BGP continues its relationship with CHAMPS (School of Community Health and Medical Practices) at Crawford HS. BGP will be producing another runway show in which 10% of drink and ticket sales will be contributed to the CHAMPS Math Center, an after-school student-run tutoring program. The event will take place mid-April. Details will be released closer to the event date.
It is important to understand the background of the students you will be helping. Crawford (CHS) is not your typical high school. 95% of the students live in poverty and over 40% are classified as English language learners. These students face tremendous challenges. CHS has a career pathway directed toward "health and medical practices" so as you can imagine the focus here is really on math, science, and health. There is an amazing mathematics program in place at CHAMPS - one where nearly 75 students (85% of the senior class) take AP Calculus in a college-style lecture hall (taught by me). Of course there is a lot of work (tutoring) done along the way (9th, 10th, 11th grade) to prepare those students for that challenge. This is where the tutoring needs come in.
In 2008, Jonathan Winn started an after-school student-run tutoring situation called the "CHAMPS Math Center". He hired 70 students throughout the math program to tutor on various days throughout the week. We have found that students actually make fantastic tutors because they have sat through the lesson and know HOW the material was presented. These students are "paid:" in extra credit points and community service hours, but the goal is a monthly stipend for the tutors (Jaime Escalante organized a similar program in LA in the 1980's). Monetary compensation would be a big deal in many ways for CHAMPs students, but primarily it is a way for them to support their family financially. And, of course, improving their education is really the best thing they can do in that regard. This is an amazing program that gives students at an under-funded institution a chance to advance academically. Support for endeavors such as these helps improve our schools and communities.
