Reading, writing and arithmatic are just some of the subjects taught in today’s school system. In order to excell in those subjects, students need teachers as well as volunteers.

West Hills Elementary in Bremerton is calling on the Navy to help it increase its numbers in reading.

According to Donna Gears, instruction coach and site supervisor, Bremerton School District, students that are unable to learn these fundamentals of reading before the third grade find it a lot harder to move ahead in reading and other areas of learning.  However, it has been proven when students receive tutoring, students’ ability to learn and to read increase.

“If we can catch these students early, kids who are reading below their reading level,” she said, “tutoring them, spending an extra half an hour a day reading to them reinforces those skills.  You can catch them up by the third grade.”

According to Gears, the children helped by tutoring in kindergarten and first grades don’t need tutoring in third grade.

One Navy volunteer saw a difference.

“I usually worked with first and second graders,” said Builder 2nd Class (SCW) Brad Behlow, Self Help Naval Base Kitsap.  “When I first started, the students were reading kindergarten age books and by the end of the year, they were reading first grade or higher.”

This is where tutors from the ranks of Naval Base Kitsap can continue to step up to the plate and help the students learn to read. 

“We are looking for more reading tutors, tutors who will work one on one with the students,” she said, “by reading to the students, decoding the words, talking about what the words mean.”

Gears hopes that tutors see the value and importance of what it is they do for the students.  She sees there is a correlation between liking reading and ability to read.

“The better you are at reading, the more you learn to like it,” she said.  “The people who like it to read tend to be better at it.”

Furthermore, she hopes the tutors can instill and build on this excitement for reading in the students.

Reading levels have increased during the past six years, according to Gears, however, the levels evened out at around 72 percent this year.

“I would like to see the percentage at 78 percent,” she said.

For people interested in tutoring, there is a required Washington State Police screening process that takes place and a training program that instructs potential tutors on how best to help students improve their reading.  Those people interested may call Donna Gears at (360) 478-5192.