By JOSEPH DITS South Bend Tribune Staff Writer

8:08 p.m. EDT, August 11, 2011

SOUTH BEND – As the school year begins later this month, two new literacy centers aim to reach students who are at risk of failing in math and reading.

The centers are designed as an extension of the school day. The same, enrolled group of students will be asked to show up for six to nine hours per week throughout the school year. They’ll dive into a curriculum of science, math and reading, with a focus on literacy, reading, and reading comprehension.

“Our research shows that students need an additional six to eight hours of literacy activities per week in order to make gains,” said Catherine Woodard with the National Council on Educating Black Children, which is bringing the program to South Bend.

Here’s where the centers will be:

At the Charles Martin Youth Center, 802 Lincoln Way W. For third-, fourth- and fifth-graders, it will open Sept. 6 and meet from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Call 574-280-7092 to register or help.

New Generations Christian Ministries, 431 S. Summit Drive. For sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders, it will open Aug. 29 and meet from 3 to 6 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Call 574-288-2503 or 574-232-0640 to register or help.

The public is invited to a news conference from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday at the center at New Generations. Church member Dawn Jones, who is a South Bend school board member, is a coordinator for this center.

The centers evolved from local discussions about how to help failing students, said Gladys Muhammad, associate director of the South Bend Heritage Foundation, which runs the Charles Martin Youth Center.

“It’s not just the schools but the community that needs to take some responsibility,” she said.

The Augustus F. Hawkins Literacy Centers, as they’re known, are among 18 across the country, with four more in the works, said Woodard, who directs the program for the nonprofit NCEBC based in Indianapolis.

Memorial Hospital is providing financial support, and other organizations are bringing in mentors. The South Bend Community School Corp. is donating computers.

Each day’s activities will be led by a rotating group of volunteers – local educators, business people and parents. More helpers are welcome, Muhammad said.

The NCEBC is sending hundreds of “culturally relevant” books to the centers for their own libraries, Woodard said. Extra books will be sent for the students to take home, she said.

Each center will start out working with up to 25 students. Each already has at least 15 kids signed up, thanks to referrals from the school corporation and word-of-mouth, Jones and Muhammad said.

They could end up with a waiting list. Students can stick with the program through the whole school year. By the second semester, organizers said they may accept more students, depending on how many kids leave the program for various reasons.

Other than the students’ grade level, there are no qualifications, but organizers said they really want to reach students who are struggling the most in reading and math. And they’d prefer students in South Bend schools who live near the centers.

Staff writer Joseph Dits:
jdits@sbtinfo.com
574-235-6158

George McKenna’s programs have been modeled throughout the nation. He has served as a consultant to numerous school districts and law enforcement agencies. He is also the author of several articles that have appeared in local and national newspapers and educational journals. McKenna has received more than 400 citations and awards from civic, legislative and professional organizations. His work led to his being the subject of the award-winning CBS movie, The George McKenna Story, starring Denzel Washington.

 Mr. Mychal Wynn took his dream of writing, together with his passion for teaching, which began in college, tutoring physics, calculus, and statistics, to South Central Los Angeles, where he volunteered to teach language, public speaking, and poetry to African-American and Latino students in several South Central Los Angeles middle schools. With his passion for teaching, his understanding of children living in poverty, and his unique knowledge of “the hidden rules” of school success, Mr. Wynn inspired students to use language as one of the keys to opening the doors to higher education.

Register for the 2011 Annual Convention Today!

The National Council on Educating Black Children promotes the principles of Kwanzaa and community empowerment for people of all ethnicities throughout the year and we encourage you to learn more about Kwanzaa’s principles and practices.  Download the December Parent Newsletter for a brief introduction to Kwanzaa or read the submission by NCEBC Board Member, Ms. Lynson Beaulieu to learn more about Kwanzaa. Write to us and share how practicing Kwanzaa Principles is making a difference in your family and community.