Fifty-six Joseph H. Crawford Elementary School students in an at-risk demographic for dropping out of school come to campus Saturday for tutoring.
‘It is all about helping these students. Crawford is dear to my heart, and it will be dear to everyone’s heart who goes there,’ former Student Government Association vice president Jonas Chin said.
Students from the Minority Education Academic Determinant organization will spend an hour tutoring the elementary students in science and math to help prepare them for the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test.
After the tutoring, the young students will take a guided tour of the University, ending with a pizza party for the students and volunteers.
Biology freshman Trang Truong said this opportunity to teach is close to her heart.
‘I didn’t have much help when I was growing up,’ Truong said. ‘I had my parents, but they were busy a lot and couldn’t always help. When I learned about this, I wanted to step up and help someone who needs the extra help. Help them get what I didn’t have.’
‘ UH students are welcome to volunteer Saturday and become mentors for these students who need it.
‘It is a great opportunity to see how the world operates and gain another point of view,’ Truong said. ‘Especially for someone who grew up in a different environment than these kids, they can learn about the other side.’
Truong said students who volunteer can make a great impact on someone’s life.
‘There is a chance that we can help them stay in school. We need these students. They are very bright. We need for them to stay in school,’ Truong said.
This tutoring session is the first MEAD has organized, but they are planning more opportunities for UH students to reach out.
‘I think we should keep it simple this time, and I hope they will be able to do this over and over again with other organizations, each time being bigger and better,’ Chin said.’
‘It is a process. You have to crawl before you can walk. We will see how this one goes first. I hope (MEAD) learns from this, because there are a lot of things you learn each time. I think that it takes the hands-on experience to learn what works and what doesn’t.’
MEAD member and pharmacy freshman Yen Vo said he wants Cougars to get involved with the organization and help out Houston youth.
‘Students who are interested should get involved, by encouraging their professors to give extra credit,’ Vo said.
Students interested in volunteering with MEAD can do so by contacting Vo or joining the MEAD.
MEAD needs at least 20 volunteers for Saturday’s event, but all who want to help are welcome.
‘As for Saturday, we can always use more tutors, so that we can spend more time individually with each student,’ said John Flynt, biology sophomore and MEAD director of advancement.
For more information on this event, contact Vo at [email protected] or call him at (832) 310-9787.
