ACTS (Action Centered Tutoring Services) is in its 23rd year of providing free one-to-one tutoring after-school to the children of Springfield in eight church sites around the city. This is a wonderful opportunity in which to spend two hours a week with an elementary-aged child in a safe and vibrant faith community. Each site is staffed with a Site Director who is an educator and there to help the tutors. After the individual tutoring time, there is a Club Time in which tutors and students interact together around a theme of values, character development and Bible stories, with the Site Director leading. Parents sign separate permission slips for their child to participate in this activity. This year the curriculum is The Fruit of the Spirit.
Area churches which host the ACTS program include: Faith United Church, South Congregational Church, Christ Church Cathedral, St. John’s Congregational Church, Christ Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Covenant Church, Trinity Lutheran Church and Orchard Covenant Church. There are more churches wanting to have sites, but that can only happen if there are volunteers willing to tutor. No experience is required; the most important ingredient is having a love for children and a desire to see them achieve academically and grow spiritually.
Call John Howell, Executive Director of ACTS (731-9810 or 221-7980), if you would like more information or to schedule a visit to one of the sites for you to see if this opportunity is for you.