Azusa Pacific University’s more than 20 year partnership with the Neighborhood Homework House program allows students to serve children in the Azusa community through education. It is one of the many year round local engagement opportunities offered to APU students through the Office of Service and Discipleship (OSD).
“We get the unique opportunity to pour back into the city that we go to school in whether we grew up around here or we’re from a different state,” said Gavin Haberle, a senior elementary education major and OSD Local Engagement intern. “There’s something beautiful about being able to help by serving others. This program provides a great opportunity for kids to expand their education while also showing us as students what service can look like.”
Four days a week at Foothill Community Church in Azusa, children from Azusa Unified School District (AUSD) in elementary through high school can receive free tutoring in math and English. Elementary school students have sessions on Monday and Wednesday, while middle and high school students go on Tuesday and Thursday. “The kids might not have these resources at home, so it’s important for us to reach out and help teach the next generation,” said Sera Isidro, a sophomore liberal studies and honors humanities double major.
Each tutor works with the same small group of students every week. This mentorship allows the volunteers and children to build strong relationships. “This program is a great way to show kids who God is by being kind, having patience, and taking time to help them,” Haberle said. “There are volunteers who have been serving since their freshman year and now they’re graduating, so they’ve seen the kids grow and progress which is a rewarding discipleship opportunity.”
The connections that the tutors and students form add to what makes Neighborhood Homework House such an impactful part of the community. “I saw one of the kids outside of Homework House, and for him to remember me and be happy to see me showed that I made a difference in his life by just being there for him,” Isidro said. “At the end of last semester, the kids gave me sweet notes and drawings to say that they would miss and remember me. Being present for others is really what God wants us to do.”
Tutors also provide encouragement to students thinking about college. Those who are about to graduate from high school can ask their tutors questions about what college looks like and receive answers from a current college student’s perspective.
Neighborhood Homework House is a perfect program for APU students who are thinking about working in education and want to gain some teaching experience. “In the liberal studies program, students go out and do observation hours, but this is the next step to working with students,” Haberle said. “Any students who love working with kids and teens, especially majors in social work, elementary education, and liberal studies, should check out the OSD website for more information.”
The program has helped many children from AUSD to succeed in school while APU students build positive relationships within the community. “The Homework House program comes out of a place of love for the community,” Haberle said. “We have the chance to be a helping hand that shows love to the families of Azusa, so it's a great way to get involved and see what service looks like.”