COVID-19 Update
In response to the San Mateo County shelter-in-place order, the Redwood City School District is implementing distance learning. Unfortunately, therefore, our in-class middle-school tutoring program has been put on hold until next year. We are actively recruiting for tutors for the 2020-21 school year. If you're interested in volunteering next year, please click here to get started.
In response to the San Mateo County shelter-in-place order, the Redwood City School District is implementing distance learning. Unfortunately, therefore, our in-class middle-school tutoring program has been put on hold until next year. We are actively recruiting for tutors for the 2020-21 school year. If you're interested in volunteering next year, please click here to get started.
Volunteer with Los Ayudantes and Make a Difference in RWC Kids' Lives
Los Ayudantes ("The Helpers" in Spanish) is a literacy, non-profit organization dedicated to helping Redwood City 6-8th grade students improve their literacy and critical thinking skills. We are the only local, non-profit placing in-class volunteer tutors at middle schools in the Redwood City School District. Students get extra practice reading in small groups or one-on-one, but more importantly, our volunteers become trusted mentors who are dedicated to working with the students throughout the year.
Our MissionOur mission is to promote literacy for life by establishing caring connections with students and helping them to build literacy and critical thinking skills necessary for success in high school and beyond.
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Dedicated Volunteer TutorsSince 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.
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"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, 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.
