Local Agencies Support Students
Tutors needed as pandemic continues to disrupt traditional education process.
By Fredrick McKissack
Of Fort Wayne Ink Spot
Four local agencies have teamed up to help curb an education crisis hitting Southeast families during the pandemic.
Youth For Christ’s City Life Center, Boys and Girls Club, Renaissance Pointe YMCA and United Way are providing free tutoring and credit recovery assistance to help students falling behind in their current classes as well as help students recover lost credits because of last spring’s interruption of classes. The latter problem is particularly distressing as a high school diploma is an entrée for job training and higher education.
The Boys and Girls Club is working with elementary school children; Renaissance Y is focusing on middle school students but open to all; and City Life Center, across from South Side High School, is concentrating on high schoolers.
Students can receive assistance 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesdays. Credit recovery assistance is available from 4-6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“As a community, we must assume the responsibility alongside with our schools to ensure we are giving our kids the support they need to have a great educational experience as they learn in the classrooms and virtually,” said Nygel Simms, regional director for urban ministries for Youth for Christ of Northeast Indiana.
Fort Wayne Community Schools has seen an uptick of students in credit recovery because of the spring shutdown. Students failing at the time of the shutdown were given an “incomplete” with the opportunity for credit recovery. Students have been notified by the district about their need to recover credit(s).
Fort Wayne’s education issues are part of a national trend. The coronavirus has disrupted every life in America, causing not just 220,000-plus deaths to date but disorder and dislocation in every sector of society – including primary and secondary education.
While not at a high risk of death or long-term health problems, African-American and Latinx students are at greater risk than others when it comes to the continued interruption of the in-class learning environment, according to an article in the influential online tech journal TechCrunch.
“A McKinsey analysis found that 40% of African-American students and 30% of Hispanic students in U.S. K-12 schools received no online instruction during COVID-induced school shutdowns, compared to 10% of whites,” write Darrell M. West and John R. Allen, both of the Brookings Institute.
“These gaps in access to online education and digital services widen the already substantial educational inequalities that exist but push them to new heights. If continued for a lengthy period of time, such differentials expose our most disadvantaged students to large barriers to advancement and a future of income deprivation or economic stagnation.”
FWCS has put technology in the hands of all students so the district can provide a virtual environment for children to learn while helping to curb the spread of COVID-19. However, there is a digital access gap due to broadband availability, as well as varying levels of parental participation, particularly in single-parent households, said Renaissance YMCA director Amos Norman. The program is part of the Y’s mission to be “good stewards.”
“COVID-19 not only shut down schools, but it also shut down academics for a number of kids,” he said. “We’re providing a space for students to connect with teachers to get help. It’s about being an ally to kids and their parents.”
Boys and Girls Club of Fort Wayne
2609 Fairfield Ave. – 260.744.0998
www.bgcfw.org
City Life
3701 Calhoun St. – 260.744.0914
www.yfcnin.org/our_ministries/
Renaissance Pointe YMCA
2323 Bowser Ave. – 260.447.4567
www.fwymca.org/locations
