I am blown away by how effective the after school tutoring program has been so far. After just a couple of months, the middle schoolers are getting right to work and many completing their weekly homework. Some of them even seem to look forward to the time now and call it “club.”

Most of the tweens were originally recommended by the teachers for not doing well in school. The lack of performance was not due to learning disabilities or bad behavior. They’re basically latchkey kids who would otherwise be playing video games or their parents are intimidated by fractions. All they needed was a quiet, comfortable space with adult supervision and encouragement. Also some snacks, safe transportation, and basic school supplies. The scholar dollars don’t hurt either.

Since we’ve been meeting at the library, the students have been wanting to check out some of the extras from the library. The tutors didn’t want them to use their cards, so instead, we helped them sign up for student library cards. The students can check out up to five books at a time, and there are no late fees. One of the librarians to give us all a tour last week.

If you’re not familiar, there are some upgrades to libraries these days. They have computer rooms, ebooks, hot spots, music and movies that you can check out in addition to books, magazines and newspapers. Students can even check it out video game consoles, but only after their homework is done.