For The Good, Inc. has operated The Study Buddy Club in conjunction with Hamilton College since 2002, and added the Utica College component in January, 2008. The SBC provides tutoring, mentoring, and enrichment to inner-city, at-risk, low income students who are 13-18 years of age. Once they are signed in at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, or on the bus to Hamilton College Campus, they receive specialized help for their areas of academic need. The SBC tends to average about 30 students per session.
The SBC was recently instated as official Hamilton College and Utica College Clubs. The SBC operates every Saturday, rotating between the Hamilton College Campus, and at Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School. At Hamilton College, the students eat a healthy lunch at the main dining hall and are then paired with student tutors. After about 2 hours of studying with their tutors, students then participate in culturally engaging activities such as ethnic dancing, viewing art exhibitions or educational videos, taking part in hands-on computer workshops, etc.
The Utica College session takes place at Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School, which is located in the heart of Corn Hill. A lunch of sandwiches and fruit is provided for the students, followed by tutoring. Most of the Utica College student tutors involved in the SBC are members of Brothers On a New Direction (BOND) or the Latin American Student Union (LASU), among other multicultural organizations. By pairing students with high achieving college students, SBC participants can get real help and answers from individuals who have been through it already.
The Study Buddy Club 's goals are to:
Help Utica teens succeed in school, with the ultimate goal of graduating high school and going on to college.
Teach valuable study skills through bi-monthly workshops
Introduce healthy and balanced nutrition to students' diets
Develop leadership training to establish young leadership
Expose students to a college campus, which includes academic focus, healthy food, and various student activities, clubs and events
The year 2006 marked the first SBC field trip. Twenty-five SBC students, eight college tutors, FTG staff, parent chaperons, and college professors ventured to NYC during Black History Month. There they visited three different museums and had lunch at a famous Harlem soul food restaurant before returning home. For The Good is planning for another trip this year to reward the academic success of the SBC students.
The Study Buddy Club functions every Saturday from 11:30 to 3 throughout the collegiate academic year.
If there are any Questions, Please feel free to contact Community Organizer,
Abby Getman at For The Good, Inc.(315) 797-2417; forthegoodinc@netzero.com
