by Aaron Shires
DCTMI
guest contributor

Around 66% of local kids are reading below grade level and 77.2% are behind in math, according to the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education. The DC Tutoring & Mentoring Initiative (DCTMI) is working to fix this by recruiting caring adults to support kids across Washington DC and the surrounding suburbs.

DCTMI is a non-profit organization founded in 2016 to unite people from all walks of life around a common goal: to connect caring adults with local kids so that they have the support they need to thrive, both academically and non-academically. DCTMI encourages a sense of collective agency and hope, working together across class, race, ideology, and neighborhood to make the world a better place… one child at a time.

By becoming a volunteer with one of DCTMI’s 50+ partner programs, you could be the person to sit with a child and give them the extra support they need. Just an hour of your time once a week can quite literally change a child’s life. You don’t need to have a background in education to be a tutor, and, if you don’t want to teach, you can become a mentor instead!

DCTMI can connect you with a diverse range of opportunities, including programs located in Petworth like Midtown Youth Academy, Reading Partners and MacFarland Middle School.

You could coach a sport with programs like Midtown Youth Academy and Girls on the Run, tutor in a range of subjects with programs like Reading Partners and MacFarland Middle School, mentor by playing with kids or taking teens on outings with programs like Playtime Project and Kid Power, or assist with administrative work by organizing office supplies and files, assisting with communication needs and more!

If you currently aren’t able to commit to coming to a program once a week, you could get involved in other ways. You could help DCTMI with outreach work, set up a community gathering in your neighborhood, drive others to tutoring or mentoring, or provide photography/videography at DCTMI events.

No child deserves to be given up on or forgotten. They need patience, guidance and someone to give them the necessary skills to be successful. YOU could be the person that sits with them and holds their hand so they don’t get left behind. Providing students with one-on-one attention empowers them to create a brighter future for themselves, so your support really does make a difference.

Fall programs are starting up now, but it’s not too late to sign up! Go to dcTutorMentor.org or call 202-688-1261 to learn more about how you can get involved. DCTMI can walk you through the volunteer process, answer any questions you may have, and provide you with training resources to help you get started.

Be the person that believes in these kids, and help us make this world a better place—one child at a time—by becoming a volunteer today.