“A kid told his brother, pointing to us, that’s the tutoring that lets me use the really cool dice,” said Jenette Stark, Empowering Darke County Youth Coordinator. “He was talking about our 12-sided dice that we use for our multiplication tables.”
Stark, with her family right there helping, represented Empowering Darke County Youth at Downtown Greenville’s June First Friday. Visits from parents and kids were constant throughout the official 3-hour time frame on South Broadway.
“Some were students we’d helped this past year,” she said. “One child,” she added, “dragged her mom to meet me saying ‘Mommy this is the lady that says it’s okay to try and make your tutor laugh.’ She was referring to the silly sentences that we write using their Fry words.”
Many wanted to know about the program, but never finished reading the form, Stark said. “They said they couldn’t afford it… but it’s FREE! Our programs are supported by the community. It’s free to families!”
Stark is in charge of Empowering’s Greenville Elementary and Middle School After School Programs, as well as this year’s Summer program at Greenville Public Library. She is also one of the organization’s strongest advocates… always ready to talk about how Empowering can help kids struggling with the basics, such as reading, writing and math.
Parent after parent talked about how they like to help kids learn but it doesn’t work with their own children. “We told them that we have programs in three school districts, and there are volunteer spots, especially this fall,” she said. “You don’t have to commit to all the days. Even adults got excited. We hope they will join us. We need them.”
School had just wrapped up when parents and kids took advantage of Greenville’s June First Friday. For many of them, it was their first family outing since restrictions had begun in March 2020.
Kids weren’t really interested in “more teaching” in the beginning, Stark added, “But when they saw that they can earn things they got excited about coming to tutoring.”
More than 40 students have been registered for summer tutoring this year, making 2021 the largest summer program since the Empowering programs began in 2016. Since the organization was formed it has provided more than 21,000 hours of academic support to nearly 1,100 Darke County students.
More information is available on Facebook, emailing empoweringyouth101@gmail.com or the organization’s website: http://www.empowerdarkecounty.com/. Donations may be sent to P.O. Box 1113, Greenville, Ohio 45331.
Empowering Darke County Youth will also be at the Steam Threshers Reunion, July 1-4, and the EUM Church Family Fest, August 1.
The Empowering Mission: Empowering Darke County Youth is a United Way Partner providing After School and Summer Tutoring programs to assist students in the areas of language arts and math with the goal of Strong Students for a Strong Community.
Photos: Empowering Program Coordinator and volunteer Jenette Stark talks to students and their families about Empowering Darke County Youth programs.
