Upward Bound is an after-school/Saturday supplement to help less privileged high school kids get accepted into and through college (http://www.voala.org/services/cybert.php).
There are five Upward Bound sites in the LA area with about 300 students in total. Upward Bound have provided each site with computers and cyber cameras that Skype-connect with volunteer college students who provide the tutoring. Each computer at the sites has 2 cameras – one for the face and one for the homework.
The tutors undergo a formal application process, are interviewed, and must commit to 2 hours per week of tutoring. Currently, they have about 15 tutors. That will grow as they move down the experience curve and de-bottleneck some of the existing constraints (some sites are equipment limited, some space limited). They have raised some money from outside donations including a recent commitment for equipment from HP.
Do you want to help? Contact tutor@voala.org to become a tutor OR download http://www.voala.org/downloads/TutorApplication-S.pdf to fill out an application to become a tutor. This is what the organization says to YOU:
“You can make a difference in the life of a high school student from an under-served Los Angeles neighborhood who is working extremely hard to graduate and be the first in their family to go to college. We are looking for caring and committed people to spend one to two hours a week online, tutoring some very remarkable kids so that they improve their grades and have a chance to reach their full potential. As a college student, you would especially be able to relate to these teenagers and understand their needs on many levels. One semester of online tutoring has proven to advance a student one grade, and impacts their lives immeasurably. Being a tutor is a very rewarding experience on a personal level, and is a great addition to your resume. We run Upward Bound programs in Los Angeles for more than 300 students each year with a 100% success rate. We have helped thousands of teen-agers make it to college. This is especially noteworthy as the kids we serve are educated in overcrowded inner-city schools with high dropout rates, low academic performance, and less college-going culture. Online cyber tutoring happens on a computer with a camera via the Internet and Skype. Thanks to these and other innovations, tutoring has become a convenient and effective way to make a real difference in a kid’s life.”
Volunteers of AMERICA in GREATER LOS ANGELES THANKS YOU!
My good friend DON BAKER, retired executive, has devoted many hours of his time and his great intelligence and heart to this program – please join him and other volunteers like him making a difference in our world community.
Rockin’ Grandma Music thanks YOU!
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