Library/Tutoring Program

The Tutoring Program at The Village Apartments began in the fall of 2009. Patty and Jon Wilson partnered with Megan Duyst to bring volunteer tutors to some of the interested students at the Village, and the idea stuck. As Megan left to travel abroad, Jeff introduced Katie Pinson as the Coordinator of the Tutoring Program. She is a recent graduate from Westmont with a B.A. in Spanish. She enjoys working with children as well as the community on the Westside.

With the foundational building blocks left by Megan, this small program has started to grow. We now have 15 consistent tutors volunteering to assist almost 20 children. Our goal is that each child would be paired with his or her own tutor in order to improve not only reading and math skills but also develop a relationship they can remember throughout life.

Although elementary school children make up of the majority of our wild bunch, we do have two adults participating: one who is learning English and another who is working towards a nursing degree. The relationships being built between these adult students and tutors have brought much joy to The Community Center, breaking down barriers of race, age, and socioeconomic status.

Please see our vision below and if you have any questions please contact Katie Pryor.

Our Vision: The Village Tutoring Program seeks to create a lasting relationship between tutor and student, grounded in honesty, diligence, and respect, in order to establish a safe environment and a foundation of stability. The tutor's job is to encourage, challenge, and affirm the student so that he or she can grow in self-confidence, improve academically, and think deeply about hope for the future and love for one's neighbor.

The Village Library is open sporadically throughout the week and during Community Center Open hours.