For more than 10 years, Rose Hall has helped adults learn to read.

“I think reading is vital,” said Hall, a retired Butler Township resident.

She’s been volunteering with the Adult Literacy Program “ever since the program started.” That was more than 10 years ago, before it took up a home at Butler County Community College.

“So many students can’t read. I just wanted to help them,” she said.

Hall previously was a teacher’s aide and has some college education in the teaching field.

She particularly remembers one student who came to her with only elementary reading skills. After Hall worked with the student, he got a job and soon became store manager.

Seeing students achieve and progress is the best part of volunteering, she said. Then, she enjoys seeing students adjust to their new lives.

Currently, Hall works with two students. She meets each week one-on-one for 90 minutes at the Butler Public Library. She has a book she teaches from, but she also uses everyday reading materials to supplement the lessons.

For example, she said, she might help a student read the newspaper, search for help wanted ads, or fill out a job application.

She worked with one student for five years until he got a full-time job and had to quit. Now, that student is back with Hall learning to read enough to start GED classes.

In many cases, she said, the student’s goal is to learn enough basic skills to start GED classes.

“I try to bring them up to the next step, to do the GED classes,” she said.

Other times, the student is a parent who wants to learn enough to read to or with his or her child.

Because she works with students one-on-one, she is easily able to customize lessons to the student’s needs, she said.

Hall spends about three hours each week at the library working with the students. At home, she spends more time preparing for lessons.

In addition to the adult literacy program, Hall also volunteers for Habitat for Humanity Butler County. There she is on the board of directors and is a member of the family selection committee, the group that interviews, selects, and makes recommendations on who should benefit from the organization’s charity.

As a TeleCaregiver, Hall spends a bit of time each morning calling shut-ins to check on their welfare and provide a friendly voice.

Barb Gade, education coordinator for the adult literacy program, said Hall is just one of 41 tutor volunteers who make the program work.

The adult literacy program provides free tutoring services to all county residents who request it. Generally, the students are older than 18, but the program occasionally accepts 17-year-olds.

Tutors can help with reading, writing, math, computer literacy, financial literacy and personal development. The personal development courses are focused on recently released inmates re-entering society, Gade said.

During the 2007-08 fiscal year, the program helped 392 students and 46 students passed the GED exam, Gade said.

The entire program is funded by grants. About $196,000 comes from state’s Bureau of Adult Basic and Literacy Education. The program also benefits from private grants.

It works in collaboration with BC3 and Career Link for office space.

To become a volunteer, interested people must take a two-session course provided by the program to get certification.

Tutors serve as classroom aides or as individual one-on-one instructors and also assist with fundraising, recruiting, public awareness, clerical tasks and special events.

<B>Adult Literacy Program</b><B>ADDRESS</B>: Butler County Community College<B>EDUCATION COORDINATOR</B>: Barb Gade<B>PEOPLE SERVED</B>: 392 students in 2008<B>NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS</B>: 41 tutors<B>BUDGET</B>: More than $196,000 a year<B>PHONE</B>: 724-287-8711, Ext. 8350