The 52nd Street Project



	As part of the Smart Partner program, we have recently developed Homework Helpers. When Smart Partners was first implemented, pairs mostly used their time together to work on the child's homework. In many cases, however, this proved a frustrating endeavor because it was frequently the underlying skills with which the kids needed the most help. One hour and a half session is not enough time to help a child write a report on the Underground Railroad, for example, when the child is having trouble reading and understanding the source material. The focus of the Smart Partner meetings was shifted to improve the kids' basic reading, writing and math skills. Of course, homework still needs to get done. We have also determined that there are more Project kids who need help in school than we can accommodate in the one-on-one mentoring portion of the Smart Partner program given our limited space and staffing resources. As a result, the Project conceived of Homework Helpers, a corps of volunteers who come to the Project Clubhouse every weekday afternoon. Any Project kid, whether or not they're a Smart Partner, who wants assistance with an assignment can work with an adult who is there for just that purpose. If you are interested in volunteering to help kids with their homework, check out the volunteer opportunities in the Krakatome Library.