Contributing to equal opportunities in education, one student at a time

Abstract

"Saturday morning, 9 a.m. The usually empty CEGEP classroom echoes with children’s laughter. Seated around the tables, students from a local elementary school listen in awe as their respective "big school" mentors re-explain a complex math concept.

"I’ll never be able to do this," Irma says shyly in her small voice. In front of her, her mentor smiles: "Why don’t we try it together?" Together, they go through the exercise again, slowly, until a flash of understanding lights up the child’s face. "I think I’ve understood," says the little girl, snuggling up to her "big sister," as she likes to call her.

In the back of the room, the volunteer college students exchange glances of satisfaction. They know they’re experiencing much more than a simple mentoring session. Every Saturday morning, at the School of the Greats, relationships are built, skills are shared, and young people, from elementary school to college, gradually gain confidence in their abilities." -- AQPC