Volunteer with Los Ayudantes and Make a Difference in RWC Students' Lives    ​

Los Ayudantes (translated "The Helpers" in Spanish) is a literacy non-profit dedicated to helping Redwood City 6-8th grade students improve their reading and critical thinking skills.  We place in-class volunteer tutors in the English Learners classes at middle schools in the Redwood City School District.   ​At the direction of teachers, we help students improve reading comprehension and knowledge and refine their writing skills.  We become trusted adults in the lives of the students we work with on a weekly basis.  We provide thoughtful concern for the students and help them with their organizational skills and any other issues that may be on their minds.  This is truly the most rewarding part of working with the students.  In fact, many teachers explain that they wish they had the time in the day to get to know the students as well as we are able to do.

Our Mission

Our mission is to promote literacy for life for middle school students in the RWC school district.  We will do this by establishing caring connections with them and helping the students build literacy and critical thinking skills necessary for success in high school and beyond.

Dedicated Volunteer Tutors

Since our inception in 2002, Los Ayudantes has delivered thousands of hours of small group tutoring to English learners in Redwood City schools.  In small group language and reading comprehension practice, we celebrate progress as students grow their English language and critical thinking skills.
"Los Ayudantes is a great group of volunteers who care about our future.  They come alongside to help in ways a teacher cannot accomplish alone." - Milagro Velasco, Former Language Arts teacher at McKinley Institute of Technology

Los Ayudantes' Impact

​Students who have achieved grade level proficiency in English language skills are MUCH more likely to graduate high school.   We focus on our local community where the need is considerable.  
  • Over 50% of students in the Redwood City district are designated English language learners. 
  • 43% of Redwood City third grade students read one or two levels below their current grade. That figure rises to 65% for Latino students in the district.
  • Nationally, we know that 88% of all high school drop-outs couldn’t read proficiently by 3rd grade.  As such, many literacy non-profits stop serving children after 3rd or 5th grade.   This is where we come in.   We don't give up on these students.  We don't stop believing in them. 

An Award-winning Team

In May, 2012, Los Ayudantes was awarded the San Mateo County Reading Association's Celebrate Literacy Award.  SMCRA recognizes programs for their significant contributions to reading instruction and literacy projects in San Mateo County.