St. Bonaventure University

St. Bonaventure University’s SHARP Hub (Hub for Advancing Reading & Practice), formerly known as the SBU Reading Center, is still accepting registrations for its fall and spring literacy program for students in grades 5 through 12.

“Grades K-4 are sold out,” said Dr. Sheri Voss, assistant professor in the B-12 Literacy program and director of the Hub at St. Bonaventure. “We are so grateful to the community for filling those spaces so quickly. Now, we urgently need more middle and high school students (grades 5-12) to join us this fall and spring.”

The required fall session runs Oct. 21 through Dec. 1, 2025, with a registration deadline of Oct. 1. Families should also choose from two spring sessions: Feb. 1 through March 15, 2026, or March 22 through May 4, 2026. Programs are offered in person on the St. Bonaventure campus, virtually, or in the Western New York area in a public space with an approved graduate candidate, giving families flexibility to participate in the format that works best for them.

Each student attends two sessions per week on consistent days, Monday through Saturday, between 3 and 8 p.m. For example, families might select Mondays and Wednesdays from 3 to 4:30 p.m. or Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Session length for grades 5-12 is preferably 90 minutes. Families are required to commit to the full length of the session to support graduate candidates’ NYSED certification time requirements.

Led by St. Bonaventure graduate students in literacy education, the SHARP Hub program provides individualized instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking.

Fall sessions focus on targeted practice in these key literacy areas, giving children extra support while providing graduate students with valuable teaching experience. Spring sessions begin with a diagnostic assessment that guides a customized seven-week learning plan. At the conclusion of the program, participants receive Bona swag, books, and a certificate of participation.

When asked about the drive for students in grades 5-12, Voss said, “Adolescent literacy is more than a school skill — it’s the foundation for success in every subject, from English to math and science to history, PE, and the arts. When teens strengthen their reading and writing, they build critical thinking, creativity and confidence that will carry them into a career, college and life. At the SHARP Hub, we believe every teen deserves that confidence — because words open the world. Join us at the SHARP Hub, where we shoot for the stars and fall in love with reading.”

A $25 per reader materials fee is requested to support instructional resources, though scholarships are available to ensure all interested families can participate.

Space is limited, and grades 5–12 are urgently needed. Families are encouraged to register as soon as possible to secure their preferred session times. Registration is first-come, first-served, with the deadline set at Oct. 1 for fall enrollment.

To learn more and to register, families can visit www.sbu.edu/sharp-hub.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure is a community committed to transforming the lives of its students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a commitment to academic excellence and lifelong civic engagement. Out of 167 regional universities in the North, St. Bonaventure was ranked #8 for value and #19 overall by U.S. News and World Report (2025).