-free and doesn’t count as income, she said. Mileage is also reimbursed and volunteers receive a free meal.

“We also have a summer program through our libraries during the months of June and July,” she said. “It really is a very rewarding opportunity to work with these kids, and the schools love the consistency of the volunteer who is there.”

Carver said she highly recommends the program.

“Oh, I love it,” she said. “I just recently came up with a bingo game and the kids really enjoy that. I always try to figure out where the child is in their reading level and I come up with games and materials to help make it a fun experience for them, and it’s fun for me too.”

If you are interested, call 801-625-3777 or visit www.weberhs.net.

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