CPS is Helping Kids Read Better and Hunting for Dropouts

By Chinta Strausberg

As September 8^th’s first day of school nears, two organizations are working closely with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) by providing free reading programs and literally hunting for more than 60,000 dropouts before school begins.

If you are 50-years or older who are retired willing to be trained to help children in K-3^rd grace, Myrna Torres with the AARP Foundation, is looking for you.

“Unfortunately, with CPS students by the end of the third grade they are behind in reading, and we’re on a mission to help children read while they are in the early grades,” she said during the “God’s On The Block” party held Saturday at the Greater Institutional A.M.E. Church headed by Rev. Dr. Walter B. Johnson, Jr.

Her program is in 13 schools mostly on the South and West Sides of Chicago. Accompanying Torres was Janice Bryant Foney, the branch administrator for the AARP Foundation Experience Corp, who said, “Our program is fantastic” calling their volunteers “wonderful.”

According to Torres, last year her program served 554 students in 10 schools and of those schools 47 percent of them were able to make grade level reading and 62 percent had advanced 1 to 2-years or more in reading levels. “We are really on a mission to help CPS teachers to help children learn to read.”

“Unfortunately, in Illinois they build prisons based on end-of-third year reading levels…. We want to turn that around…prevent children from going down that path. We’d rather have them learn to read,” said Torres.

She explained the program is held in the two-hour reading block, which is mandated for all K-3^rd graders. “The volunteers work with three children in one group for a 30-minute intervention.”

And, while Torres’ group is improving reading scores for students K-3, Alvin Rider, re-Engagement Center Coordinator for the Student Outreach and Re-Engagement Center, is literally looking for CPS dropouts.

“We go after kids who have dropped out of school, and we bring them back in with a number of options whether that is an option school or a former CPS high school,” Rider said of the age group 15-21. “We have online credit recovery at our site, and we help them with a grand plan to get them back into school” so they can graduate.

According to Rider and Mamisha Webber, his center opened at 945 W. 59^th at the Salvation Army, Red Shield Center and Morgan two-months ago and is having an open house on Tuesday, August 25, 2015 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

“Our goal is to go after every single one of the 60,000 dropouts and bring them back into school,” Rider said.

Mark Walsh, executive director of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence (ICHV), said, “About 90 percent of all crime guns come from five percent of dealers in the country. In Chicago, 20 percent come from four dealers the most notorious being Chuck’s gun Shop in Riverdale.”

Walsh said he works closely with Saint Sabina’s Father Michael L. Pfleger. He urged them to sign his petition calling for federal background checks on all gun sales, a state license for gun dealers and a bill entitled Lethal Gun Violence Order of Protection Act.

This bill would “empower immediate family members who are concerned about a loved one hurting themselves or others.” It is similar to a domestic violence restraining order; however, it would allow courts to remove a person’s access to guns if he or she poses a significant risk of personal injury to him or her by possessing a gun.

Tiny Montgomery, program coordinator for Colgate had a van where students under the age of 12 were given free dental screening. On the opposite end of the event free books were given away by Bernie’s Book Bank. There was also a basketball and a hoop for young boys who played a rigorous game of basketball.

Rev. Donna Anderson introduced Antonio Paris, a former Chicago Bears player who spoke to hundreds of people who attended the block party.

Chinta Strausberg is a Journalist of more than 33-years, a former political reporter and a current PCC Network talk show host. You can e-mail Strausberg at: Chintabernie@aol.com.