Village Project expansion serves more children, includes more student volunteers

Three Elon Biobuses loaded with athletes, Fellows, fraternity brothers as well as other roll out of McMichael parking lot every Wednesday and head to five schools in the Alamance-Burlington School System to participate in the “It Takes a Village” Project.

The program started on Elon’s campus eight years ago with 16 children in need of tutoring, but the project expanded this spring and the Village now caters to approximately 200 children and their families. To meet the demand for extra tutors, Jean Rattigan-Rohr, director of the Village Project reached out to various organizations and student groups on campus.

Now more than 150 Elon students, faculty and staff make the trek to four local elementary schools—Eastlawn, Newlin, Haw River and Andrews— and Graham Middle School for this spring’s expanded Village Project.

After Rattigan-Rohr reached out, coaches and athletes from soccer, basketball, lacrosse and track teams were among the first to respond and attend the training sessions along with members of the Lambda Chi Alpha and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternities. Business Fellows and Teaching Fellows have been working with the Village Project students for some time and are continuing their work this semester. In addition, Communication Fellows, Honors Fellows, Isabella Cannon Leadership Fellows, Odyssey Scholars and a group of students from El Centro and the National Council of Negro Women have joined them.

“I am so impressed with the cooperative team spirit and the love and support the Elon students have for the children and parents,” said Marie Alston, lead teacher in the Village Project program in Andrews Elementary School. “I am thrilled to see how prepared all the tutors are week after week.”

Aside from Elon students and faculty, local organizations have reached out as well to sponsor the “It Takes a Village” Project. A group of women from St. Mark’s Church provide food at the tutoring sessions and join two other faith-based communities, First Presbyterian Church and Ebenezer United Church of Christ, which have been longtime partners of the Village Project. In addition, Texas Roadhouse of Burlington and Crazy Mexico of Haw River have provided food to the children and families participating in the program at Haw River Elementary. 

“This is such a wonderful way to get Elon students working with our children in public school,” said Jennifer Reed, principal at Haw River Elementary. “I have truly seen some of my children who are typically not excited about reading get excited these past weeks.”

Started in 2008, the “It Takes a Village” Project began as an after-school reading/tutoring project but quickly evolved into a multi-faceted literacy development project focused on access and success based on community needs. It was initially designed to bring Elon’s School of Education students in direct contact with students who find reading daunting. Over the years, other programs have been added, including Science in the Village, Music in the Village, Summer in the Village and the Little Village. In the beginning, tutoring sessions took place on Elon’s campus. It eventually moved to May Memorial Library in downtown Burlington, N.C., and the latest expansion has taken the program right into the schools that the children in need of assistance attend.

And since so many children are now participating, Elon’s volunteer pool has expanded as well, which has had an impact on all the participants.

Josepha Mbouma, a senior on Elon’s women’s basketball team, has enjoyed participating in the Village Project. She grew up in a single-parent household. “Many people poured into me,” she said, “so I’m just happy to be able to pour into someone. I did not expect to become so invested so quickly, but my tutee, Evan, is struggling and I can see how desperately he wants to read and I just want to help him.”

The time spent at the schools on Wednesday evenings goes by quickly. “The ladies from track and lacrosse are so engrossed in their work with their students at Haw River Elementary that at 7:30 when I’m walking around telling them it’s time to wrap up their work with students, they are not even aware of the time,” Rattigan-Rohr said.

The opportunity to interact with a variety of university students with varied backgrounds and experiences has piqued the children’s interest in the program.

“This year has been one of the best for the kids since they can interact with so many college students,” said Tara Tinnin, whose daughter has participated in the Village Project for several years. “The athletes have been a big plus; I just love how they answer the kids’ questions about being an athlete and the importance of education. It’s just great.” 

Parents who are new to the program have quickly seen the benefits. “I wish they had something like this when I was a kid,” said Chad Miller, whose child started with the Village Project this year. “I struggled as a kid.”

This expanded Village with all of its additional sites, volunteers and community support truly embodies the West African saying, for which the program is named, that it “takes a village” to make it all work, Rattigan-Rohr said.  

“It’s an incredible opportunity for our players to be engaged with children in our community in such a very positive and uplifting way,” said Elon men’s basketball coach Matt Matheny. “Although our players have had an effect upon the children in the Village, I do believe the children in the Village will have an impact upon our players for a long time to come.”