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Helping LA’s Children See the World Through Reading
Even though the Los Angeles School District is investing
in building new schools and reducing the number of students
in each classroom, progress takes time and many of our schools
today remain dreary, crowded places—making the task
of educating kids from widely varying cultural backgrounds
even more daunting.
One thing that we can all agree on is that teaching young
children to read is the single most important factor in whether
they succeed -- not just in school, but throughout life. Now
you have an opportunity to join a number of concerned businesses
and their employees who are helping kids focus on reading
in their own schools and in serene garden settings.
The LA Literacy Corps and the Department of Water and Power
is building Green LA Reading Gardens in schools chosen by
caring partners who not only open their pocketbooks but also
provide trained volunteers who read with children every week.
How does it work?
Businesses choose a school to support – perhaps near
their offices, close to employees’ homes or near a base
of customers. Then they provide either 10 employee volunteers
or partner with another organization to provide tutors in
the school at least one hour a week.
What does it cost?
LA Literacy Corps members commit a minimum of $5,000 a year
for five years to the adopted school. The Department of Water
and Power matches that contribution and more by spending up
to $20,000 to build a reading garden at the school.
How does the tutoring work?
The schools need at least 10 hours of trained volunteer time
each week to make this program work. Businesses can select
interested employees, employee spouses or partner with other
organizations who can provide volunteers but not money –
typically not–for- profit organizations or government
agencies.
Volunteers receive health screening for tuberculosis and
general security clearance, then training from organizations
that have a history of excellence in supporting literacy programs.
These include Reading by 9, a program of the Los Angeles Times;
Caring Adults Teaching Children How, and KOREH LA.
After completing training of 3 to 4 hours, volunteers are
asked to mentor at least one hour a week at the company’s
adopted school.
Why?
Companies that allow employees to volunteer will tell you
their employees are more productive and have better esprit
de corps than those whose only interest is their work at hand.
The opportunity to give enriches the lives of both the givers
and the receivers -- and will help strengthen our communities
and your business.
Our schools are challenged by a multitude of things, and
are being scrutinized as never before. But visiting a school,
particularly those that serve our most neglected communities,
you will find the teachers and staff highly dedicated, and
the children bright and eager to learn.
It is important that we all contribute to giving every child
the opportunity to see the world through reading and to be
able to make choices and pursue lives as contributors to our
society. Children lost at young ages are unable to do that
and can turn to crime or other destructive behaviors.
Please join these LA Literacy Corps members in helping our
children.
- The HON Company
- Klasky-Csupo, Inc.
- LA Kings
- Lee Strasberg Institute
- Staples Center Foundation
- Paramount Studios
- The Cimarron Group
- Medtronic Minimed
- Juanita’s Foods
- Bank of America
- Turner Construction Company
- Playa Vista
- IBM
For information contact:
Alma Lujan-Castro
Director, LA Literacy Corps
Office of the City Attorney
Los Angeles
213.485.6377
alujan@atty.lacity.org
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Chronic absenteeism from school is a powerful predictor of
juvenile delinquent behavior and future gang membership. A
youth is three times more likely to join a gang when the youth
has low school attachment, low academic achievement or learning
disabilities. Forty-four percent of juvenile crime takes place
during school hours. In some areas of Los Angeles, over 25%
of the crimes that occur during school hours are committed
by juveniles. Veteran gang prosecutors have stated that they
have never seen a gang member who wasn’t truant first.
The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office has developed
a program to put a stop to truancy and gang violence. In conjunction
with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the
Los Angeles City Attorney’s office is creating Operation
Bright Future (OBF), a sixth grade truancy prevention program.
OBF will closely monitor student attendance and address those
students who are truant. The program will teach parents of
their legal responsibility to ensure that their children attend
school through letters, brochures, general assemblies and
hearings. As a last resort, after all other efforts have failed,
OBF will prosecute parents who do not send their children
to school.
Our research shows that 99% of truancy problems are resolved
once a truancy prevention program makes contact with the parents
and informs them of their legal responsibility. OBF will begin
in approximately 23 schools in the fall of 2002 and eventually
expand into all LAUSD middle schools.
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