Bridges Volunteer Program

Feb. 1, 2000

Educators agree that one way to improve a child's school performance is to give them good one-on-one teaching time. But that's difficult to do when there are many kids in each classroom. News Specialist Shelley Osterloh has details on volunteer tutor program that 's working. The Bridges Volunteer Program is assisting children at Jackson Elementary, a school with many kids who need special help.. Bridges teams older adults with students who need a some extra help in school.

Child: "Good. G-O-O-D."

Man: "Very good. You are a great speller."

Ed Spurgiesz is a retired engineer who spends 5 to 6 hours a week helping children with their school work at Jackson Elementary School. The work is voluntary, but he says the rewards are rich.

Ed Spurgiesz/Bridges Volunteer Tutor: "I enjoy it when kids finally see the light, they catch on in math or spelling or reading. It's really great."

Teachers like Margarita Rudolph say with twenty students, it's tough to spend enough individual time with each child. She tells Mr. Ed, as he's called, what special help students need.

Margarita Rudolph/Teacher: "These kids really need a lot of help one to one, so it really helps to have that person, and you know, Mr. Ed is so good, helping them and talking to them. He relates to them so good, it's been very good to have him."

And the children seem to appreciate his special attention.

"He's really nice because he tells us about our homework and he tells us in a nice way."

"He's nice. He's real funny and he helps people with their homework."

Ed is one of more than a hundred Bridges volunteers who last year provided nearly 13,000 hours of tutoring to Salt Lake County children. Still, there is a tremendous need for more volunteers.

Barbara Drake/Bridges Program Manager: "We get calls from principals, teachers, parents, PTA presidents every year, requesting more and more volunteers because they can really see the difference the volunteers make in the classroom."

If you'd like to be a Bridges volunteer, call 468-2191. You must:

• be 45 years or older
• undergo a background and criminal check
• attend regular training
• be willing to volunteer 4 or 5 hours a week