Adding some benefits

Danette Goulet

COSTA MESA -- Less than an hour after the last school bell rang,

first-graders Elisa and Elika had both finished their homework and read a

book aloud.

It was their first day at Pomona Elementary Schools’ new learning

center, which opened Monday and was, for these two anyway, a great

success.

“They help you with your homework,” said Elisa Gonzalez, 6.

She and friend Elika Canas, 6, sped through their vocabulary homework

without any need for assistance, but were eager to read aloud to an adult

for praise and feedback.

They are two of about 40 Pomona students in first- though third-grade

who are signed up for the new learning center run by Think Together, the

organization that runs the Shalimar Learning Center and six others.

Originally, Think Together planned to open its eighth learning center

in February at the Someone Cares Soup Kitchen in Costa Mesa. But after

several delays, plans for the soup kitchen learning center were scrapped

for the time being.

The collaborative learning center at the soup kitchen was going to

have the bonus of providing the children with a snack during the tutoring

session and a meal to take home, but the program at Pomona Elementary

School does not plan to provide food.

They did, however, have Girl Scout cookies for students who came the

first couple days.

Low in cost, high in caring -- the after school program held in the

schools’ multipurpose room -- consists of director Crissy Brooks,

volunteers and a cart carrying books, flashcards, memory games, work

sheets and workbooks.

“We’re trying to concentrate on building vocabulary, because it is not

always used in the home -- so we can help them get caught up with that,”

said Laura Johnson, the director of Shalimar who is helping to get the

new center up and running.

Tutors help students with homework and then reinforce core academics

such as reading and math.

If left open to any students wishing to come, the room would be packed

with at least 70 students, Johnson said, but for now, students have to be

referred by their teacher, and then parents must apply for those students

to join.

This is to keep the ratio down, Johnson explained. Students are

required to attend at least two or three days, said Brooks.

Not lacking for students, Brooks hopes to bring in more volunteers,

she said.

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Anyone interested in volunteering can call Crissy Brooks at (949)

646-0396.