Tutoring toward a brighter future

Monday was 15-year-old Alissa’s first night in A Dream and A Plan for Tomorrow, known as ADAPT, tutoring program. Her last name was withheld at the request of the facility. Alissa participates in the Hillcrest High independent study program, which means she does her work at her own pace throughout the day.

"Sometimes I’m reading and the words are big and I don’t understand what they mean,” she said.

Her trouble retaining and sometimes understanding what she’s reading is where the help comes in.

Each One Reach One was founded in 1997 by a small group of professional theater artists who wanted to share their skills with youth involved in the juvenile justice program. The group provides a three-phase program for incarcerated youth starting with playwriting, phase two is ADAPT followed by post-release case management. More than 106 youth participated in the ADAPT study hall program since it began in 2003. To date, more than 22 teens earned their General Education Diplomas and three earned their high school diplomas while incarcerated. An additional 44 students completed at least three of the five required GED tests and were allowed to finish the tests after their release.

The one-on-one academic tutoring program works with youth needing a little extra help but also focuses on helping prepare the teens for the GED test, a high school equivalency exam.

Alissa is paired up with Lillian Barden, a retired business teacher who started volunteering for Each One Reach One through her church.

The women quickly get to work on Alissa’s latest assignment questions about the story "Julie of the Wolves.” For the past four months, Alissa fell behind in her school work but wants to catch up for a smooth transition back into school. She has the chance for release in the next few weeks. She is too young to take her GED tests — state law requires students to be 17 — but Alissa hopes to get out of high school early and study either cosmetology or nursing.

Alissa is one of about 10 youth currently working with tutors. The number of teens who can be helped is dependent on the volunteers interested in the program. Study Hall Manager Polo Aguirra said the waiting list to get in the study hall can have as many as 15 students on it or no one at all. Teachers refer students and those studying for their GED have priority. The teachers will give Aguirra a heads up as to what the topic each student needs the most help.

"One of the good things about being in here is they don’t have to pay for anything. Many people tell me they didn’t take the test outside because they didn’t have the money. If they don’t complete it in here they can complete it without paying for it. It’s like an added incentive for them to finish,” said Aguirra.

When the program started Aguirra ran the show and found it hard to get help or clearance to even allow the youth to be involved, now parole officers are calling him to get their youth into the program.

Not only do the youth have the option of educating themselves for the future but there is help looking for jobs and job training programs.

Many students will be hooked up with an employer while they are still incarcerated. They will meet this person so when they get out it’s a little easier to continue on that path, said Program Manager Dave Lopez. But to be involved in the job training the students have to be working toward or already have achieved their GED. Lopez said education is the priority.

Lopez said many youth end up in these situations because of what is normal in their lives. They might see mom and dad making a living doing something illegal, it’s recognized that it’s illegal but it’s also normal. Most people go back into their old habits when they get out because it’s all they know. Realizing more is possible is the most satisfying part of the job of the job for Lopez.

"I feel lucky I get to see that transformation. Take Alissa she went from not wanting to talk and in two short weeks got enough courage to start joking with me. They cross that threshold and start becoming independent. ... I know we touched Alissa, and even if we just reach that one kid at least we reached one kid,” he said.

For more information or to become a mentor for Each One Reach One visit www.each1reach1.org or call 738-3023.

Heather Murtagh can be reached by e-mail: heather@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 105. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.

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