Every kid deserves to love reading.
Free reading tutoring for Springville kids in kindergarten through 5th grade, taught by volunteers from our own community.
Enroll your childWhat makes our tutoring work
Free
Tutoring costs nothing. We just ask families to commit to showing up.
Twice a week
Two 35-minute sessions every week. Steady practice is what builds lasting reading skills.
Utah standards
Every lesson is matched to Utah’s reading standards for your child’s grade.
Lessons that build
Tutors follow a written plan every session, and each session builds on the last.
A program built for young readers
sessions, twice every week
In every session, your child’s tutor teaches a reading skill and practices it with them. The sessions build on each other, so each week picks up right where the last one left off.
Kids also go home with a few short practice activities between sessions.
See what kids practice
lessons written for every grade
Reading at home matters most. Your tutor will help your child pick out a book to read on their own. The best thing you can do is encourage them to read it at home, and help with their practice activities when you can.
Sign up your childWhat your child will practice
Strong reading takes five skills working together. Every grade’s lessons cover all five.
Phonemic awareness
Hearing the separate sounds inside spoken words.
Phonics
Matching letters to sounds to sound out new words.
Fluency
Reading smoothly, at a steady pace, with expression.
Vocabulary
Learning the words that make harder books make sense.
Comprehension
Understanding, retelling, and talking about what they read.
Homegrown in Springville
- Founded by Jacob Nadauld and William Penrod
- Both raised in Springville
- Both Springville High School graduates
Why we started
Hometown Scholars Project was started by Jacob Nadauld and William Penrod, two Springville kids who grew up here and graduated from Springville High School.
While doing community service as we prepared for medical school, we realized there had to be a better way to help the kids in the community that raised us. One-time service projects weren’t enough. Kids learning to read need steady, one-on-one help, week after week.
So we built it: free, twice-weekly reading tutoring, right here in our hometown.
Read our full story
Where we tutor
Sessions are held at the Springville Public Library, year-round. Once you enroll, we’ll set up regular session times that fit your family’s schedule.
Springville Public Library
45 S Main St, Springville, UT 84663
By appointment: Mon–Thu 5–9 pm, Fri 5–6 pm
Open all year
Become a tutor
If you’re a strong reader and can give an hour or so a week, you can help a Springville kid become a confident reader. No teaching experience is needed. Every session comes with a written lesson plan.
Apply to volunteerWhat we ask of tutors
- 18 or older
- Pass a Springville City background check
- Be a strong reader. No training or teaching experience needed.
- Two 35-minute sessions a week with the same student
Questions families ask
Does it cost anything?
No. Tutoring is completely free.
What do you ask of families?
Our tutors are volunteers who set aside their evenings for your child, so we ask families to come to both weekly sessions. If you need to miss one, please let us know at least 24 hours ahead. After two missed sessions without notice, we may offer your time slot to another family.
Where and when are sessions held?
At the Springville Public Library (45 S Main St), year-round, by appointment. Sessions run Monday through Thursday from 5 to 9 pm, and Fridays from 5 to 6 pm.
What can I do at home?
Encourage your child to read the book they picked out with their tutor. That matters more than anything. If you can, also help them with the short practice activities they bring home.
Who are the tutors?
Volunteers from our community, all 18 or older, who have passed a Springville City background check. They follow a written lesson plan for every session.
Which grades do you serve?
Kindergarten through 5th grade, with lessons written for each grade.
What happens after I sign up?
We’ll contact you to set up regular session times that work for your family.
How do you protect my child’s information?
Everything you share with us is kept strictly confidential. It is never shared with anyone except registered volunteers who have passed a Springville City background check.