Where we come from
Jacob Nadauld and William Penrod both grew up in Springville. We went to school here and graduated from Springville High School. Art City is the place that shaped us.
Where the idea came from
As part of preparing for medical school, we spent time doing community service. Along the way, we realized there had to be a better way to help the kids in the community we grew up in.
A single afternoon of service can’t teach a child to read. Kids who are learning to read need the same thing week after week: a patient person sitting next to them, a plan, and time to practice.
Why reading
Reading is the skill every other subject depends on, and the early grades are when it’s built. A kid who becomes a confident reader in kindergarten through 5th grade has a head start on everything that comes after.
What we built
Hometown Scholars Project pairs Springville kids in grades K–5 with a volunteer tutor from our own community. They meet twice a week for 35 minutes at the Springville Public Library, working through lessons matched to Utah’s reading standards. It’s free, and it runs all year.
Our tutors aren’t professional teachers. They’re neighbors: strong readers, 18 or older, who have passed a Springville City background check and are willing to give two evenings a week. Every session comes with a written lesson plan, so the only thing a tutor needs to bring is patience.
