AmeriCorps Reading, Math Tutors needed to Help Students
The AmeriCorps program needs more tutors in local schools for the next school year. From Brooklyn Park to New Hope, AmeriCorps says more than 80 tutors are needed locally to help students in math and reading.
At Elm Creek Elementary in Maple Grove, sometimes the small amount of time tutors spend with students makes a big difference.
“We work together so long and so closely for 20 minutes a day,” explains Stephanie Lewis one of the tutors. “Every day we are working together.”
Lewis helps students master a skill and develops a personal relationship with the students. She enjoys seeing the students she tutored in Kindergarten continue to reach goals in second grade.
“Seeing kids succeed with their reading has been rewarding to myself,” says Lewis. “For me, this is probably the happiest I’ve ever been in my adult life. I’m coming into an elementary school every day and I’m getting to help kids reach goals. I think there’s nothing better than that.”
Who are AmeriCorps Tutors?
Minnesota Reading Corps or Minnesota Math Corps tutors commit to 11 months of service and are trained AmeriCorps tutors. They commit to 11 months of service, during which they earn a biweekly living allowance of $597 (full time) and an education award of up to $5,920 to help pay for further education. Full-time tutors also receive health insurance. Tutors come from a variety of backgrounds and are fully trained before starting work.
“They are not really an employee and not really a volunteer,” says Eric Branson with Minnesota AmeriCorps. “They are kind of somewhere in-between.”
The goals are lofty. Tutors help students become a successful reader by third grade and proficient at math by eighth grade. Tutors reach an estimated 35,000 students throughout Minnesota during the year.
“They are kids that are right on the edge of exceling and meeting benchmark,” says Jeremy Carel, behavior intervention specialist at Elm Creek Elementary. “We need to bring people in. We need participation and we need those tutors to come in and help the kids.”
Anyone interested in learning more about Reading Corps or Math Corps, or ready to apply to serve, should visit readingandmath.net or contact 866.859.2825
