Students interested in aiding elementary or high school students with academics can attend a training session tonight.
The session, held at Madison Memorial High School, will help college students become involved in the academic affairs of teenage and younger students and in turn help them succeed in academics.
The Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Dane County is hosting the training session, titled “Training for Volunteers of Children and Youth.”
Tutoring and mentoring programs play key roles for young students, said Kathy Price, Partnership Coordinator for Madison Public Schools.
She added that such programs are critical to the academic welfare of the age group.
Price indicated that structured after-school programs help children receive better grades, promote class attendance and cause fewer disciplinary problems during the school day.
As of now, between 1,700 and 1,750 Madison Public School students receive academic tutoring during the day and after school.
Despite these numbers, Price said more tutoring help is needed.
“The needs are across the city and county, so the higher [the participant level], the better,” said Juli Schnelby, School Coordinator of R.S.V.P. of Dane County.
Currently, 200 people are registered for Tuesday’s training. Schnelby estimated that the average volunteer puts in two one-hour tutoring sessions each week, but the time commitment varies.
The Morgridge Center for Public Service works in correspondence with University of Wisconsin volunteers. As Mary Rouse, the center’s director noted, UW students play an important role in providing help for today’s youth.
“Every year more and more students are volunteering,” she said.
Over 5000 students attended last year’s volunteer fair, with 2005 students signing up on the spot for volunteer positions.
In 1996, 27 percent of UW students indicated that they volunteered on campus or in the community. That number grew to 37 percent in 2000, Rouse said.
Also sponsoring Tuesday’s volunteer training session is United Way of Dane County, Schools of Hope, the Madison School District, the Urban League of Greater Madison and Madison School-Community Recreation.
The training session is located at Madison Memorial High School, 201 S. Gammon Road, and it runs from 3:00-7:45 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome.
A shorter training session for people interested in working with elementary and middle school students will be held Oct. 8 at 4 p.m. in the Memorial Union.
Students interested in helping children of elementary age can call Schools of Hope at 246-5481. Students interested in assisting middle school students can call the Urban League of Greater Madison at 251-8550.
Interested students may volunteer in any grade level from preschool to high school, with the subject areas varying from literature to science.
In addition to tutoring, students may also act as mentors for younger students.
