STAIR (Start the Adventure in Reading) works with second grade children in Birmingham, Alabama teaching reading skills. Research has shown that third grade is an important time in the education of children.  In first grade children learn to read.  In third grade they read to learn.  Second grade is the time to produce strong readers entering third grade.

Each child attends STAIR two days a week and meets with the same trained volunteer. Because we tutor one-on-one, most of the children have two volunteer tutors (each coming once a week).  The structured lessons engage the student by using phonics, sight words, alphabet review, and games. During the course of the school year, students develop reading comprehension, vocabulary, and writing skills.  In the 2011-12 school year students who completed the STAIR program showed an average rate of improvement in the standardized reading test given by the schools of 106.5%.