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As a part of their after-school program, three Largo outreach centers launch daily tutoring sessions in which staff members and volunteers can give students more individual attention.
By LORRI HELFAND
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 4, 2001
LARGO -- It's 4:30 in the afternoon. Laughter and cheers ricochet off the walls at the Lake Palms outreach center in Largo, while kids shoot pool, play foosball and chatter about the day's events.
"Everybody drop and read," shouts Kinsit Cooley, the center's site director.
Within seconds, the chatter softens as kids scatter around the room. They grab their favorite books off the bookshelf and settle down at tables and in reading nooks.
This is the beginning of homework hour. In the past, at this time of day, many kids were frustrated and bored because there were only a couple of recreation leaders to help them with their studies. Within minutes, many grew discouraged and their minds wandered.
Now, hoping to give kids individual attention and keep them stimulated, the Largo Recreation and Parks Department has launched an after-school tutoring program at three Largo outreach centers. It's funded by a federal grant and additional money from the city of Largo, totaling $41,700 this year. By Monday, the department hopes to push the program full throttle with several tutors and fun programs at all three Largo outreach sites.
"We thought, "What can we do extra to make the whole outreach program more structured, not rigid, and give it more meaning so it's not just a drop-in site where kids can go and come as they please?' " said Lara Khoury, management analyst for the department. "Our staff aren't teachers, they're "reckies' and they're there to develop fun games for the kids."
The outreach centers serve about 90 children younger than 18. Five years ago, officials opened the center at the Clearwater/Largo Free Methodist Church to help at-risk youths. "The police department was looking into some low-income neighborhoods and noticed there was a lot of juvenile crime. They were looking for ways to curb that crime in a constructive way," Khoury said.
Two more Largo outreach centers have opened since then, one at Immanuel Chapel on 142nd Avenue and another at Lake Villa Park on Sixth Avenue NW. Both will offer after-school tutoring.
Marilynn Hall, the department's outreach educational coordinator, is shooting for enough volunteers at each site to give all of the children individual attention. Hall said she's open to volunteers of all ages and experiences: senior citizens, high school students, even middle school students who are high achievers. And city of Largo employees have an extra incentive, she said, because they can substitute an hour of tutoring for an hour of work each week.
Each site already has lead tutors, Pinellas County educators who will direct volunteers and oversee the instruction. Hall worked with seven district teachers to develop a fun curriculum geared to each grade level.
Georgia Jackson, 9, a fourth-grader at Southern Oak Elementary School, huddled next to lead tutor, Raquel Payne, who guided her through a spelling workbook one recent afternoon.
"I just have a heart for children," said Payne, a language arts teacher at Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School. "If I can take one minute to say a kind word or build their self esteem, it's important to make a difference."
Georgia said she appreciated the help because she gets discouraged when she doesn't understand her assignments.
"You don't know what you're doing when you have lots of homework. When you're in fourth and fifth grade you have big stacks," Georgia said raising her hand in the air. "You can't do anything because you don't know what you're doing."
Georgia's mother, Iris Jackson, a waitress and crew leader at the Golden Corral Restaurant in Largo, said the program takes pressure off her because school work is a top priority in her household.
"I'm a single parent," she said "When (Georgia) leaves here, she still has work. It's a great help. I mean, I'm blessed to have this program."
A group of kids giggled and yelled out answers as volunteer tutor Brian Oliver, 20, quizzed them with math flash cards. The Hillsborough Community College student said he has a simple reason for volunteering.
"I like kids. They're fun. It makes me feel like a kid again," he said.
-- If you'd like to volunteer for Largo's after-school tutoring project, call Marilynn Hall, outreach educational coordinator of the Largo Recreation and Parks Department, at (727) 587-6740, ext. 5007.