Swearer Center for Public Service
 

Swearer Center for Public Service

Through programming, advising and fellowships, the Swearer Center engages the university in collaborations with local partners to strengthen communities and better prepare students to lead lives of effective action.
 
 

Education-Elementary and Middle Schools

BAM! Brown Arts Mentoring

Exploring creativity and inspiring confidence through mentorship, artistic activities and expression (at William D'Abate and Asa Messer Elementary Schools)

Brown Arts Mentoring places Brown students in after school programs at two underserved local elementary schools. BAM! provides classes in both visual and performance arts and the year culminates in a showcase of student work. BAM! seeks to build mentorships, encourage confidence, inspire learning and foster creativity within all participants. Classes include art, dance, music and theater.

Contact:
Grace Dalrymple
Dilania Inoa

Brown Language Arts Program

Writing club to encourage self-expression and refine the written communication skills of elementary school students (at William D'Abate and Asa Messer Elementary Schools)

The Language Arts Program provides writing support for children at the William D'Abate Elementary School in Olneyville and Asa Messer Elementary School in the West End. The program works with children at the third, fourth and fifth grade levels.

Contact:
Brian Lin
Dilania Inoa

BRYTE (Brown Refugee Youth Tutoring and Enrichment)

In-home tutoring and mentoring for Providence's refugee youth

Brown Refugee Youth Tutoring and Enrichment (BRYTE) is an in-home tutoring and mentoring program that helps refugees acquire crucial language skills as well as cultural fluency in a time of difficult transition. It also fosters meaningful relationships and promotes cross-cultural understanding. Through BRYTE, Brown volunteers spend threehours a week working one-on-one with students on homework, literacy skills, and English skills; they also do activities with refugee students that help build their confidence in a new culture and city. BRYTE is a student-led organization that runs in collaboration with the International Institute of Rhode Island (IIRI) and the Swearer Center for Public Service at Brown University. For more information, visit www.refugeetutoring.com.

Contact:
Jesse McGleughlin
David Ellmann

John Hope Mentoring Program

One-on-one mentoring with children aged 6 to 12 including academic tutoring, informal discussion and play (with the John Hope Settlement House)

The John Hope Mentoring Program is a partnership with the John Hope Settlement House, an agency that offers a variety of services to culturally diverse children and families in Providence. The program pairs Brown volunteers with youths who participate in the John Hope After-School Program, or whose families are involved in the John Hope Department of Social Services. Mentors provide educational, social, and emotional support for children through weekly tutoring sessions and youth development activities. While much of the work in this program happens in individual tutoring sessions, special events also bring youth and mentors together as a community. There are also a number of events in which parents join the mentors and mentees, creating a stronger system of support for these youth.

Contact:
Mikel Wiggins
Zahra Merchant

Math Club

Demystifying math through fun, real-world applications such as Harry Potter, soccer, pizza, and more (at William D'Abate and Asa Messer Elementary Schools)

Brown students teach the ever-important skills of logic, memory, numbers, and pattern recognition, to students at William D'Abate and Asa Messer Elementary Schools.

For more information, email Sidney_Kushner@brown.edu or Kayla_Rosen@brown.edu

Contact:

MET Family Literacy Program

Adult English language, computer and Spanish language classes, literacy learning for children and activities for adults and children together (with the MET High School Community Outreach)

MET Family Literacy Program, a partnership with the Met School, offers classes two evenings per week to parents and children. Classes include ESOL, computer literacy, and Spanish language. Volunteers work with learners to encourage language and community development, and to assist learners in meeting their self-defined goals.

Contact:
Patricia Chou
Joshua Prenner
Janet Isserlis

Providence Science Outreach (PSO)

Hands-on afterschool lessons to get elementary students to enjoy science and build critical thinking skills (at William D'Abate and Asa Messer Elementary Schools)

Providence Science Outreach (PSO) sends Brown students into Providence elementary schools to organize hands-on science projects with kids. Volunteers try to ignite interest in science by showing children that science is exciting, fun and useful. By serving as role models and organizing simple experiments, volunteers show children that anyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or age, can succeed in science. Projects have included building bridges, growing plants, testing electricity, and making ice cream. Volunteers teach in teams of four or five, going to the same site weekly.

 

Contact:
Caitlin Naureckas
Dilania Inoa

Swearer Classroom Program

Literacy mentoring program building relationships through supportive, sustained one-on-one work on literacy skills (at William D'Abate and Asa Messer Elementary Schools)

The Swearer Classroom Program provides hands-on literacy training to student volunteer tutors at the William D'Abate Elementary School and Asa Messer Elementary School in Providence. Brown student volunteers work, one-on-one, with elementary school students on their reading.

Contact:
Hannah Miles
Christine Joyce
Dilania Inoa