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Volunteer Tutors Failing To Draw A Crowd

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By ADAM EMERSON

aemerson@tampatrib.com

Published: February 14, 2009

TAMPA - The moment Middleton High School students step into the H.O.P.E. Community Center, a sign reminds them they are not there to play.

No texting; no profanity; no physical contact; and no gum chewing.

And, printed in bold, "If you feel the need to talk to your friends, this is not the place."

It's time for homework, FCAT prep, SAT practice questions, whatever they need to ensure that, come the end of their senior year, they are ready to receive a diploma.

But just a few are trickling into the community center across from Middleton High, and the volunteers who work with the students say the school is doing little to encourage them.

At the start of the school year, Middleton High alumni were jolted by the news that their school's performance was under the watchful eye of the state. The state has graded the school D each year for the past five years and now is demanding improvement. Failure to boost test scores could result in the school's closure.

Facing such a threat, the school district needs to wield a more forceful hand and mandate tutoring for students who need it, said Fred Hearns, a 1966 Middleton graduate who rallied alumni to devote their time to the H.O.P.E. center.

When the school year started, 30 or 40 students would come for after-school help at one time. That number has fallen dramatically.

"It's too bad we've wasted half a school year already," Hearns said.

Hearns and others launched the after-school efforts at the community center, convinced the school wasn't doing enough. Hearns says he visits Middleton frequently and finds few are taking advantage of the tutoring available on the campus.

He has gone before the school board three times in the past two months, urging its members to mandate tutoring of students who haven't passed the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, which is factored into a school's grade.

If they fail to get the tutoring they need, they should be prohibited from participating in extracurricular activities such as football and basketball, Hearns said.

School district leaders say they can't do that.

Many of Middleton's students work after school to support their families, so the district can't force them to attend school after the final class bell rings about 3 p.m.

Gwen Luney, the school district's assistant superintendent for student services and federal programs, said she finds value in the community center's efforts. The tutors are well-read, Luney said, and there are retired university professors among them.

"Their intent is to help children regardless of their levels," Luney said. The problem we have had is that we cannot mandate after-school programs."

But the tutors who devote their time say everyone involved needs to drive more students to the homework help.

Tessa Ward, an American Sign Language teacher at Middleton, brings her sign-language performance team to the community center almost weekly and encourages the rest of her class to attend.

She's one of the few who do, however. Daniel Dean, the pastor of Bible Truth Ministries, which operates the H.O.P.E. center, said many teachers have told him they can't even persuade students to take advantage of the help Middleton provides.

Others have done what they can. Ward said that Middleton's new head football coach, Jason Stokes, has encouraged his players to visit the center.

"It's here for us, so why not go," said Vasty Paul, 17, one of Stokes' players.

Added Ward: "There's no reason not to be here. It's a great partnership, but we need to convince the community of that."

Reporter Adam Emerson can be reached at (813) 259-8285.

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