Teens, adults help youth through Learning Link

OUR PLACE Youth Center in downtown Vandalia is a popular gathering place for young people, offering a highly-visible, safe and pleasant environment, with entertainment, games and opportunities to grow in character, individuality, self-esteem and tutoring to aid their education.

Seeing the need for an attractive and safe place for youth to gather, Phyllis Rames set forth to provide such a place and campaigned for volunteers and the support of others to make this happen..

The response of interested citizens was soon forthcoming, and a building was obtained on the main street of Vandalia. However, it was no easy task to attract the kids.

Rames and Mary Ann Elam sat in chairs in front of the building with soft drinks and invited the kids into the center. They finally convinced a few to come on board, and the rest is history. Some refer to it as “a place to belong.”

That was in the summer of 2003. It was accepted by the young people to the extent that the kids themselves named it OUR PLACE.

“At first, there were definitely some basic guidelines, enforceable by law,” Rames said. “But, as time went on, we discovered that even though they didn’t like the rules, they followed them. They realized that we meant what we said, and that in order to come here, they had to straighten up. But deep in their hearts, we feel this, that young people feel that love is shown when there is caring through discipline and through rules. ”

When the school year began, the children would gather at OUR PLACE after school, for games and camaraderie, and some brought their books and homework.

Again, Rames saw a need … for some of the children to have help with their homework, in the area of reading. She conceived an idea for an additional use and help for the young people through OUR PLACE. She shared her concerns and ideas with interested citizens, and soon a plan was in the making.

The Learning Link

The lack of reading skills is a prominent and growing problem all across America.

Dr. James Dobson wrote, “Of the academic fundamentals… the most important is basic literacy.”

Vandalia Superintendent of Schools Rich Well said, “One area that the school district has struggled with in recent years is reading.” Wells talked of steps being taken to improve the children’s scores.

The children of Vandalia were not alone in the lack of reading and other subjects’ comprehension, and a way to help them without cost to their family seemed attainable.

Rames sought the advice and help of Stacy South, principal of Vandalia Elementary School. Neil Clark got on board with several other supporters of the program, and The Learning Link was on the way from an idea to becoming a reality.

What is The Learning Link?

The Learning Link, which began on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2006, is one-on-one tutoring by trained teens for second-graders on Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 3:45-4:30 p.m., at OUR PLACE. The service is free to the children.

Tutors work with the younger students in the areas of arithmetic, reading and spelling. Teachers provide homework sheets.

The teen tutors are compensated for their time, and also benefit through the program by reaching out to the younger children and providing individual instruction and attention.

The group of tutors includes those who volunteer and ones who are selected and trained by South.

The experience is good for the tutors’ self-esteem, but they also feel a sense of worth by helping a child and they are getting acquainted with the concept of community service. The experience also possibly promotes an interest in a career in elementary education.

The children are enthusiastic as they enter the door and join their tutors.

Clark serves as the associate director for The Learning Link, and is also a willing and enthusiastic tutor. He has also been a participant in the Partners in Reading Program.

South continues to be involved as a tutor trainer and is available as a resource, when needed. South’s qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a master’s degree in administrative education and serving as director of Title I reading program for Vandalia Schools.

The teen tutors are Patrick Bauer, Nikki Stine, Kelsey Daume, Kelsie Wiidward, Jamie Montgomery, Brittany Hicks and Clarissa Olmstead.

Adult volunteer tutors are Clark, Jeanne Schlicht, Wolf Schlicht, Mary Fulton, Joyce Staff and Rames.

Rames said, “The mission of OUR PLACE Youth Center, based on the principles of love, forgiveness and acceptance is to educate, enrich and enlighten youth to become resourceful, responsible and respectable citizens of their community.

“The proposed vision statement is, “The youth will be exposed to programs that will endeavor to achieve the mission of OUR PLACE.

In addition to The Learning Link, OUR PLACE offers recreation and the “Food for Thought” program, through which the young participants cook meals for themselves.

Volunteers and students are always welcome at the youth center.

Tutor Brittany Hicks, left, helps Catti Hoffman with her reading during a Learning Link session at OUR PLACE Youth Center in Vandalia.