Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
AKRON - Grant monies through the Kosciusko Leadership Academy led to the creation of a mentoring program at Tippecanoe Valley Schools.
Beginning March 8, Valley high school students will teach English to Hispanic students at Akron and Mentone elementaries for one hour one day a week.
"It's a win-win for everyone involved. Young kindergarten through sixth-graders receive all the benefits of one-on-one mentoring from the Hispanic Youth Mentoring Program and high school students gain confidence, insight and skills from their new roles as 'teachers.' The teens who will be working with the youngsters will be role models who have been academically successful and are functionally fluent in Spanish," according to Jean Orcutt, a member of a Leadership Academy Class of 2003-04 group.
"The goal of this program, which we developed, is to improve the language skills of elementary English Language Learner students, provide a self-esteem building experience for students of both age groups and provide peer role models for the younger students that may help them develop ways to overcome personal obstacles, encourage them to stay in school and possibly go on to complete a college education."
Orcutt, who is a membership marketing specialist and adult development director for Indiana Lakeland Girl Scout Council, was joined by Susan Turner, Mutual Federal Savings Bank; Andy Loper, Applebee's; and Stephen Possell, Bowen Center, in developing a program and grant proposal to KLA. Funds for the project were provided through the Dalton Foundries family through Jean Northenor and KLA. The Hispanic Youth Mentoring Program received $5,000, of which $1,646.74 was donated Friday to Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. The remaining funds will be distributed to other school corporations which expressed an interest in the program.
"We were thrilled when Jean contacted us and made the offer," said Valley Assistant Superintendent Brett Boggs about the donation. He said it didn't take long to make the program fit at Valley. "We designed it the way it works best for us."
Susan Walker and Dawn Walker will monitor and coordinate the program at Akron and Mentone elementaries. Initially, six students at Akron Elementary and seven at Mentone Elementary will be mentored by 13 high school students. Boggs said the program probably will end up with more students. Students from the elementary schools were selected based on the level of their language skills and if they needed an "extra boost." The high school mentors were selected by TVHS Spanish teacher Kris Walker based on the students' functional fluency in Spanish, quality role model, academic success and availability. The mentors were trained by Kris Walker and Hilda Vazquez, education consultant for the Indiana Department of Education. During the weekly mentoring session, the mentors and the children they are mentoring will participate in a variety of activities, including language acquisition, cultural assimilation, academic activities and general encouragement.
Orcutt said, "Our group took local and regional demographic data to determine that by the end of 2010, the Hispanic population will be the largest minority group in the nation. The student population in some Kosciusko County elementary schools has tripled to become as high as 24 percent Hispanic students. According to Indiana State Education figures, Hispanic third-graders score an average of about 20 percent lower than non-Hispanic third-graders on the language arts section of their ISTEP tests and from 15 to 20 percent lower in math skills. Our group believed that extra one-to-one help would go a long way to improving the scores of the kids involved."
Orcutt's KLA group met with school officials, a local city councilman, Hispanic high school Sus Amigos students and Hispanic families and learned that a program such as they proposing would be an asset to English Language Learner youth in Kosciusko County. The KLA group was told mentoring would give support and acculturation opportunities to elementary-age Hispanic youth that would encourage them to acquire their education and become well prepared to take their place in the progress of their communities, according to Orcutt.
"A spin-off for the high school mentors is that the tutor/mentoring they receive will look good on resumes and college and scholarship applications, giving these teens a chance to contribute something to their communities at a young age and perhaps even spark interest in future teaching or volunteer work," said Orcutt.
The Indiana Lakeland Girl Scout Council also is providing Valley with an instructional CD for Hispanic students who are college bound. It provides information on how to apply for college, how to fill out applications, how to write application essays and how to prepare for interviews to the top colleges and universities in the U.S.
The Valley Hispanic Youth Mentoring Program was designed by Maria Baca, instructor, program for English Language Learners; Boggs; Priscilla Burdge, fourth-grade teacher, Akron; Pam Cook, instructor, program for English Language Learners; Kris Walker; and Martha Walther, instructor, program for English Language Learners.
