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Our Tutoring Program is a free service to help low-income students succeed in school while developing self-confidence, motivation and learning skills. Started in 1982 by Lynn Nelson, tutoring was first held in a small room in the Project Understanding building on Vince Street. Over the years the program has grown, and we now have four tutoring centers in Ventura and one in Oxnard.Our Students are kindergarten through eighth grade, with most of them in elementary school. They are referred to us by their teachers because they are struggling with some area of their school work, and they come from families who are not able to provide the help that their children need. We now have 260 students.Our Tutors range from high schoolers to octogenarians and come from many backgrounds, but they share some common traits — they enjoy being with children, and they are excited about learning. They want to see that children get a good start in life and are willing to get personally involved in making that happen. One hundred eighty four tutors keep our tutoring centers humming. Our Program matches tutors with a student and they meet once a week for an hour at the Tutoring Center to work on homework and basic learning skills. Last year 7,246 hours of tutoring were provided.Our Summer Program In the summer, the Avenue Center offers an enrichment program to expose children to the arts and sciences, which sometimes are not emphasized during the school year. This summer, 24 children explored the subject “Under the Sea.” They visited the Ty Warner Sea Center in Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center. They also walked down the Avenue to the Bell Arts Factory for some wonderful art experiences. The Eastminster Center holds an annual “Jumpstart Program” in August to help students brush up on their skills before school resumes. This year, 40 children had a great time honing their skills in the three Rs. Waiting List We would love to serve every child who comes to us for help. Unfortunately, there are not enough tutors, so we must place some children on a waiting list. We currently have 35 students who are waiting for a tutor. Perhaps you could help. Please call Marcia at 652-1326 to find out how to get started.
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©2008, Project Understanding, Ventura, CA.