The Avid Program is a week long program for students and gives kids a period to work on college preparation. I volunteer here on Tuesday and Thursday while they are doing tutorials (see previous post). A student in the Avid program was struggling but not because he couldn't do the work, he choose not to do so. After talking with him I found out he was going through some unfortunate circumstances. He's currently being charged with burglary and resisting arrest. School is the furthest thing on his mind at the moment because of the more serious hurdle he must cross. I finally got through to him after the teacher and other tutors trying to reach him. I spoke to him about not putting his life on hold by basically quitting school while going to school. I talk to him about possible future opportunities and how stressing isn't going to change anything.
I do not know if he was innocent of his crime or not, but that part doesn't concern me. What concerns me is that he does his work and doesn't spoil the other apples in the basket. Talking to a few kids I was informed that his attitude sets the tone for the others in the class. Every since he stop doing work and started to complain many of the other students have done the same. The tutorial program is a great program if they use it the way it was intended. With another adult in the classroom I think its safe to say that we have change the culture of the class. Its a wonderful site to see the students actually getting something from this. I would like to implement this program in my non profit business.
