Whiz Kids celebrates 10th year at Covenant Presbyterian Church

ALBANY — Ten years ago, Lee Don and her late husband, Dale, moved to Albany from Atlanta to be closer to family. Alarmed by Dougherty County’s low reading scores in the first and second grades, the Dons reached out to Covenant Presbyterian Church to provide space for a once a week tutoring/mentoring program to help struggling students.

Wednesday at Covenant, Whiz Kids celebrated its 10th anniversary with more than 20 students from Alice Coachman Elementary school along with parents, mentors, tutors , volunteers and Dougherty County School System Superintendent Butch Mosely.

Today, the program has eight elementary schools each in partnership with a local church to provide volunteer tutoring to struggling students. Don said that over the past decade the program has tutored more than 1,060 elementary students.

“Whiz Kids is all about the community involving and engaging themselves in public education,” Don said. “I was a public educator and I think God has a really good sense of humor because I taught high school and we work with elementary kids. We try to teach the children how to care for one another.”

Don added she has been surprised at the community support of the unique program.

“To be honest I have been overwhelmed by the students and their tutors,” she said. “The success of Whiz Kids depends on so many people. We have learned one person cannot change the world, but one person can make a difference.”

Community volunteers supported by generous donations by Rotary and Golden “K” Kiwanis, providing necessary books and student supplies, join together in making Whiz Kids Tutoring possible and available to students Grades 1-3 who need extra help in reading.

Rotary has purchased all needed books, student supplies for new sites to start up and Golden K Kiwanis has helped replenish items needed for students at other sites. The Boys and Girls Club also played a big role in providing an opportunity for Morningside students.

“It is exciting to live in a community where volunteers from the community volunteer as tutors/mentors, and schools and civic organizations join hands in support of our children hoping to make a difference one child at a time,” Don said.

Mosely said he was grateful for the help from the program and its volunteers.

“We have a lot of children in need in this county and we need all the help we can get,” he said. “These volunteer tutors are special people.”

Alice Coachman Principal Gail Solomon agreed.

“Each year the program gets better and better,” Solomon said. “Our only question is can we have more slots?”