Published Thursday, November 7, 2002
on life decisions
Herald Staff Writer
Just before 3:30 p.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the ERASE building fills with students looking for extra help with their school work.
The kids are participating in the new Challenge Tutoring Program established through the ERASE Safe Haven Anti-Drug Coalition and Sharon Regional Health System. Dr. Vernice Cain, program coordinator, said the program is designed to pair students and volunteer tutors in a one-on-one setting.
The purpose of the tutoring program is not only to help students in kindergarten through eighth grade with homework, but to arm them with the mental tools they need to make good life decisions, Dr. Cain said.
Students are plentiful, but tutors and supplies are not.
In a week there are as many as 22 to 28 students who arrive looking for homework help, and only eight tutors, she said. She said they especially need tutors in math and science.
Because of the overwhelming amount of students, tutors are forced to work with as many as five students at one time, and some students are on a waiting list for the program, Dr. Cain said.
"We do not have enough (tutors)," she said. "It (the program) works best one-on-one."
The tutors are former teachers, members of the ministry and students. Each tutor has to fill out an application and go through a training process before he or she works with the students, Dr. Cain said.
Maxwell McClure, a senior at Farrell High School, applied to be a tutor after a friend told him about the program. "The kids are always energetic. I like working with them," said Maxwell, who plans to major in education at Youngstown State University.
Dr. Cain said Maxwell is a good tutor because he's always positive, and he gives the kids hope and makes them believe they can succeed.
Working with the kids can sometimes be challenging. "If a kid doesn't really want to do anything, it kind of makes it harder, but I just work with them more," Maxwell said.
Farrell sophomore Shar-Dai Peagler said she became involved with the program because she enjoys working with kids. She said she already has a tutoring and arts and crafts program: KID's -- Kids Inspiring Dreams -- for ages 7 to 13 with the help of Mercer County Housing Authority.
Parents were notified of the program -- which began sessions on Oct. 15 -- through fliers in the schools, churches and community, Dr. Cain said. Parents who enrolled children in the free program must meet with program administrators and sign a permission slip. Parents get weekly progress reports.
The kids in the program come from other locations besides Farrell, including Sharon, Sharpsville and Brookfield, Dr. Cain said. Many of the students are from disadvantaged homes, she added.
"I believe that these kids have a chance," Dr. Cain said. "We give out lunches at the end of the program. Many of our kids go home and there's nobody there, and there's certainly no food."
Dr. Cain said she would like to see the program expand, but money is in short supply. Besides SRHS and Mercer County Behavioral Health,, most financial support comes from donations, she said. Many of the volunteer tutors bring their own supplies.
In addition to more tutors, Dr. Cain said she would like to add more subjects, have seminars for parents to show them ways to teach their children, a summer program and a system to track students' progress from kindergarten through graduation.
In the meantime, program participants will continue to help as many kids as they can, and Dr. Cain will search for funding to keep the program going and growing.
"I walk on faith. For me it's one child at a time," she said.
Anyone who wishes to be a volunteer tutor can call the ERASE office at (724) 981-3856.
You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Kristen Garrett at:
kgarrett@sharonherald.com