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A good reading tutor does more than help a child sound out words. They show up, listen, encourage and celebrate all of the big and little wins along the way.

That’s what Bham Now employee Grace Howard discovered while tutoring with STAIR of Birmingham at Tuggle Elementary in the Smithfield neighborhood. What started as a way to give back became a weekly hour she looked forward to, and a reminder of how much a little time and patience can mean to a young reader.

Read on to learn about Grace’s experience and see how you can sign up to become a volunteer.

Why Grace became a STAIR of Birmingham reading tutor

A STAIR volunteer works one-on-one with a Birmingham elementary student on reading and writing exercises in a school cafeteria

Two smiling Birmingham students hold up a copy of The Gingerbread Man during a STAIR of Birmingham tutoring session

_{Volunteers help Birmingham students become great readers. (STAIR of Birmingham)}

Grace was drawn to STAIR’s focus on literacy and its mission to help Birmingham students become stronger, more confident readers.

STAIR (Start the Adventure in Reading) is a Birmingham nonprofit that pairs elementary students with trained volunteers for free, one-on-one reading tutoring. Students meet with their tutors once or twice a week to build literacy skills and confidence.

For Grace, the mission hit home. She grew up with teachers and mentors who made reading an important part of her life and wanted to pass that along to a new generation.

“I was very lucky to grow up with wonderful teachers and mentors who ensured that reading was a big part of my life.”
Grace Howard

Though it was her first time tutoring kids in reading, STAIR provided the training, structured curriculum, books and materials she needed to feel prepared and help her student succeed.

What it’s like to tutor with STAIR of Birmingham

After filling out an application and completing STAIR’s training requirements (which take just one to two hours), Grace was paired with a student at Tuggle Elementary named Jonathan.

Once a week, she’d meet with Jonathan after school to work on sight words, sounds and patterns, along with writing, spelling and punctuation.

The best part: reading short books together and chatting about them. Sometimes, they’d just laugh together.

The results from STAIR families show why that consistency matters. After starting the program:

100% reported improved reading
97% reported improved grades
98% reported improved self-esteem

What to expect as a STAIR of Birmingham volunteer

A young student wearing a medal poses with two adult volunteers at a STAIR Graduation celebration inside a school — Volunteers make reading fun while helping Birmingham students build literacy skills and confidence. (STAIR of Birmingham)

Wondering what it’s like being a STAIR volunteer? Here are a few things to know:

Tutoring takes place in person at Birmingham City Schools, with students receiving 45 minutes of one-on-one tutoring 2 afternoons each week.
Once-a-week tutors are paired with a partner who works with the same student on the other day.
No teaching experience is required. STAIR provides the training, curriculum, books + supplies.

STAIR of Birmingham currently serves students at more than 14 Birmingham City Schools, bringing one-on-one reading support directly to local elementary students.

For the 2026-2027 school year, tutors are especially needed at these Birmingham City Schools: