Schools

Girl Scouts' Tutoring Project Earns Bronze Awards

Troop 2272 from Newport Beach spent afternoons working on math and reading skills with students from Santa Ana.

Seven girl scouts from Newport Beach recently earned Bronze Awards for providing after-school tutoring to school children in Santa Ana.

The troop of sixth-graders from Andersen, Pegasus and Eastbluff elementary schools tutored 25 first, second and third graders from Kennedy Elementary School through a partnership with Mariners Church's Lighthouse Community Center. The award winners from Troop 2272 -- Julianne Bartz, Emma Daniel, Melanie Wolter, Ally King, Kayla Stuckenberg, Victoria Sawan and Hana Cloherty -- tutored the students in reading and math. Troop leader Cathy Bartz said the community service project was a perfect fit.

"Many of the girls have siblings that are similar in age to the students they tutored and are at the age where they are interested in babysitting younger kids," Bartz said.

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Troop 2272 spent approximately 15 hours tutoring, however the community service project was three years in the making and incorporated the girls completing over 175 hours earning badges and completing the Bronze Award curriculum.

Bartz says the award shows the girls' commitment to helping improve the community and promoted growth and development in several areas including leadership skills. The girls scouts gave one-on-one homework help and also offered the children creative learning activities.  

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 “It was fun helping the kids with their homework,” said girl scout Julianne Bartz. “I liked using the whiteboards to help explain things. When they got it, I felt like I really made a difference.” 

Although the girl scout project is over, Bartz says some of the girls have expressed interest in continuing to work with other children.

"Some of the girls have said they are interested in other tutoring roles and some have said it has opened their eyes to teaching," she said. "It was an eye-opening experience for them to see that not everyone is given the same educational opportunities and the importance of lending a helping hand."

Troop members Samantha Jo Ahnen, Marisa Gray and Morgan Hickman also contributed to the tutoring project.


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