We Believe in People: The Bobcat Learning Center
The Bryant Neighborhood Center believes in people.
Above all else, our programs are a route to relationship with our neighbors. Of course, we hope that the students attending TAP, the Trinity Afterschool Program, improve their literacy skills, and the individuals visiting Pat’s Closet find essential resources to promote better living. But the people we work with - our middle school students, our first and second graders, and our tent city visitors - have intrinsic value that carries greater significance than their circumstances or the programs we’ve planned.
With this in mind, please take a few moments to read this 2015 reflection from Kyle Lee, former Trinity AmeriCorps, serving students at Jason Lee through the Bobcat Learning Center. His story demonstrates the significance of connecting with an individual student first allowed him to support her academic success.
"When I think about the impact I have made at Jason Lee Middle School, I refer back to the relationships I have formed with the middle school students. The Bobcat Learning Center, Jason Lee’s after school program, definitely has its challenges. If I were volunteering at the middle school three years ago, my 19-year old self would see a lot of chaos. I would see students unwilling to engage in enrichment activities, volunteers goading students to start their homework, and staff members reprimanding students for their behavior. At the end of the day, my 19-year old self would question his purpose as a tutor, whereas my present-day self would feel a sense of satisfaction."
"In order for students to be successful at the Learning Center, the goal for our program is to provide a safe space for students to receive emotional and academic support. More importantly, the success stories come from the connections we form with the students we serve. Tamara, (name changed) a seventh grader at Jason Lee Middle School, is a student who prefers to watch YouTube videos and hang out with her friends at the Learning Center. Tamara has attended my leadership enrichment class since the start of the school year. Although she loves to participate and encourage others to participate in class activities, her main challenge with school is her ability to process information. She often feels discouraged with homework when she puts in the effort, yet does not receive the grade she feels she deserves. When I tutor Tamara one-on-one, I am aware of her need to socialize. For Tamara, practicing math problems for an entire hour can lead to frustration, so I make sure I give her time to take breaks and to chat with friends. After a 5-10 minute break, we are back to school work and she is refreshed and focused. At the end of the day, I am really proud of Tamara. Without the Learning Center, Tamara would not have the space, nor the academic and emotional support she needs to maintain an above average GPA.
"All in all, the best part about my year has been the relationships I have formed with the students at Jason Lee Middle School and biggest lesson I have learned working at Trinity Presbyterian Church and Jason Lee Middle School is that significant learning cannot happen without a significant relationship.”
Kyle’s comments originally shared on the Trinity Presbyterian Church website on April 30, 2015.
Give to the future work of the Bobcat Learning Center and other programs supporting people by contributing to the Here for Good Campaign for the Bryant Neighborhood Center.
