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Whiz Kids is a faith-based, one-on-one volunteer tutoring/mentoring program focusing on first through eighth grade students who live in areas which have some of the highest drop-out rates and lowest socioeconomic levels in Oklahoma City. Whiz Kids is proactive and preventative in nature, targeting inner-city schools and students who are reading below grade level and who could benefit most from a one-on-one relationship with a caring adult.
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"Whiz Kids is one of those programs that will help save the next generation. Kids who have little positives in their lives are being given hope fur success as adults and positive role models to pattern themselves after. It is the best program of its kind I have seen."
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Lee Roland, Area Administrator, OKC Public Schools
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Whiz Kids sites are churches in each school's community that donate their facility, provide tutors and an on-site coordinator. These urban churches are partnered with suburban churches to provide additional tutors and resources. The tutoring sessions become a means for building bridges between suburban and urban churches. Whiz Kids also partners with the Oklahoma City Public School District. A teacher from the local school where the students attend facilitates each of our Whiz Kids sites. This teacher is an excellent resource for our volunteer tutors and serves as school liaison.
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Where the Rubber Meets the Road
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There are approximately 73 tutoring programs in the elementary schools of the Oklahoma City Metro Area. Each is a valuable program and each strives to meet the overwhelming need for tutors and mentors early in a child's life. Whiz Kids has been one of those 73 for the last 6 years, and we would like to give you a few of our latest accomplishments.
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During the 2000-2001 Whiz Kids session, our first graders improved their National Percentile Ranking in reading by 115%.
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During the same session, our second graders improved their NPR by 35%.
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One of our suburban churches donated $10,000 to finish the renovation of their partner inner-city church.
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Children who have never attended a worship service are regularly attending church services with their tutors.
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Middle school students enrolled in Whiz Kids had an average percentile gain of 8.3 points. The students who were not enrolled in Whiz Kids had a gain of only 2.3 points.
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Story Board
If you are a Whiz Kid tutor, mentor, teacher, student, or volunteer...we want to share with others your story of inspiration, hope, success, achievement and faith. Please email anna@whizkidsok.org with your experiences to be posted on our Story Board.
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