Study Connection Pairs Students With Professionals for Study Help and Mentoring

The 21st year of Fort Wayne Community School’s Study Connection program begins today, when 18 students from Washington Center Elementary head to Raytheon for an hour of after-school tutoring. Raytheon has been a Study Connection site since 1992. This year, the company's volunteer numbers doubled, making it possible for students to travel to Raytheon two days a week. A second group of 19 students will start tomorrow.

Fort Wayne Community Schools' nationally recognized tutoring program began in 1989, founded by Don Wolf, retired CEO and president emeritus of Do it Best Corp. In the last two decades an estimated 10,000 students have gone through the program. Volunteers are matched one-to-one with FWCS students who need academic assistance. Students and volunteers meet weekly after school for one hour during the school year with 79 percent of the students bused to and from local businesses for their tutoring sessions. This not only gives students a chance to receive some extra homework help, but also meet a mentor in the community and learn about local career opportunities.

Study Connection has been replicated in other cities across the nation, including Clinton, Iowa, where the Governor recognized it as the 2000 Volunteer Program of the Year. In 2007, Study Connection received the Indiana Youth Institute Award for investing in youth. New volunteers and tutoring sites are always needed. To learn more about the program or to get involved, contact the Study Connection office at 467-8810.