Literacy Tutors Program Organized

A program to recruit volunteer literacy tutors to work with youths is being organized by Councilwoman Maria Moreno.

The program is offered by a task force organized by Moreno to provide a variety of services to youths at risk of dropping out of school and becoming involved with gangs.

“The need is out there,” Moreno said. “I’ve already met some youths who are interested” in being tutored.

Moreno, who is on the Placentia board of the Literacy Volunteers of America, said the program is the only one in the county that specifically focuses on gang members and other teen-agers.

Other literacy programs are generally designed for adults, she said.

A teacher, Moreno said literacy and education are essential to any successful gang-intervention program.

“A lot of people focus on jobs, which is great,” Moreno said. “But when you go in for gang prevention, it can’t be just from one angle.”

The councilwoman added that her program will require youths to stay in school to remain eligible.

Moreno hopes to begin matching tutors with students by next month. She has lined up the Whitten Center, the Gomez Center and the Powell Building, all south of Chapman Avenue, as tutoring sites, saying that youths are more likely to participate if they are familiar with the locations in which the programs are held.

The literacy program is the first of several programs Moreno said will be forthcoming from the newly organized North Orange County Youths at Risk Coalition.

Saying she was frustrated by seeing families having to approach many agencies to help solve their problems, Moreno decided to organize an umbrella network of services.

The literacy program “is just a pilot program, just the beginning,” Moreno said.

Some of the programs she hopes to organize include family counseling, parenting classes, youth employment and remedial tutoring.

The coalition is made up of educators, substance abuse professionals, former gang members, employment specialists, housing officials and mental health professionals.

“We’re looking at problems from all different aspects,” she said.

For the literacy program, Moreno is seeking both volunteers already trained as literacy tutors and those interested in being trained.

The Placentia library is offering a training program beginning today and continuing on Thursday, July 20, 23, 27 and 30, from 6 to 9 p.m. Cost is $20.

For more information, call Moreno at (714) 996-8035.