The Bresee Literacy and Academic Enrichment program supports the educational development of area youth and their families. The program offers a range of academic programs to meet the needs of students and parents including one-on-one mentoring, homework assistance, and academic instruction. The program works to foster and support literacy in the community, and helps students develop the reading, writing and math skills that they need to succeed in school and in the future.

Help with Homework
The Bresee Learning Center provides students with homework assistance each day after school. Community volunteers, literacy staff members and student employees help youth with their homework and provide tutoring in difficult subjects. The Learning Center works with students who come to the Center voluntarily along with students who have been referred by teachers.

Students at the Learning Center are required to do a minimum of 30 minutes of homework before they can earn a ride home. The staff also offers an incentive program for students to do their homework and get good grades.

Promoting Literacy
The Bresee program also coordinates a nationally recognized literacy program. Help One Student to Succeed (HOSTS) pairs up volunteer mentors and students during and after school. Mentors work with individual students on materials and activities prescribed by the full-time HOSTS instructor. The mentor works with students on specific skills and provides feedback to the student and teacher on his or her performance. The average reading level increase of HOSTS students is 1.6 grade levels in six to eight months. HOSTS is offered at Berendo Middle School and the Bresee Youth Center. Volunteer mentors coach students on their reading, writing, and vocabulary. The HOSTS program serves more than 100 students each year at the two sites.

Connections to College
The Bresee program encourages and assists area youth to go to college. Staff members expose students to the college experience by taking field trips to schools and hosting an annual college fair. The program also hosts workshops on SAT preparation and financial aid. The Bresee Foundation also provides students with college scholarships.

For more information on Bresee Literacy and Academic Enrichment contact Seth Eklund at (213) 387-2822, ext. 163.