At Arab American Family Services, our priorities are enhancing the lives of our people, regardless of age. We believe that the best way to ensure the future of our people is to begin at the root. That is why early intervention, especially in the area of education, is important. If a child is in danger of failing, or is struggling in school, there is no reason to be ashamed to ask for help.
At AAFS, we have formed a tutoring department that’s main focus is early intervention. Deama Sheika and Sophia Mohammad are head of the tutoring department. Currently, there are 13 students and five tutors who are involved in the program. With numbers increasing, the tutoring sessions, which are held every Monday and Wednesday from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., have been moved to the Bridgeview Community Center on 7900 S. Oketo. With the growing numbers of students, Mohammad and Sheika are reaching out to increase the numbers of tutors.
“We are currently working on increasing the number of tutors by contacting volunteers who have previously volunteered for AAFS before, but also going to local schools and universities to try and reach out to the community,” said Sheika.
But the tutoring initiative does not end once the session is over. Sheika and Mohammad remain persistent in reaching out to schools to ensure that a difference is being made.
“We are meeting with teachers and ensuring that students are implementing what they are learning is the tutoring sessions,” said Mohammad.
Recently, they were pleased to learn that a student who has never passed a spelling test recently passed with a 95 percent. His teacher, as well as family was greatly impressed.
“Knowing that my colleague and I have a powerful impact on these children feels great. I believe that is one of the most rewarding feelings is helping someone in need and not wanting anything in return but success for the individuals,” they said.
“Whenever I see a client I get inspired and affected. Many children who come into the tutoring program are children who have been struggling academically and we are making a difference in their lives everyday,” said Sheika.
“Children tend to open up to us as tutors and they confine in us in helping them succeed and I believe that is the best feeling an individual can come across,” she said.
Despite the school year coming to an end, Sheika and Mohammad are currently setting up are own curriculum to help students over the summer vacation.
“Every Monday and Wednesday we do different things from reading comprehensions, spelling, writing and math,” they said.
Currently, AAFS is holding a tutoring program for children from 2nd to 8th grade who are struggling in school, due to a language barrier.
Often times, Arab American students are lost in the system, and are often placed in special education courses.
“We believe since [students] they are not doing well in school that they may have a learning disability. When in general we fail to realize that most of the children’s parents do not speak and understand the English language well,” Sheika said.
Ultimately, our goals are to see the number of tutors increase. And mostly, we want to see more and more people take advantage of the services offered by AAFS.
At AAFS, the things that we are doing in our areas of expertise that sets us aside from other organizations is that we help anyone who walks into our organization.
If we do not have the resources to assist are clients, we refer them to a place that is able to better assist them.
“Our organization does not only focus on the people who are less fortunate, they focus on everyone regardless of religion, race or nationality, and that is the goal of AAFS.”
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