Resolution Recognizing the Family Matters Literacy Program and Community Partners
WHEREAS, Literacy is the backbone of all education and economic opportunity in the Twenty-First Century; and
WHEREAS, Family Matters has offered literacy programs to youth in the Rogers Park community year-round since 1987; and
WHEREAS, Family Matters seeks to fill the summer educational gap by providing in-person "Power Hour" tutoring from young mentors and requires grammar school student participants to read for at least two hours per week for four weeks; and
WHEREAS, Since 2009, Family Matters has partnered with New Trier High School students to expand its summer tutoring to two sessions per week focused on literacy and math skills ; and
WHEREAS, Each summer more than twenty students receive this intense one-on-one tutoring experience with lessons and activities planned by Family Matters staff; and
WHEREAS, The young readers who participated this past summer included Julissa Nunez, Carlos Garcia, Ivette Montalvo, Symirah Douglas, Shavon Wesley, Severe Walton, Angela Kyi, Lizbeth Bastida, Liyah Walton, Kewan Watts, Evelyn Bastida, Axel Lara, Joselin Ramirez, Christian Sanchez, Nathan Espinoza, Julius Caban. Lar May Thaw, Mariana Peres, Anna Duako, and Avah Duako: and
WHEREAS, The tutors from New Trier High School included Edie Browne, Betsy Kenyon, Katie Loehr, Emily Ridder, Ella Schotz and Leah Ulrich; and
WHEREAS, Devon Lovell is the Academic Director for Family Matters while Leah Caywood recruited tutors at New Trier and secured gift cards from Marshalls Department Store as incentives for children and families to participate in the "Power Hour" tutoring; and
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this first day of November, 2016, do hereby recognize the Family Matters tutoring program -its participants, tutors, families and supporters - in declaring November 1, 2016 as "Family Matters Literacy Day" in Chicago; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be prepared and presented to the Family Matters participants and tutors.
Josep&A. Moore, Alderman, 49 Ward Chairman - Committee on Housing and Real Estate