Community Service

A Meaningful and Rewarding Opportunity: Saturday School at Elihu Yale School

In the spring of 1997, the Yale Club of Chicago "adopted" the Elihu Yale Elementary School as a Club project. While the Club has supported the school in many ways, our principal contribution has been providing Tutor/Mentors over the past 12 years. Yale Club volunteers have become an important part of the fabric of the school.

The Elihu Yale School is located at 7025 South Princeton Avenue in Englewood, one of Chicago's neediest neighborhoods. It serves an African-American student population of about 350, from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. In spite of its challenging location, the school is well maintained, clean and inviting, with ample, safe parking. Personal safety has never been an issue. We have had several women tutors who have felt quite safe driving solo to and from school. The Principal, teachers and staff are friendly, warm and highly enthusiastic about Yale Club tutors whom they view as valuable resources for their students.

Our Yale tutors have focused principally on helping children improve their reading and math skills, though tutors also help with science and social studies. In addition, tutor/mentors provide insights into subjects, values, and lifestyles far beyond the experiences of these students. We have found that specific training in teaching reading or math is unnecessary for the role we play. The work we do requires only good common sense and the desire to help and inspire. Parents who have read to and with their own children have all the training one needs to make a significant contribution.

Our routine has been to assign tutors to specific teachers and their classrooms for the duration of the school year. Tutors typically visit the school weekly for two to three hours, 9:00 to 11:30 AM, or 12:00 to 2:30 PM on days they choose to fit their personal schedules. Tutors working in the Loop area can count on spending a total of about three hours, including commuting, for their weekly visits. We have organized carpools from the Loop, North Side, Western and North Suburbs whenever possible. In addition to our tutoring/mentoring activities Yale Club members have sponsored field trips, brought in a music educator, repaired and upgraded computer equipment, and served as Principal for a Day. The Yale Club of Chicago has also donated athletic equipment, winter clothing and books to the school.

The personal rewards that Yale Club tutor/mentors gain from this program are exceptional. There is nothing like meeting a former student in the hall and getting a big hug!

We need tutors to help launch this year's program. For further information or to volunteer, please contact Peter Dickinson, 847-446-3445 or pdickinson@mindspring.com.