By Victoria Dumon, Programs Director, Uplift San Diego 

A virtual, free, one-to-one, tutoring program is helping low-income students who are struggling to learn to read improve their grades and build their confidence in the classroom.

Because of Kids at Heart, hundreds of children at risk of falling behind in school have been getting back up to grade level. 

All six of Anabel Carreon’s children have benefited from Kids at Heart, a program begun in 1987 and run by Uplift San Diego. She enrolled her two biological children, Ricardo and Carolina, in Kids at Heart when they were young. When Carreon became a foster mother, she enrolled her foster children. Third-grader Ariana, fourth-graders Guadalupe and Ariana, and sixth-grader Walter joined the program as soon as they arrived at her home. The tutoring was particularly important to them as they had just begun learning a new language. In fact, most of the Kids at Heart students speak English as a second language. 

Carreon’s biological children went on to graduate from high school and then continue their education. Her foster children have all shown improvement in their end-of-the-year assessments, she said. In addition, there has been an unmistakable improvement in their confidence levels, she said.  Carreon believes that having a caring, supportive tutor to help each week made a difference.

It takes just one hour a week to help a student who is struggling to learn to read, program organizers said. Tutors meet with students virtually and primarily assist with homework help in reading, writing, and math. In addition, as the nation bounces back from COVID-19, Kids at Heart is beginning to resume in-person tutoring.

Said one tutor: "Growing up, I was blessed with the opportunity to be surrounded by teachers and family members who not only encouraged me to read, but had the resources to help assist. It is incredibly gratifying to work with these students on reading or schoolwork because they are incredibly dedicated. Some face challenges many of us have never experienced, but they are always willing to learn (and smile while doing it).

“The look on their faces when they finally ‘get it’ and can explain or read a problem back to me is so rewarding.”

You can sponsor a student, donate supplies, or become a tutor. Visit Kids at Heart for details. 

Photo at right: Guadalupe, left, Ariana, Ruth and Walter with Anabel Carreon in back on left.