CityCure WHIZKIDS

When I first heard about Whiz Kids, a tutoring/mentoring program that helps students improve their reading skills, I was excited. Anything that helps children learn to read and love to read I'm all for it. When I learned that it was a faith based organization behind it, I wondered... how was this going to work? Are tutors going into schools to teach the gospel and their key inside is under a "reading tutoring program?" Or is it the other way around?

I had heard it all before, "We are going to at-risk students where they are and 'help' them. "We are gearing up for Lincoln Heights school district in the fall." Lincoln Heights often an overlooked community indeed has many children and families who could benefit from others wrapping their arms around them. But not terribly unique, there are countless tutoring/mentoring groups faith based or not that do service projects in Lincoln Heights and other 'urban' communities.

What sold it for me is talking to the principal at Hopewell Elementary. Lakota Hills school district. Whiz Kids has helped students achieve in the classroom and in their lives for the past two years and the program is growing. Lakota Hills certainly doesn't need help supporting kids in their community? And at-risk kids? Can't be a need there? Right? Wrong.

Children everywhere need help, the children in the at-risk communities need help, where poverty, crime and negative influences outnumber the positive factors. Children in communities where there are two parent homes, abundant resources and supportive teachers, yes they need help to reinforce that yes it's cool to succeed in the classroom, and their will be negative influences at some point in your life, this is how you continue making the grade. And children with at-risk,challenging family dynamics in communities where wealth, manicured lawns, and Blue Ribbon schools are the way of life. These children and families especially can feel isolated in these communities thinking it's just them, and don't reach out for added help and encouragement and yes their children fall through the gaps. Bravo to Principal Hayes for recognizing the need and filling in the gaps.

Whiz Kids understands that all of our children need help, and they will leave no child behind. A true example of living the "Golden Rule."

For more information on CityCure and Whiz Kids log on to www.citycure.org or call (513)621-2873 if you'd like to become a mentor.

In the meantime let me know what you think about faith based organizations going into schools to help children academically and socially.