NetPals/KeyPals Programs
NetPals/KeyPals programs pair adults with middle school students for one-on-one communication via e-mail. Adults exchange messages with their student partners in a friendly letter format, while students share assignments from a variety of disciplines, including science, math literacy, and language arts. The program provides adult role models, fosters the improvement of writing and computer skills, and increases career awareness through one-on-one virtual mentoring and three to four face-to-face meetings in the workplace and at school.
Reading Buddies Programs
Reading Buddies programs promote early literacy by pairing adult volunteers with first, second or third graders to read aloud weekly or bi-weekly, usually during the adult's lunch hour. Through training provided by CPS teachers and CSV staff, volunteers learn effective techniques for engaging children in conversation about books and helping them relate new words and concepts to prior knowledge. At a year-end celebration for students and volunteers, each student receives a gift book chosen by his or her Reading Buddy.
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Tutoring/Mentoring Partnerships
Teams of tutors or mentors from Cambridge businesses and corporations may be placed in any of several supervised settings, such as academic Learning Centers, AVID tutorials, or the CRLS Tutoring Center. Volunteers must commit to a regular schedule and agree to attend a pre-service training led by CSV and CPS staff.
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CSV also tailors individual and team volunteer program models to the unique opportunities and expertise offered by a particular corporation.
Broad Institute employees volunteer at both the elementary and high school levels for CSV. Their contributions range from tutoring an at-risk 2nd grader in math to middle school tutorials in critical thinking to tutoring and academic support at CRLS.
The Cambridge Police Department provides 12 officers who read weekly to kindergarten thru second grade classes at the Graham & Parks School for 30 minutes per week. The program has a literacy and community focus.
Cambridge Systematics employees correspond as NetPals with 40 sixth graders from the Peabody School. Based in the Alewife area, Cambridge Systematics has shown its commitment to the local schoolchildren through this program.
The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory employees are matched as KeyPals with students from the Kennedy/Longfellow School. In collaboration with IBM and MIT, this program covers every 6th grade student. Draper Lab also provides speakers and tours to show students the wonders of space travel, aerospace engineering, and transportation planning.
Genzyme Corporation employees are paired with beginning readers as Reading Buddies at the Fletcher/Maynard Academy. In 2002, Genzyme's dedication was honored when they were chosen as the Model Business Partner of the Mass. Association of School Committees.
Grace Performance Chemicals is a new participant in the NetPal program at the Peabody School, pairing employees with students in the 6th grade.
Harvard Graduate School of Education employees and graduate students are matched as Reading Buddies at the Amigos School. HGSE employees are model Reading Buddies, understanding the process of language acquisition and literacy development. HGSE also provides volunteers who read weekly in Spanish (the Lectores Program) at the Amigos, a bi-lingual school.
IBM employees are matched as KeyPals with students from the Kennedy/Longfellow School. In collaboration with Draper Lab and MIT, this program covers every 6th grade student and one class of 5th graders. IBM also runs a program called Project EXITE to introduce girls to computer technology. This is part of IBM's international Mentorplace initiative.
MIT employees are matched as KeyPals with students from the Kennedy/Longfellow School. In collaboration with Draper Laboratory and IBM, this program covers every 6th grade student. MIT also hosts the entire class of students and KeyPals from Draper and IBM at a festive year-end celebration attended by the mayor and school department officials.
Millennium Pharmaceuticals employees have adopted the Learning Center at the Morse School, providing tutors for homework help. Scientists, researchers, and other Millennium employees provide extra attention to these students to help boost achievement.
Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research employees are matched as NetPals with 35 seventh graders at the Cambridgeport School. This new program has a science focus, helping students with Science Expo and SimCell projects. The career awareness aspect of the program involves three face-to-face visits.
Stride Rite employees are matched as NetPals with students from a 7th grade class at the Kennedy/Long-fellow School. Originally a school-based program, the NetPal program has enabled Stride Rite employees to mentor Cambridge students for more than 10 years.
Volpe National Transportations Systems Center employees are paired as Reading Buddies/Lunch Buddies with beginning readers at the Kennedy/Longfellow School. As the sponsors of the oldest Reading Buddies program, Volpe has set the gold standard for corporate involvement in education. Volpe also recruits employees to advise the Science Olympiad team at CRLS.
Volunteers
