Brandon Twp – After school area teens will soon have access to computers, a quiet study place and a chance to get a jump on homework thanks to a new program at the Brandon Township Library.
Beginning Feb. 9 the library will debut The Library Homework Center, a program where area students have access to new laptop computers, Internet research, and on-hand tutors.
‘It’s going to be cool to be able to use the laptop and go on the Internet,? said Josh Gonzalez, 11, a Brandon Middle School student who is anxious to attend the supervised program.
Like many other area students, Gonzalez said he does not have access to the Internet at home.
In the spring of 2003, the library was awarded a $34,000 to help fund the program. Paula Gauthier, head of adult, young adult and outreach services said the library purchased 25 laptop notebook computers, capable of bringing the world of research to the fingertips of Brandon’s young learners.
The grant also allowed for the laptops to be used to teach computer skills to area senior citizens, who are taking classes at the Brandon Senior Center on Friday afternoons.
The idea of a homework center came to Gauthier and the public relations director, Zoe Pierson, from several different places, however the strongest motivation was to provide adequate technology and educational recreation to the preteens who gather at the library after school hours.
Being located between the Middle School and Fletcher Intermediate makes the library a natural destination for between 30 and 60 students, said Gauthier, who also says library officials felt they needed to provide a focus for the high number of kids at the library daily.
‘It became clear we needed to give them something to focus on,? Gauthier said.
‘If we provide a center with a librarian and two tutors, within the library, that is a quit place, it would better direct students to homework studies.?
Gauthier says homework centers have been popping up in libraries for the past 10 years, but not the full spun, successful, ‘full in your face homework center like the one we are planning.?
‘Ours will be different because we worked it out to fit this library’to meet the needs of our children and the needs of this community,? said Gauthier.
The Monday through Thursday sessions are from 2:30-4:30 p.m. and are designed to provide a place where teen and preteens can complete homework and gather required research with access to electronic resources and word processing capabilities.
‘The first 45 minutes of the session will be spent on homework, research, or literary study,? said Gauthier, who states there will be a volunteer tutor from the academic community along with two high school students that will come every day.
‘The second half of the daily sessions will allow for the kids to play table or computer games, giving the students time for a ‘wind down.?
‘It will never be a wild place, but a place for the kids to be more focused.?
Gauthier says she will continue to focus on enhancing the Homework Center program by applying for grants that would help provide on-line tutoring programs that would be set up like a chat program, which Gauthier says would bring more dimension to the library homework center.