WHIZ KIDS END OF YEAR UPDATE

WHIZ KIDS has begun its fifth year of operation for Mayflower Church and much is the same as in years past.

We meet at the same time - Thursday afternoons after school.

• We meet at the same place -- Crown Heights United Methodist Church.
• We have the same school -- Putnam Heights Academy Elementary School.
• We still have a good core group of tutors and substitutes from both churches.

One thing that changed is the scope of our recruitment for new tutors. This year, we have three students from the OCU Clara Luper Scholars program and eight honor students from Classen School of Advanced Studies. In addition, the Associate Minister from Crown Heights Christian Church has become a tutor, and the Senior Minister from Crown Heights United Methodist Church is serving as a substitute. As a result, we now have 38 Whiz Kids, the most we have ever been able to work with, an increase of 13 students over our previous top year. It has been very gratifying to be able to meet the needs of so many additional students.

Our students are vulnerable to many pressures from the community in which they live. We are adding four Gang Prevention sessions to the year to counter this negative influence and present positive alternatives for our children. These sessions also raise the awareness of our tutors to this presence in the community and help them mentor the children to make better choices.

WHIZ KIDS has been able to purchase multicultural books for the reading program to expand the reading choices students have during their sessions. This has been possible because of funding from the Mayflower Benevolence Board. Whiz Kids is grateful for the ongoing support of Mayflower Congregational Church, which makes it possible for this outreach to reach inner city children of Oklahoma City.

For more information on becoming a Whiz Kids tutor or substitute contact:

Nancy Musselman at 943-9944 or Jana Hayes at 341-6259

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