[Vip-tutoring] New Tutoring Opportunity with VIP

[cieniews at uiuc.edu]

Hello my lovely tutors!! 

How is everyone doing?  I am writing this email for 2 
reasons.  First, I would like to say THANK YOU to each and 
every one of you!  Because tutoring is such a large project 
that offers such a variety of independent tutoring 
opportunities to volunteers, I feel that at times, it is 
easy to forget that you are a part of this larger 
organization of VIP!  Well, I don’t want you guys to forget 
that....I want you all to know that the time you give to 
tutor a child, whether it is at Urbana Middle School, Canaan 
Academy, Urbana High School, or any of our other programs, 
really is recognized and so greatly appreciated! :) You guys 
are the best, and I know that all of the agencies we work 
with feel the same.  

Just the other day I had the chance to talk with Crystal 
from Urbana High School (she is the woman who runs the 
tutoring program there), and can I just say that she had 
nothing but wonderful things to say about VIP tutors!  So…
all you tutors who volunteer at UHS, you rock!!  And all of 
you who volunteer with other programs...so do you!!  Ok…so 
now that you all know how wonderful you are...On to the 
second reason I am writing this email. 

VIP Tutoring is offering a new volunteer opportunity for 
tutors.  The name of this new agency is BOAST Academy, and I 
think that some of you will definitely be interested in this 
one!  BOAST works with elementary school children in an 
after school program that meets Monday through Friday from 2-
5:30pm at Kenwood Elementary School.  The mission of the 
BOAST program is to stimulate academically at-risk 
children's interest in science, and to serve as a national 
resource for hands-on science and internet lessons.  

Volunteer tutors at BOAST will work with staff and other 
volunteers from both U of I and the community in assisting 
in the activities of the after school program.  Usually, 
this will include helping students with some science 
experiment for the day and also helping them with their 
homework when needed.  For all you non-science people out 
there, don’t be scared away!  I have been told that the 
experiments are quite easy, and there will always be a staff 
member leading the experiment.  

For more information of BOAST Academy, you can visit their 
website at http://www.life.uiuc.edu/hughes/boast/index.htm.  
The website provides more detailed info as well as a map and 
bus schedule for getting to Kenwood Elementary.  

If you are interested in volunteering with BOAST as a VIP 
tutor, please email Alice Moon at amoon at uiuc.edu.  She will 
be able to give you additional info on how to go about 
getting started at BOAST. :)

OK!!!! I think that covers it for today! I apologize for 
this VERY LONG email! As always, if you have any questions 
or concerns about tutoring, please feel free to email me at 
any time! 

Sara Cieniewski     

Volunteer Illini Projects, Inc. 
Director of Tutoring