Tutoring

The B.O.O.S.T (Building Our Own Success Trail) tutoring program offers free homework assistance and academic enrichment activities in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. Three times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays) students participating in the program receive 2 hours of academic support and enrichment per day. Students are provided dinner and based on individualized learning needs; they receive one-on-one or small group learning with tutors.  Through each of these sessions students learn study, organizational, and leadership skills that equip and empower them for success in and outside of the classroom setting. Academic progress is measured by monitoring grades from progress reports to report cards. In addition, tutors monitor weekly progress on graded assignments and tests.  Experiential learning activities are scheduled for the students to attend at the University of Maryland College Park for the days that the students are out of school. Over the course of the year, they will attend a variety of workshops that will allow them to explore and prepare for college. Concurrently, while children are enrolled in tutoring parents are able to receive access to educational and community resource supports through small group workshops.

Objectives –

 

1.  Increase school attendance.

 

2.  Increase academic performance.

 

3.  Increase parental involvement in student’s education.

 

Research has shown that school attendance decreases due to a lack of engagement or difficulty in attaining academic achievement. The Embry Center for Family Life is expanding its mentorship program to include an academic tutoring program. The anticipated outcome will be each child reducing levels of disengagement and increasing their academic performance by one grade level each quarter, particularly in the areas of English and Mathematics.

 

Outside of homework assistance, the youth will have opportunities to explore media development, engage in financial literacy workshops for adolescent youth and their parents, college/SAT preparation, and engage in mother-daughter sessions designed to strengthen relationships and foster a positive home environment. Tutors will engage in on-going communications with parents in order to help parents become advocates for the resources needed to support their child’s education.