"Faces of Hope" gives at-risk 6th graders skills for success

Called "Faces of Hope," the project pairs 30 students at Henderson Intermediate School with tutors who spend two hours a week in one-on-one sessions designed to improve reading and writing skills and the opportunities for success, said project co-director Dr. Diane Greene.

"Literacy today is more than just being able to read and write," said the professor of curriculum and instruction. "It involves reading, writing, listening, and speaking, and, increasingly, skills such as computer literacy, knowledge and awareness of issues, the ability to take initiative, and the willingness to accept personal accountability."

In sessions with tutors who have received reading, writing, and sensitivity training, "Faces of Hope" tries to intervene with at-risk students, motivating them to stay in school and to improve their skills, Greene said.

The project is funded by the Student Coalition for Action in Literacy Education, a national organization that helps college students start or strengthen campus-based literacy programs. Locally, the Starkville Rotary Club has provided additional support.

Mississippi State is one of 25 universities nationally that have received support from SCALE. "We want to raise awareness about literacy needs in the community as well as show that the university and community are powerful forces in the literacy movement," said Greene.

For literacy efforts to be effective, Greene believes that community and parents, as well as educational institutions, must be involved. "The mantle of leadership has to transcend what educators can do," she said.

Greene and co-director Dr. Carolyn Evans have designed Project Hope to be a model that provides support from school, home, and community. Members of the Starkville Rotary Club and other community members serve as mentors to the students, committing to write students at least once a month. Students must respond to the letters.

"These are friendly, encouraging letters," Greene explained. "We want students to get a positive outlook about education and about their abilities."

Parents are asked to sign "read-aloud" contracts in which they commit to read aloud with their child three hours each week. And Mississippi State students, many of them members of the education honorary Kappa Delta Pi, commit to spending two hours a week tutoring and developing individual learning plans for each student.

Henderson students have responded enthusiastically, says Sue Wilburn, reading teacher and school coordinator for "Faces of Hope."

"Our students are very positive about the one-on-one tutoring," she said. "And other students are asking how they can become involved in the program."

At the end of the program, results will be evaluated to measure accomplishments. Greene and Evans hope to seek additional funding to support continuation of "Faces of Hope."

"With community involvement, we can empower students," Greene said. "Ultimately, what we want to communicate is that we're all responsible for creating a literate society. As a community, we can make a difference."

For more information, or to become involved with "Faces of Hope," contact Dr. Diane Greene at 325-7125 or Dr. Carolyn Evans at 325-3747.