Compassion, literacy and tutoring
Tracy Oppenheimer | 5-13-2010 | Comments |
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Listen to the audio story:Thirteen-year-old Jamie doesn’t just have to worry about getting to school with her homework done, she has to worry about getting to school unharmed.
"I’ve seen many fights of gang bangers and gangs, like oh you’re from this gang I’m from that gang let’s fight. Why can’t we just all get along?" she said.
The new Compassion, Literacy and Tutoring program is now here to help kids like Jamie in South LA. Thanks to the program, Jamie and her peers are now able to get to school with their homework done and have a safe place to go after the bell rings.
These kids come from all backgrounds and families. Alex, a 14-year-old, has one of many heartbreaking stories, "My friend's stepdad just beat me and her mom and her so we called police and pressed charges and stuff, so we moved."
But Compassion, Literacy and Tutoring is here to give these stories a few chapters of peace, quiet, and a positive learning environment. The Literacy program provides help in math and reading from volunteer tutors. Most of the kids only have a second or third grade reading level, and simple multiplication problems are challenging for them. But they’re motivated and determined to succeed.
The program kicked off in January when Rotary International teamed up with former USC football coach Pete Carroll’s organization, A Better L.A. Volunteers include college students, retired teachers and even a city councilman. But Compassion, Literacy and Tutoring wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for founder Denicia Jones. Jones has lived in South LA since she was 12.
About 20 kids come regularly on Tuesdays and Thursdays to the center. The kids are so grateful for the help they get, and they try to give back to the community as much as they receive from it.
There have been some bumps in the road. Jones had trouble initially finding transportation for the kids and getting enough tutors. But Rotary recently donated a van to get the kids to the center, which has been a big help.
Compassion, Literacy and Tutoring is not the only program offered at the center either. There is also a gang intervention program and the “butterfly” program.
The butterfly program is a weekly opportunity for local girls to learn etiquette through peer mentoring. As the girls say, they learn to become “nice young ladies.”
Tags: compassion, literacy and tutoring denica jones tracy oppenheimer