By Betty Ommerman
STAFF WRITER, Newsday

January 11, 2004

Twenty-five fourth- and fifth-graders at Drexel Avenue Elementary School are taking part in a special enrichment program by MPowering Kids in the Westbury School District. And they're loving it, even though it means staying after school.

Many of the children hope to be the first in their family to earn a college degree, and the program - after school Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for fifth-graders, and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays for fourth-graders - aims to put them on track.

"When I think of MPowering Kids, I think of going to college and getting high grades," said fifth-grader Marco Guevara, 10. Fourth-grader Juan Morano, 9, was even more specific. "When I think of MPowering Kids, I think of going to Harvard, graduating, and becoming an architect," he said.

The nonprofit organization, in which youngsters work one-on-one with volunteer tutors, was founded in 2002 by Susan Marshall, a former Muttontown resident now living in Manhattan. The program is in its second year of a free nine-year contract with the Westbury School District. Funded by grants and private donations, the program starts with fourth-graders and plans to tutor them through their high school senior year.

Last year's program, with 14 fourth- graders, resulted in an 81 percent improvement in reading and math scores on state exams and a 75 percent improvement in writing skills, according to school officials.

The program's enrollment increased this year to 25 students with the addition of a new group of 11 fourth-graders.

Tutors range from active and retired teachers and community residents to students from schools including Westbury High and the Wheatley School, as well as Long Island University's C.W. Post Campus and Stony Brook University.

"I look for that sparkle in their eyes and the excitement they have working with the students during their trial in the classroom," said program director Elizabeth Moglia of Forest Hills.

Moglia coordinates the curriculum with the class teachers and provides a one-on-one training manual for tutor and student as well as educational games to captivate the youngsters' minds.

"There are different types of learners," Moglia said. "Some learn easily, and some don't understand verbally and need pictures. Students are recommended by their teacher, guidance counselor or principal."

As for the students, they said the program met various needs. Samantha Jean, 10, a fifth-grader, found the program important because "I've learned how to be a better math person, respect learning and to treat others the way you want to be treated."

Cynthia Ramirez, 9, a fourth-grader, said the importance lay in getting help. "Sometimes, my mom doesn't have the time to help me," she said.

Guest speakers provide role models in a variety of careers, community service opportunities and health and social issues, with an emphasis on manners, conflict resolution and respect for others. Besides getting students help in all subjects and with homework, the program also matches each student with a mentor who serves as a friend, confidant and source of support and guidance.

"Being with the program from its inception, I was able to witness an improvement in the children's ability to concentrate on their homework from the beginning of the school year till the end," said tutor Andrew Hughes of Park Slope, an insurance broker.

"I have noticed a great improvement in the kids' ability to respect each other and work as a team," said tutor Karen Kells of West Islip, a C.W. Post Campus junior and a psychology major. "These are fine qualities to learn in the fourth and fifth grade."

Marco Guevara's mother, Gladys Guevara, said the program is "a wonderful opportunity for my child.

"It's very important that my child gets homework help, because I cannot always help. Since Spanish is my first language, I don't always know the meaning of the homework," said Guevara, who is from El Salvador. "Also, academically, I cannot help my child as much as the people in MPowering Kids. The program is a tremendous help to me and my family."

Arlene Golub of Jericho, a fifth-grade teacher at Drexel Avenue Elementary School, is pleased that the MPowering Kids staff takes time to have conferences with the teachers to learn about upcoming tests and curriculum.

"They help the children prepare for the New York State Standardized Tests," she said. "The four kids in my class who are in the program did very well on their tests. I think the combination of the Drexel Avenue teachers and the MPowering Kids staff make a great team." 

Copyright (c) 2004, Newsday, Inc. 

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This article originally appeared at: http://www.newsday.com/mynews/ny-sklcloseup3618442jan11,0,273589.story 

About MPowering Kids
MPowering Kids (www.mpoweringkids.org) is a non-profit charitable organization that provides after-school tutoring, mentoring, cultural enrichment, and community service programs for motivated students in under-served communities. The MPowering Kids staff and volunteers work closely with students from their fourth grade year through their high school graduation, offering nine years of programs and opportunities to acquire the skills, habits and attitudes necessary to succeed in college and in life. 

The MPowering Kids program is made possible through the generous support of individual and corporate sponsors. For additional information about MPowering Kids, please click on the About Us section or click on the Donations page to help support MPowering Kids.

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