Miami University

Students give up Saturdays to tutor at Bethel AME

By Katie Malene

While most college students were sleeping in Saturday mornings, a group of Miami students helped community youngsters with their schoolwork.

Volunteers from Miami and the Oxford community teamed up for the Bethel AME Saturday morning tutoring program. Since 1994, this program has paired children with college students to improve language arts, spelling, reading and math skills.

But the morning wasn’t all about studying; speakers, crafts and lunch were also provided. This combination of kids, studying and fun is what senior Jon Grant, one of the student coordinators, believes made it a success.

“The college students and the kids created a bond that was built throughout the semester,” he said. “The learning extended past Saturday mornings—the children became stronger students and the college students became stronger role models.”
Tony Schlake, a junior and the other student coordinator, said that the kids really needed the tutors, looked forward to the Saturday morning sessions and brought their friends along with them.

About 20 college tutors participated this semester. Volunteers were required to go through training and were only allowed to miss two Saturdays per semester.
Yvette Harris (psychology), organizer of the program, said help from the community and university is what made it “click.” The Miami students helped create an atmosphere that made learning enjoyable, Harris said, and that is what made the 25-30 youngsters come back week after week.

“The college students are also exposed to a variety of backgrounds through the children,” Harris said. “There is learning going both ways when the child works with the Miami student.”

What is most rewarding for Harris is when she can actually see participants’ academic success via an improved report card or being named to the honor roll.
Working with Harris were Bettye Brown, an Oxford community member, and Roberta Perlin, an intervention specialist for Talawanda district at Stewart Elementary. They are the backbone of the program, according to Harris, and were particularly effective in raising awareness of the program in the
community as well as funds to keep it operating.

The Bethel AME tutoring program is one of many Service Learning opportunities at Miami. Half of the college students have opted to serve for academic credit.

(Malene is an intern in the news and public information office.)

Date Published: 05/05/1999
Volume: 18   Number: 35