By Blake Wheeler
The past year has changed the world in many ways, including a lack of in-person schooling.
Non-Traditional Instruction, or “NTI,” swept across the country. It predominately consists of students being taught through an online classroom and then doing their coursework through an online platform. In the one year of NTI, Jefferson County Public Schools witnessed test scores in math and English plummet, according to Dr. Elizabeth Byron. Byron is Bellarmine’s Community Engagement advise and leads the Rise Program.
The Rise Program is a tutoring project in which Bellarmine students assist kids in Louisville’s Beecher Terrace/ Russell neighborhoods who need educational help.
Byron said her main job in the beginning was to be a helpful resource to the tutors who were struggling in different areas. Whether it was connecting with the students or actually teaching, she was there help.
This spring, Bellarmine’s Center for Community Engagement formed a partnership with Urban Strategies, Inc. (USI), the People Implementation Entity for Beecher Terrace/Russell Choice Neighborhoods project.
Bellarmine established a relationship to help with USI’s educational goals for the K-12 population of students in the Beecher Terrace/Russell community, a community in Louisville’s West End, to help students reach proficiency in math and English and to graduate college and/or to become career ready.
“I spent seven years at JCPS and have a lens for these kinds of needs. We realized Bellarmine had the resources to help the Beecher Terrace/ Russell communities, so we went for it,” Byron said.
Byron said the main goal of the program this semester was to show support to the students and families who needed academic relief during the pandemic.
“Right now, we have 23 Bellarmine tutors for 25 students, with more students on waitlists. We are trying to meet community needs and raise proficiencies in subjects across the board,” Byron said.
Kelze’ Riley, Student Government Association vice president of community engagement and campus culture and student director of the Rise Program, said some of the main goals were to use Bellarmine’s access to tutors and education majors to help the communities in need.
“Initially, some of our short-term goals consist of trying to sustain the program into next year by getting more tutors into the areas that need them. It’s a super helpful program, and in the long run, we want to see these kids get to college,” Riley said.
Riley said the program will accept as many volunteer tutors as possible. There are many students on a waitlist who need the help to succeed in their classes.
Byron and Riley both said this isn’t a normal tutoring program. It’s very personal and urges tutors to develop a relationship with their students without requiring a huge time commitment. Tutors meet with their students for an hour at a time once or twice a week to go over coursework.
Senior Tosin Akindele works with a fourth-grade boy named Isiah in math and English.
“It’s an amazing experience to be able to help a kid like Isiah. It’s tough with Covid-19, but we find way to work through the poor Wi-Fi connections or the frustrations of not being in person,” Akindele said.
Akindele said she has always loved working with kids and likes the Rise Program specifically because it allows her to build a personal relationship with her students.
“Isiah is an amazing kid with a ton of potential. I look forward to spending that hour with him whether it’s reading or adding and subtracting,” Akindele said.
Jack Clines, an education and math double major, tutors two students in math.
“Building a personal relationship with these students that aren’t much younger that myself is key for the community and classroom. It helps make the tutoring and learning process a lot easier and more productive,” Clines said.
Clines said that the tutoring experience is well worth it.
“It isn’t as time-consuming as some would think, but it’s super rewarding and fulfilling. Hearing the appreciation from the students and parents makes it all worth it,” Clines said.
Rachel Wilson tutors a sixth-grade boy in social studies, and she said she quickly realized how much help some of these kids really need.
“At first, I was really overwhelmed, but after I built my relationship with my student and we got to know each other, the learning got easier. I would consider myself more of a friend that is there to help than a tutor,” Wilson said.
Janice Coleman, who has two of her kids in the Rise Tutoring Program, said: “Participating in this program has been wonderful. I love how comfortable the tutors are in working with my kids. They are able to get on their level and help them to complete all of their assignments.”
Coleman said the tutors go above and beyond by giving up their time to help the community and by being genuine and compassionate when they are tutoring.
“I want my children to know that it is okay to ask for help so they may grow up knowing they are capable of anything they put their mind to,” Coleman said.