Liberty joins forces with local public schools to help students

In a festive collaboration, Liberty University students are presented with a new CSER opportunity through joining Lynchburg City Schools’ “ALL In Tutoring” initiative, where they’ll unwrap the gift of reading for elementary students in Lynchburg.

As of this fall, Liberty has partnered with Lynchburg City Schools to help with the implementation of the “ALL In Tutoring” initiative, which was created by the Virginia Department of Education. The purpose of this reading initiative is to ensure that students are on track with their learning despite any complications that may have occurred during school closures from the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Whitney Boyd, the coordinator of family and community engagement for LCS, students will be able to regularly tutor students for one-hour sessions throughout the upcoming weeks.

“While some students may be working on reading, the initiative is targeted for all students (grades 3-8) across all content areas,” Boyd said.

Boyd explained that there have been a few student volunteers who have signed up for this CSER job. Not only will this volunteer opportunity allow Liberty students to build lasting relationships with the youth in Lynchburg, but it will also help with improving the students’ quality of education. The CSER opportunity is open to all Liberty students and requires 10 hours of reading time and 10 hours of preparing the reading content, which is equivalent to one CSER credit for the semester.

Rev. Travis Witt, director of strategic outreach for the Standing for Freedom Center, believes that Liberty students will be able to use this service opportunity as a platform for ministering to the students while also spreading the love of Christ by simply being a light.

“We know that we carry far more than we think we carry,” Witt said while describing how integral it is to be open to the Lord’s leading in one’s life.

Tutoring the elementary students will allow the volunteers to be completely immersed in a classroom setting, as well as provide a safe learning environment for the students of local Lynchburg public schools.

“This CSER opportunity is permanent; it is a lasting legacy where relationships will be built between Liberty University and the students in Lynchburg,” Dave Brat, the vice provost for engagement and public relations at Liberty, said. “You never know the impact teaching Lynchburg students to read will have upon their future and our city’s future. We all know the importance of education in generating not only educational outcomes, but entering the job market, learning to communicate effectively and being a part of the community.”For more information or if interested in applying, students can email boydwj@lcsedu.net

Davis is the feature editor for the Liberty Champion. Follow her on X