As I was walking to the gym for an aerobics class recently, I spoke to a group of youth who appeared to be of middle school age.

"Are you ready for school to start?" I asked cheerfully.

Their response was a variety of moans, groans and no's.

Well, ready or not, it's coming. Public school starts Aug. 15 in Fayette County.

I always looked forward to school starting when I was a student. For the most part, so did my children.

But the young people I've known who wanted to put off school as long as they could were the ones who had difficulty in one of the core subjects such as reading or math. A little tutoring in those areas could have changed their minds.

For 20 years, that's exactly what the Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning has been trying to do through its after-school and summer tutoring programs.

The program started with 12 students when the Carnegie Center opened, according to tutoring coordinator Carol G. Bradford. Last year, which was her first with the program, saw 160 students at the center and at four schools with many students from low-income families.

"Over the years, it has grown tremendously," she said.

For one hour each week, a volunteer tutor meets with a student to help with just about any subject troubling the student. The program is open to students in kindergarten through 12th grades. Most come from Fayette County, but some come from Woodford, Jessamine and Scott counties as well.

Read the original post:
Merlene Davis: Tutors needed at the Carnegie Center