JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Eleanor Umphres was attending to her duties as an aide at the Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Library last year when she answered a phone call that inspired her to launch a program that would inspire others.
"It was completely by chance," she said. "Our library used to have a tutoring program, and a patron called and asked if the library would start the program again. I thought it was a good idea."
Following up on that fortuitous phone call, Eleanor received approval to start the JBSA-Randolph Library Tutoring and Mentorship Program and found a willing tutor and mentor in her husband, Capt. Christopher Umphres, a 435th Fighter Training Squadron instructor pilot with a strong math and science background. He holds a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Virginia and is pursuing a master's degree in management science and engineering from Stanford University.
"The goal was to have a program the library could offer to the community that is free and takes a burden off parents and inspires kids," Eleanor, a licensed master social worker, said.
Christopher said he was enthused about participating in the program.
"I was excited about it because I have discovered through my experience as an instructor pilot that teaching is very rewarding for me personally," he said. "Also, it seemed like a way to give back to the community while spending time with my wife. It was a classic win-win."
With Eleanor handling the administrative duties, the program, which is open to anyone with Department of Defense ID access to JBSA-Randolph, started in November. Since then, more than 20 people - most of them between the ages of 11 and 17 - have sought assistance in a variety of subjects, she said. The program is also attracting adults.
Christopher said one of his most unusual sessions so far involved a woman who sought help with her English.
"She was a native Japanese speaker and while her conversational English was very good, she wanted help with reading and struggled with idioms and vocabulary," he said. "We ended up reading a magazine article about unmanned aerial vehicles in Popular Science that I think I enjoyed a lot more than she did. The next time she came in she brought her own magazine."
Christopher said his greatest challenge is sometimes remembering the material.
"I had a high school student come in who needed help with algebra and my trigonometric identities are a little rusty," he said. "It was a real challenge to try to get spun up enough on the material to help her, but in the end I think I was able to offer some good insights."
Eleanor said another student was a young man who was preparing for the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.
"He needed to brush up on his math skills," she said.
Christopher said he finds tutoring rewarding.
"I love the 'light bulb' moments you get sometimes when a concept suddenly clicks into place for a student," he said. "I am addicted to helping people understand new concepts and ideas because it's something that will be with them for the rest of their lives."
Demand for the program, which is offered from 6-7 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday at the library, hasn't been consistent, Eleanor said.
"We had a strong February and March, but it's dropped off since spring break," she said.
They will continue the program through May and take a hiatus during the summer months.
Martha Samborski, 802nd Force Support Squadron senior library technician, said the program will continue beyond the summer.
"We would love to see an increase in those using the service, but in the end, even if we only help a few students, it's worth keeping the program going," she said. "Apart from a break this summer, we plan to continue offering it indefinitely."
Christopher also said he hopes the program will "generate enough reliable demand to support recruiting more tutors."
Samborski said students unable to come to the library for face-to-face tutoring have another option.
"We offer free access to tutor.com for ages K-12," she said. "This in itself is huge because the cost without library membership is quite high.
"The most important thing we want our patrons to know is that free tutoring is available, either face to face or via the Internet," Samborski said. "We encourage those interested to stop by and visit us, or check us out at http://www.JBSAlibraries.org."
For more information, call 652-5578 or 652-2617.