UC Santa Cruz Sends Student Literacy Tutors To Local Schools

UCSC student Cherry Corales discusses her first day as a literacy tutor for third graders at Natural Bridges Elementary School.

SANTA CRUZ, CA–After his first day as a literacy tutor for second graders at Watsonville’s Starlight Elementary School, Octavio Murillo was buoyant.

"It was awesome," he exclaimed. "I had so much fun with the kids. I love it."

Murillo is one of 21 students at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who are participating in the national America Reads Challenge program by providing literacy tutoring in four local elementary schools this year.

The students are working 10 hours per week with K-3 students at the following schools:

• Starlight Elementary School, Watsonville
• Alianza Elementary School, Watsonville
• Estrella Del Mar Elementary School, Santa Cruz
• Natural Bridges Elementary School, Santa Cruz

The UCSC students are receiving rigorous training this fall in an Education Department course developed specifically for the program to provide them with strategies to help students who are struggling with reading and writing.

The program is a partnership among the UCSC Education Department, Student Affairs, which is contributing 75 percent of the money for student work-study wages, and the local schools, which are providing materials, training, and 25 percent matching funds for the tutors. After completing 60 hours of unpaid volunteer time in the classroom, the tutors will earn $8/hour for the balance of the 220 hours that they will spend tutoring children.

A $20,000 grant from the California Reading and Literature Project supported the UCSC course development, pays a stipend to site supervisors at each school, and helps cover transportation costs for the student tutors. The Monterey Bay Educational Consortium is helping to coordinate the program.