Lake County Gazette

Waukegan Public Schools Board of Education discussed a tutoring program in the district, which allows high school students to mentor elementary-age kids in reading and math.

During the board's meeting on March 28, the district heard a report on its Brookside Leadership Tutor program, a project designed by Catalina Quinones-Nelson, principal of Oakdale Elementary school, where high school students to go to the elementary schools and provide tutoring. Brookside Principal Avelira Rodriguez-Gonzalez said in a video about the program that it allows sophomore students from Brookside to use an elective course to serve as tutors once a week.

"This idea came about years ago, thinking about the importance of community involvement in our schools and community service hours," Quinones-Nelson said. "Having our students be part of the leadership group, making sure that they're tutoring other students. They become role models. They become part of the change of narrative that we want to see in Waukegan. We often hear of things that aren't positive, but we have so many positive things going on with our students. And if we just gave them those opportunities, they would come and do everything that they need to do as they have with this tutoring opportunity."

Quinones-Nelson said that when sophomores go to the Washington campus next year, they will help start the program there as well, expanding and growing it to work with middle school students. The idea is to help younger students transition more easily into high school and create more of a connection among students at different schools. Student tutors spoke about the experience, saying they applied for the position because they were eager to help younger students achieve their goals, wanted to gain experience in a classroom setting, or just wanted to give back. The elementary school students spoke very highly of the older students, saying they were fun and helpful to work with.

Ms. Quinones-Nelson told the board that the point of the program was to provide a sense of community for the students. Some of the tutors addressed the board, sharing how they felt proud to use their math proficiency to help younger students learn and grow, and how much they valued the relationships they had made. Not only are the tutors serving as role models to younger students, but the program helps the older students feel as though they have fewer walls between them and their own teachers. Quinones-Nelson also asked the board to consider having the program give students community service hours and credits in the future for all their hard work serving the community.