Nov. 3, 2006 – The V.I. Housing Authority on St. Thomas will be sponsoring after-school tutorial classes for students ages seven to 13, along with help for others studying for their GED.
"It's to assist our public housing children in improving their academic skills," Irma F. Hodge, director of public relations and resident services, said Friday.
She said the after-school programs are aimed at improving promotion rates and bridging technological gaps. Hodge said they're also geared toward helping students in the areas of reading and math — subjects in which many students have low test scores.
Hodge said the after-school programs provide a safe environment for learning.
She said the GED program helps prepare participants for work. "So they can be contributing citizens of the territory," she said, adding that obtaining a GED will also help them become more self-sufficient.
The GED classes will be held at Oswald Harris Court and Michael J. Kirwan Terrace public housing communities. They run Mondays through Thursdays, Nov. 6 through Dec. 28. Classes are from 6 to 8 p.m.
The after-school tutorial programs will be held at Paul M. Pearson Gardens, Oswald Harris Court, Estate Tutu High Rise, Estate Bovoni, and Knolls at Contant public housing communities.
The after-school program runs Mondays through Thursdays from Nov. 13 through May 17. Classes will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The after-school programs at Tutu and Bovoni come under the auspices of the U.S. Justice Department's Weed and Seed Program. The others are the responsibility of the Housing Authority.
Hodge said the Housing Authority has run the GED and after-school programs for many years.
Call the Community Service offices in the public housing communities for more information or if you need transportation.
Here are the appropriate numbers:
Michael J. Kirwan Terrace 513-7102
Oswald Harris Court 774-7485
Paul M. Pearson Gardens 776-1498
Knolls at Contant 714-2744
Bovoni 714-0812
Tutu 775-2900
