While many Greek houses conduct a community service project annually, one Iowa State fraternity has been continuously committed to tutoring Ames Middle School students for three years.

About one-third of the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity members volunteer one hour per week at the school, Service Director David Hanson said.

“Working one-on-one with someone, actually showing them that you care, not only helps the person you’re helping but also helps the person helping the student,” Hanson said.

Bret Postgate, a behavior and disorder teacher at Ames Middle School and one of the teachers the fraternity members assist, said it is “much better for a fraternity or sorority to work with one organization over a period of time” rather than to do a one-time event to raise money.

“The guys are one of the most positive attributes of our program in terms of making a difference in the lives of these kids,” Postgate said.

“I’m kind of surprised how long it has lasted,” said Cathy Bullock of the three years the fraternity has provided its services to her classroom. She is the other behavior and disorder teacher at the middle school.

Bullock said the fraternity began tutoring in her classroom after a member of Alpha Sigma Phi contacted the middle school about doing some kind of year-long community service project.

She and Postgate “needed the one-on-one help” the fraternity members offered because they had two 14-year-old students who were illiterate and needed more attention, Bullock said.

Donovan Buss, a member of Alpha Sigma Phi who tutors, said he aids the students in “whatever they need help with at the time.”

Hanson said he tries to “explain an assignment in a way that the students haven’t thought of or the teacher hasn’t thought of before.