Help students access academic support they need! Volunteer to be an online Study Zone Plus Reading Buddy!

Study Zone Plus provides multiple online academic supports for K-12 students via Zoom and we need dedicated volunteers to help us host our programs.

We currently are most in need of volunteers for Reading Buddies on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays 4-6pm.

Reading Buddy duties include:

• Share eBooks on screen and navigate through the pages as students read. A KCLS librarian rotates the book selection ever two weeks.
• Coach 1-2 students at a time on pronunciation, pace, comprehension, etc. Students are paired by reading level.
• Keep track of student reading time. When the program is full and more students are waiting, a 30-minute limit will be implemented.

Reading Buddy Rover (Rover RB) duties include:

• Take overflow students when our main breakout rooms reach capacity.
• Substitute in a breakout room when those volunteers are absent or have technical difficulties.
• Sit in or move from room to room observing and acting as extra eyes and ears for the KCLS librarian on duty.
• Convey messages between breakout rooms and the Zoom lobby or library staff.

Many Reading Buddies begin as a Rover RB. This system provides new volunteers additional training and experience while in the Rover role and creates a built-in substitute pool to maintain staffing levels each day. Study Zone Plus sessions are 2-hours long and volunteers log in 15 minutes before their shift starts. Study Zone Plus will continue during the summer months.

Volunteers must be Washington State residents, and will need to pass a Washington State Patrol Background Check. The volunteer commitment is two hours, at least one day per week for an academic semester (September-January, February-June or the July-August summer session). Volunteers will need a computer or laptop to run Zoom (desktop version) and be able to use the Zoom tools. Training will be available to learn the Zoom platform.

Applications to be a Study Zone tutor are accepted throughout the year. Training and support provided. The program is closed during school holidays (except spring break in April). Academic community service credit is available for students (must be a junior or senior in high school or an adult to volunteer). The Study Zone program is offered as a free service of the King County Library System.

What volunteer Study Zone Tutors say about the library version of our service:

"Being a Study Zone tutor has been very fulfilling. I love to work with kids, helping them become more confident in school. The best thing about Study Zone for me has been seeing students happy when they finish their homework, as well as being a role model for them."

"Study Zone has given me the opportunity to help students, like me, in a meaningful way. It's nice knowing that you changed a little bit of someone's life."

"I really enjoyed making a connection with my students. This is an incredible program, and I am happy to have been a volunteer for the KCLS library system."