SUQUAMISH — Without a glitch the 8-year-old reads, “He playfully tried to bite the puppy’s nose.”

Austin West, a third-grader at Suquamish Elementary, is reading his favorite book at the moment, “Andrew Wants a Dog,” to Ariana Fielding, a 17-year-old senior at North Kitsap High.

The duo are on page 14, as they read together once a week.

Austin cruises through the words, but labors when sounding out “Squealed,” or “Onto.” So Fielding gently guides him through the syllables.

“She helps me with some words,” Austin said with admiration ringing in his voice.

Austin is enrolled in the Rolling Reader program at Suquamish and Fielding is his tutor.

Participating in Rolling Reader Austin learns to read at his grade level, and Fielding earns money for college tuition while helping Austin.

The program got its start at Suquamish in 2001, “paying” teenage tutors to read once a week with Suquamish Elementary students who’re reading one grade level below their academic level.

Tutors are “paid” $8 in secondary education tuition vouchers for each hour they read with a student, up to three hours a week. The per hour vouchers are totaled at the end of the year and placed in an interest bearing account. Tutors may access their tuition voucher dollars up to three years from the date of their high school graduation upon enrolling in college.

“What’s unique about this program is the money goes directly back to the community and furthers the education of our kids,” said Rolling Reader coordinator Teri Day. “It’s a great opportunity for kids and their future college education.”

If a tutor spends three hours a week they can earn more than $700 a year for college expenses. Since 2004 the program’s paid out $6,420 in tuition vouchers with an additional $4,729 being held in the interest bearing account.

Tuition is a huge reason why Fielding became a Rolling Reader tutor, and she enjoys making relationships with and helping the little ones.

“I don’t have any money for college and it’s a great way to earn money, and I like to work with the students,” said Fielding who wants to major in dance at one of six colleges she’d like to attend.

The program also has huge pay outs in terms of building better readers at Suquamish.

“I like reading because I learn more words and I get better at reading a lot,” Austin said.

Teachers recommend students for the program.

Day began tracking the results of the program with the 2003-04 school year. She said that year of the school’s 486 students 149 or 31 percent were enrolled in Rolling Reader.

The following year 93 of the 486 students participated or 19 percent. In 2007-08 70 of the school’s 388 students participated, which is 18 percent.

Over the last five years the percentage of students needing reading help has dropped by nearly 50 percent.

“We have dramatically reduced the number of students reading one grade level or below,” Day beamed. “We’d like to see the numbers of students reading one grade level or below be less than 10 percent in four years.”

The program is funded entirely by grants.

Funds for the program to operate this year came from the Suquamish Tribe, $5,000, and the Norcliffe Foundation donated $8,000, $4,000 of which is earmarked to fund the program in 2009-10.

Day would like to pay the tutors more per hour, possibly $12, and see the program go district-wide, but doesn’t have the funding to do so, especially as next year she an operating budget of only $4,000.

She’s going to inquire about grants through the North Kitsap Schools Foundation and maybe even the U.S Department of Education.

“It would be a great loss to the community if it went away,” Day said. “If we hadn’t found the generosity of the tribe or the Norcliffe Foundation it would have gone away.”

The program is currently in need of tutors.

Tutors must be 14 or older, have a 2.5 GPA or higher and a good attendance record, be fluent in English, follow a dress code, and provide their own transportation.

To donate or become a tutor contact Day at, tday@nkschools.org or leave a message at (360) 394-6934.