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| Vision Youth |
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Dedicated to Helping Young People Thrive, Succeed |
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Making a Long-Term Commitment
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Vision Youth typically begins work with children when they are young, by matching local schools with churches or organizations that offer volunteers who can mentor and tutor students needing extra help with their schoolwork. In Appalachia, tutoring programs are offered to young learners in community centers in Brownton, Chestnut Ridge, Flemington, and Rosedale, and at Philippi United Methodist Church.
At the Chestnut Ridge after-school program, young Levi fidgets in his seat as he tries to avoid doing his math assignment. “I had a bad |
Vision Youth education specialist Daphne Gooding uses visual aids to help an elementary student figure out a math problem during a tutoring session. |
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day today,” he laments, eyes rolling and head lolling as he struggles with his multiplication table.
But moments later, his success is heard across the room as he tackles the question, “What’s another name for a quarter past three?” A pause, followed by some hemming and hawing, and then lightening:“Three-fifteen!” he shouts, smiling and jumping out of his seat. Sometimes success is easy to spot in a radiant face like Levi’s. Sometimes it is heard in the voice of a young man who can admit to an outreach worker that he needs anger management counseling and is willing to accept help. A survey of young people who have taken part in Vision Youth programs show that 75 percent say they have better attitudes about school, and every one of them reports improved grades. Most (75 percent) say they think they are better able to resist using alcohol and drugs, and half say they get along better with others since they have been a part of the program.
Some comments they included in the survey:
- “I have learned that school is important and I need a good education in order to have the things I want in life.”
- “The best thing about having a mentor is I can talk about things that bother me.”
- “I have learned about life––that it can be good or bad, and I have the power to choose.”
Other telling testimony comes from young people like C.J. and his mom, Darlene, who has seen her son grow more independent and sure of himself through Vision Youth. “Bobby spends a lot of time with C.J. and provides a good role model for him,” she says, watching her son take his turn in the batter’s box at a church softball game. “There was a time he would stick right by my side at something like this and not take part. But he’s so much more confident now. He participates and he’s willing to try new things,” she says.“He’s even going off to church camps now.” |
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An older student helps a younger one with her reading at the afterschool program at Chestnut Ridge Community Center. |
How You Can Help
Vision Youth helps Appalachia’s churches hire outreach workers who are committed to serving local young people.World Vision provides grants for five years, but on a descending scale, giving more and more responsibility to the churches each year. Many of these churches are small community churches with resources already severely stretched. You can help by supporting an outreach worker and his or her training for $35,000 a year, or by providing the $7,500 needed to operate a tutoring site for young students. Thank you for making the young people of Appalachia a priority.
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