Library district issues a call for tutors

You probably know me as a quirky, techy science nerd who creates board games about math in my free time. It would likely surprise you to know that I failed math and science in high school several times.

School is easy for some folks — and for others like myself, the only easy part is falling behind. In the middle of it, I was embarrassed to admit to others that I was struggling — it seemed like everyone around me was making success look so simple; yet as an adult, speaking with my peers, I’ve heard from many people about how much of a struggle it was to get through school with a passing grade.

I know for a fact that school has only become more challenging since I last sat in a classroom. The world is changing; our cutting-edge technology is obsolete by the time we open the box. Fortunately, students don’t have to face this overwhelming challenge alone. The library offers free tutoring to anyone that needs it — including adults looking to improve their education! However, achieving this is no simple feat and the library needs help from the community.

Our Lifelong Learning Center is in dire need of volunteer tutors for the coming school year. You don’t need a degree or a lifetime of teaching classrooms in order to become a tutor. All you need is to be willing to share an hour or two of your time each week to help change the lives of students that are in need of assistance.

The library will provide top-notch training, as well as quiet tutoring rooms. We will also handle the scheduling, allowing our tutors and students to focus on only what they need to. Changing someone’s life, helping them achieve a trajectory to lifelong success can fill a tutor with a sense of fulfillment; often the bond between the tutor and student grows into lasting friendships that persist well after the lessons have concluded.

If you’re interested in making a lasting impact on the community, give Mike Bauer, the lifelong learning coordinator at the library, a call at 208-265-2665 to set up an interview. You may be surprised to see that your experience isn’t just changing the lives around you for the better, but your own life as well.

Brenden Bobby can be reached at the East Bonner County Library, 1407 Cedar St., Sandpoint, by phone at 208-263-6930, or email at brenden@ebonnerlibrary.org .