Grace-Trinity Tutoring
Program:
Since the fall of
2000, Grace-Trinity Community Church has nurtured a
unique partnership with Jefferson Community School,
numerous community volunteers, and first-year
students at Macalester College in the Lilly
Foundation's "Lives of Commitment" program. Each Tuesday afternoon students from Jefferson come
to the church to receive help with their schoolwork,
eat a nourishing dinner with their tutor, and spend
time with caring adults in a safe and positive
environment. The students work with the same
tutor for the entire year, giving both students and
tutors alike the opportunity to form a strong bond
of trust. Reading and math scores go up and, more
importantly, the program brings to light the very
real benefits of uniting people of different
backgrounds to learn from each other and share
common ground.
The Students:
Jefferson Community
School is located two blocks away from the church. During the 2007-2008 school year,
60% of the students in the program were Latino, 30% African
American, 5% Native American, and 5% Caucasian. The
students range from third to fourth grade, and are identified by
their teachers as needing extra help with their
schoolwork.
The Volunteers:
The tutoring program
is a striking blend of people who work to make it
happen. In 2007-2008 there were eight volunteers
who cooked and served nutritious meals, 20 tutors,
and ten additional volunteers who helped with transportation,
special events, testing, and professional career
presentations. All tutors are carefully
screened. They range in age from 18 to 84
years old, and they represent a wide variety of
backgrounds and walks of life. Together, they
donate over 1,300 hours per year to the program.
"I have to say that
being a tutor at Grace-Trinity has been one of my
most treasured volunteer experiences of my life. One-on-one tutoring, although more difficult than
simply playing with children, is more rewarding in
the long term because you don't just witness
progress, you experience it and play an active role. Working closely with one child for an entire
academic year provides them with the continuity and
support they need outside the classroom. And
it isn't all learning either - you get to know the
child on a much deeper level, playing educational
games, reading their favorite books, and eating
dinner with them. I look forward to
volunteering for years to come." - Liz Scholz, Macalester College tutor
2007-08
If you are interested in
tutoring, volunteering for one of our many support
positions, making a monetary contribution, or
donating supplies, please contact Kristin Green,
Tutoring Coordinator at 612-872-8266, or
tutoring@gracetrinitychurch.org .
|
|
