During spring break, Sr. Judy Sinnwell represented Excel as a member of a panel at the McLean Institute (University of Mississippi) held at the Gulf South Summit in Little Rock, AR.
Judy Sinnwell
The focus of the annual conference is service-learning at institutions of higher learning. The McLean Institute’s mission is to provide transforming learning experiences that impact UM students as well as positively making a difference where UM students serve.
Last January the Institute piloted a service-learning program that brings the resources of UM to rural communities in North Mississippi. For three terms, McLean Mentors have come to Excel in Calhoun City to tutor students in the after school program. Each McLean Mentor commits to be a tutor for one or both sessions at Excel and comes to Calhoun City one day a week. This is an eight week commitment.
“They are the extra person in the classroom available to do more one-on-one help with homework,” said Excel Program Director Debbie Hunter.
Sixth grader Jaron Thompson noted “they know what they are doing; they are smart.”
“I like it when they come to help with work,” Excel student Jaylin Cruthirds said. “They get to stay with one person at a time.”
On April 18, the Institute will host its Day On Campus for the Excel students. Various creative activities are planned and different areas of the university are visited. This year parents are also invited and there will be activities specifically for them.
Jaylin Cruthirds and McLean Mentor Brittany Fields working at Excel.
Since the Excel partnership with the institute began, the phrase ‘when you go to college’ is consciously used as much as possible by Excel staff and parents.
“The Ole Miss students help us with our homework,” third grader Arion Shepherd said. “They’re nice. Whenever I go to college, I am going to remember them.”
That is exactly one of the goals of this program.
Sinnwell said “this partnership with the McLean Institute has been an incredibly significant experience for students at Excel, for parents, for Excel staff and advisory board, and really for the wider Calhoun County community, as well as for the McLean Mentors. We are so grateful for the McLean Mentors bringing the resources of the university to small rural communities, impacting the present and the future.”