Tutoring program takes steps toward W. Phila. involvement

Step-One Tutoring, a Kite and Key Society program that pairs Penn students with Philadelphia grade schoolers, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Working in conjunction with Lea Elementary School at 47th and Locust streets, Step-One tutors volunteer their time to privately tutor a specific Lea student each week. Through Step-One, the tutors take SEPTA to the school, where they tutor the children in various subjects -- primarily math and reading -- for an hour. To not only help educate the younger students but also to form a relationship with them, the Penn volunteers stay with the same children all semester. Counselor Larry Serinsky, who coordinates Lea's end of the program, said the Penn volunteers are more than just tutors -- they are "mentors" for the children. Over the past 11 years, he has seen the program's focus change from purely academic to more emotional and social. "The Penn students provide an anchor for Lea students," Serinsky said. "They help improve the children's self-esteem and show them that people really do care." College senior Melissa Chiat, a Step-One tutor, agreed that the most important part of the program is to provide a stable influence in the child's life. Serinsky said many of the younger students lack this stability at home. Lea is an ethnically diverse community with students who speak 26 different languages, he added. Pointing out the positive impact Step-One has on the students, Serinsky said 92 percent of Lea's 1,100 students are at or below the poverty level. Many are also children of refugees. With problems at home, the children can look up to their tutors and see them as "success stories," said Serinsky. The tutors and students exchange phone numbers and sometimes spend time together outside the classroom, reinforcing the bond between the two. Kite and Key President Marie Sedran remembers when she participated in the program, taking her student to the University Museum. "It was a good experience and everyone had a great time," the Engineering senior said. However, the children are not the only ones who benefit from the program, noted Chiat, adding that tutors receive constant rewards for their service. Chiat, for one, gets great satisfaction from talking to the children's families. "The parents are so thankful," she said. "One woman told me that she prays for me at church because her daughter loves me so much." College sophomore Lauren Kalish, who also tutors through Step-One, added that she feels it is important to get involved in the surrounding community. "It was so rewarding it brightened up my whole week," she said. Her sentiments were echoed by others. "I learned that it's not fair to be in Philly and not help the community," said Chiat. "You can't be blind. People need you to give something back." And West Philadelphia, according to Serinsky, is grateful. The parents have embraced the program and the tutors are "beloved in the community." As for the future, Serinsky would like to see improvement in two areas. He said he thinks Lea should provide the tutors with a classroom, so that they do not have to work in the library. He also would like to see Lea students travel to the University to experience a different kind of learning atmosphere.