Homework Con Amigos and LEAP tutoring are collaborative programs that operate simultaneously in the Children’s Makerspace at the main branch of the Durham County Library.

Entering the building

Photos from around the library

Follow signs to the makerspace and turn right

Homework Con Amigos

LEAP Tutoring

Director: Maria Ramirez, mramirez@dconc.gov

Type of organization: Afterschool homework help and enrichment program.

Grades served: 3-5

Homework Con Amigos is held every Monday between 5:15 and 7:15 in the children’s Makerspace on the first floor of Durhams beautifully renovated Main Library.

While this placement may include some tutoring, the main focus will be homework help and social-emotional connection. There may be an opportunity to help with STEAM-focused enrichment activities.
The ideal volunteer would arrive with curiosity, interest in the children, and a willingness to build relationships.
Ability to speak Spanish is helpful, but not at all required.

Type of organization: Afterschool one-on-one literacy tutoring.

Contact: Megan McCurley, megan.mccurley@durhamleap.org

The Latino Educational Achievement Partnership (LEAP) is partnering with the Durham County Library and the DPS Foundation to provide students aged 6 – 12 (grades 1-6) with one-on-one tutoring to develop their literacy skills and academic competence. Using computer-based interventions, LEAP tutors engage with our students once a week on Mondays at the Downtown branch of the Library.

Tutoring will involve working through Raz Kids reading intervention software.

LEAP is a new PfS partner for Spring 2024.

Sample volunteer tasks (Homework Con Amigos only)

Did art project with students where we used vegetables and paint to make postcards.
Did crossword puzzles, played uno.
Helped a student with his math and his reading work. Then went outside with him and let him play freeze tag with his peers.
Helped kids one on one with reading.
Helped kids with homework.
Helped kids with math homework. Practiced multiplication.
Helped kids with their homework. Did some crafts with them (pins).
Helped with students with their work and played a memory game.
I helped G read by having him read all the sight words I taught him as we went through a story. I also helped another student with his long division.

Spent time coloring and reading with J.
There was a fun activity scheduled for the kids, so I supervised their painting activity. I also helped Y with her spelling exercises and her reading worksheets.
Used vegetables to paint pictures on the back of post cards.
Worked on some reading, then played outside with chalk, and played tag and hide and seek.
Worked with E. Read together and made buttons.
I helped V with her counting and her reading. I also worked with V on her reading (we read the Frozen book!)
I helped V with her reading and C with his math. I also made puzzles with V and A.
I worked with the second and third graders to help them practice their reading. I’m seeing so many improvements from the beginning of the semester!
Readings about Animals, worksheet on how to tell time on a clock, making origami.

I played games with Y to help her with her sight words and read/did subtraction with A.
I researched some activities that kids could do to get to know one another better.
I was helping Y learn sight words, and I taught C how to use a multiplication table. I also did some coloring and puzzles with the kids!
I worked on reading with Y and V, then played freeze tag with the kids during their break!
I worked with V, Y, D, and J on getting faster at reading sight words by organizing a competitive game between them with flash cards. We had a lot of fun!
Math and reading
Read with students for 10 minutes and also helped kids with their math and went outside and played freeze tag.
Spent the whole time with E helping with homework and playing outside.

Homework Con Amigos/ LEAP