As election night voting results were being broadcast last November, Colleen Anderson of Messiah Lutheran Church approached Winton Woods Superintendent Dr. Camille Nasbe. “How can the churches in our community continue to assist our neighborhood schools with or without the benefit of a levy victory?” asked Anderson, who is the community outreach coordinator at Messiah. Nasbe replied that tutoring at Winton Woods Middle School was high on her list of needs.

That conversation led to the creation of Whiz Kids Unplugged!, a tutoring program for pre-teen and teenage youth in the middle school grades that will be piloted at Winton Woods Middle School during the week of March 1.

“I’ve seen the academic strides our students are making because of the Whiz Kids tutoring program at Winton Woods Elementary School and wanted to see that kind of assistance at our middle school as well,” said Nasbe.

Last December, Messiah Lutheran Pastor Scott Tessin began creating the support structure for the program with the help of other local churches, including Forest Chapel United Methodist Church, Dayspring Church of God, and Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church. “Messiah has partnered with The Literacy Network of Greater Cincinnati and Whiz Kids, a division of CityCURE, to start this new program,” said Tessin. Presentations were made throughout January to local congregations and small groups. “We talked about the academic and life needs of students at Winton Woods Middle School and the possibility of tutoring these students,” said Tessin. So far, 34 tutors have registered for training.  

“Mentoring relationships between caring adults and these young people will be the cornerstone of a successful tutoring program at the middle school,” said Tessin.  “We recognize that youth of this age experience far different social and academic pressures than younger children.  Building and demonstrating trust, commitment, credibility, and concern for one another will be equally as important as increasing the student’s literacy skills, success in school, and life skills and opportunities for their future.”

Tessin said Messiah’s mission is not only to care for one another, but to seek ways to live out God’s mission outside the church’s four walls through serving their neighbors. “By equipping students with the skills to read while increasing their sense that they are loved and others do care about them, our young people will experience the beginning of a relationship that will serve them all their lives,” said Tessin.   

Literacy Network coaches will teach the tutors how to develop the students’ reading skills and to help them discover enjoyment and success in reading. The Whiz Kids organization will concentrate on teaching the tutors how to develop a relationship with at-risk children and families and will support the tutors in developing caring relationships with the students.  “Each volunteer will be paired with one student,” said Tessin. “This is important in demonstrating a personal commitment of a caring adult in the life of the student and maintaining consistent communication with the student and family.”

Winton Woods Elementary School Principal Steve Denny currently has a Whiz Kids outreach program at his school and is happy to hear it’s spreading to other schools in the district.  “This program really shapes and channels our local churches and their volunteer efforts well,” said Denny. “It’s a great partnership.”

Tutoring at Winton Woods Middle School will start in March with a one-hour session with each student during their school day. Tutoring will occur Monday through Friday, and the sessions will continue through May. “In September, we’ll launch an expanded outreach tutoring program of three to three and a half hours, once each week, after school, in a neighborhood church setting that will also include the families of our students on a monthly basis,” said Tessin.  The tutoring period will include time to relax, a meal, one-on-one tutoring with a mentor, and a group discussion with Tessin or another education specialist on issues students face in their daily lives.

Early in March, Messiah Lutheran will hold a special Family Night gathering at the church for all the students and their families, Winton Woods Middle School teachers and administrators, and the tutors. “The goal is to create an opportunity for everyone to get to know one another as we launch this new program,” said Tessin.  The Family Nights will become a quarterly gathering to bring together members of neighborhood churches, volunteer tutors, the students and their families.

Training for Whiz Kids Unplugged! is underway at this time with a combined literacy and mentorship training on February 18 conducted by Whiz Kids.  For more information or to discuss participating in the tutoring outreach, contact Pastor Scott Tessin at stessin@MessiahGRH.org or churchoffice@MessiahGRH.org.  Phone calls should be directed to 825-4768.