The Youth English Tutoring Program (YETP), our six-week summer learning experience for CMS elementary students with limited English proficiency, is in full swing at three area schools. We are reminded every day that this free program not only makes a tremendous difference in the level of English fluency for those attending, but it is also fun. Some very young children make extraordinary efforts to participate. Recently, we heard the following story from Cathy Dupre, a teacher and Site Coordinator at Merry Oaks Elementary School.

"One of our eight-year-old girls in the YETP summer program came to school looking very tired and complaining she wasn't feeling well. She had a stomach ache. Her YETP tutor brought her to me to see if we could contact her parents. She explained to me that her mother and father were at home, and that they were sleeping when she left. I was puzzled and asked her: "So who gets you up and ready for the bus in the mornings?" She responded very matter-of-fact: "I get myself up and dressed and go to the bus."

This made me realize how these students value the YETP program. I also realize how hard the parents work (on 2nd and 3rd shifts) trying to provide for their families. I doubt my own children at the age of 8 would have gotten themselves up and ready for school.I told this student that I was proud of her for coming each day to learn more English. I phoned her parents, and her mother arranged transportation with a friend to pick her up. The student continues to come to YETP classes every day."

Thank you to Cathy and to all of our YETP teachers and tutors for inspiring a love of learning and making such a difference in the lives of so many children here in Charlotte!