DPSCD After School Paid Literacy Program: Volunteer Earning and Learning
November 22, 2024
This fall Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) launched its After School Paid Literacy Tutoring Program. This volunteer program is designed to provide support for high school students who need enrichment to tackle literacy gaps. Students can earn up to $2000 in 20 weeks (about 4 and a half months) with full participation.
Students like Deon Davenport, grade 10, attending Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School, have voluntarily embraced this opportunity to elevate his English proficiency.
"My mom encouraged me to look into the program because I was already receiving after school support from my teachers," Deon shares. "I want to establish better English and be grammatically correct in speaking and writing. I'm working to remove words like 'um' from my vocabulary."
The program's structured schedule requires commitment, and this commitment sometimes means making tough choices, although the program is one-hour sessions after school Monday – Thursday. For Deon, this meant prioritizing his literacy development over wrestling practice.
"Being a student-athlete, I had to make the choice of developing my literacy skills or playing sports," he explains. "I chose to sit out this wrestling season but can still participate in basketball because practices are later in the evening."
Another student, Sah'Kyia, grade 9, attending Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School, candidly admits that the financial incentive was initially her primary motivation.
"I wanted the money, but I knew this was a good experience and would better my English," she said. Sah'Kyia aims to expand her vocabulary and improve her public speaking skills, a challenge she hopes to conquer through the program. "I have a fear of public speaking—not because I can't read, but because I'm uncomfortable speaking in front of people I don't know. This program could help me step out of my comfort zone."
For students like Deon and Sah'Kyia, the decision to seize an opportunity for learning and earning is a step towards brighter futures, one session at a time.