LEARNING CENTER Program helps poor district to get rich results

The after-school program is in its third year.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
WELLSVILLE -- Why are some young Wellsville pupils doing well? It's a mystery.
It also could be a baking class, group learning, motivational talks, tutoring, help with homework, solid educational theories and parental involvement.
Wellsville's After School Learning Center is now in its third year. One of its programs, Forensics Detectives, helps pupils put facts together and sharpen their thinking skills on the way to catching a fictitious criminal.
Doris Buzzard, whose consulting firm, Ohio Teaching and Learning Center, runs the program, said pupils are asked, "What do you think?" and "Then what happened?"
Meeting state standards
The district is one of the poorest in the state. But four out of five children in the center's program are meeting the state's proficiency levels
Buzzard said she loves the blue-collar town and its strong work ethic. But she said that Wellsville doesn't have a lot of resources. There are no nearby private learning programs, and many area residents couldn't afford them if there were.
But that hasn't stopped the district from doing what it can to help its pupils.
The district is offering 14 activities and programs through November. All pupils can go to the after-school Homework Club and for math tutoring.
Various grade levels can take part in a variety of after-school programs to sharpen their reading and other skills.
Some activities involve learning in groups of five to 10 children. Buzzard said that helps the pupils who are helping others. Two top educators believe that pupils must repeat information by reading or writing it five times before they learn it. By repeating the information to other pupils, they themselves learn.
"It works quite well," Buzzard said.
Combines learning and fun
The program uses fun and enrichment activities to boost the educational program, said David Buzzard, the principal at Wellsville's Daw Middle School that includes grades five through eight. He is Buzzard's husband.
An upcoming program on a Saturday will focus on goal setting and motivation to boost self-esteem. It will include a talk by a person who climbed Mount Everest.
"The idea is that you can do it," the principal said.
The program has used baking and will use wreath making to teach math skills and improve pupils' ability to read and follow instructions. Parents can take part.
The program has also offered a summer reading program and includes the Make a Difference Club, in which pupils do service projects in the community and school.
Many pupils in the area had never been to cultural activities. Trips are planned to the Titanic exhibit at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh and to see a professional play.
Doris Buzzard said the exhibit includes an Omnimax movie showing parts of the ship no one has seen since it sank in 1912, along with scientific exhibits relating to the wreck.
Funding
The program had been funded with grants for two years. This year, the Columbiana County commissioners approved a $54,000 budget for the program.
The money comes from the county's Job and Family Services.
Eileen Dray-Bardon, the agency's director, said Congress makes funds available in broad categories to help children. As long as those categories remain and Congress has money, there should be funding for the program, she said.
wilkinson@vindy.com