|
|
|
|
|
Boys & Girls Clubs program offers homework help
POWER Hour, an educational enhancement program designed to help young people in school, has had great success at local Boys & Girls Clubs. The Westside and Goleta units have now been able to fund staff positions in this program thanks to corporate donations specifically directed to the clubs.
Wells Fargo Bank recently donated $10,000 to support POWER Hour at Westside, where Jennifer Miller facilitates the daily program. In Goleta, local Medtronic Inc. funded the staff position for Kelli Fitzgerald.
Club members are also trained as peer tutors. Research shows that tutors learn even more than students through tutoring. Being a peer tutor is especially effective in helping underachieving students.
Statistics also how that student achievement rises significantly when young people complete regularly assigned homework. To foster good homework habits, POWER Hour includes assistance at the Boys & Girls Club at the same time every day. There are also computers for those who do not have them at home, and members enjoy a quiet place to study away from often crowded households.
In addition, the program includes instructors who provide sustained encouragement and caring support, teaching club members how to use reference materials and conduct research. Instructors check assignments for completion and accuracy, and, most importantly, promote self-directed learning.
In addition to individualized attention, POWER Hour features cooperative homework groups, which help members understand the perspectives of others and build self-esteem. Cooperative groups also help students develop a positive attitude toward school.
For more information about how you can become a corporate or individual sponsor of the Boys and Girls Clubs' POWER Hour program, call Sal Rodriguez or Rochelle Rose at 962-0220. |
|
|
POWER Hour is designed to help youngsters ages 5-12, especially those from economically disadvantaged families, to succeed in school and life. The program operates daily from 3-6 p.m. in the learning resource center. Tutoring is also a component of the program, along with homework assistance and computer training. The objective of POWER Hour tutoring is to help members perform better in selected subject areas and to become self-directed learners.