The Senior Class Committee will start off the new year by renewing the PALS tutoring program, in which seniors will tutor sixth-graders at Walker Jones Elementary School in Northwest D.C. every other Friday. On the intervening Fridays, they will take the students on field trips throughout the city.
Walker Jones’ school counselor, Karen Prout, wants the program to focus upon trips to local universities in order to increase the students’ understanding of educational opportunities.
Jessica Malone (CAS ‘05), Community Service chair of the SCC, explained, “We use the field trip time to show the kids a D.C. a bit outside of their own neighborhood.”
The program is set to begin on Friday, Jan. 21, when new participating seniors will visit Walker Jones. Malone said that the SCC plans to recruit more seniors by hosting the young students on Georgetown’s campus as a Winter Fest community service event.
Zach Domont (CAS ‘05) has decided to partake in the project to become more active in the local community.
“I really have not had time to do things like tutoring before. I think this is a great way to get in touch with inner city kids from whom I have been sheltered before,” he said.
Last year, over 100 seniors participated in the weekly reunions, which included a visit with former basketball coach Craig Esherick and several men’s basketball players.
“SCC’s goal is to have a program that really benefits both the elementary students and the Georgetown students,” Malone said. “We want both sets of students to look forward to participating every week.”
