After School Kids: Students in this program mentor court-involved children throughout D.C. and “seek to empower youth to make positive changes in their lives by challenging them with new learning opportunities and teaching the necessary skills to successfully meet those challenges,” according to the program’s Web site. Best Buddies: Founded by former Hoya Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Best Buddies International brings together volunteers and people with intellectual disabilities. Now the largest collegiate chapter, Georgetown’s chapter holds group events once a month. You can pair up as a full-time buddy, and meet oneon-one with your partner, or as an associate buddy and attend the group event. Cristo Rey Tutoring: Students tutor and mentor low-income students at Don Bosco Cristo Rey Hish School, a local Catholic High School.
DC Schools Project: Started in 1983 by thengraduate student, former university Vice-President Daniel Porterfield, the DCSP brings Georgetown students to city schools and private homes to tutor low-income youths, most of whom who speak English as a second language. Other branches of the DCSP work with parents on Saturday mornings as well as non-native English speakers working at the university. Programs operate Monday-Thursday, some during the school day, others in the evening.
DC Reads: Similar to DCSP, D.C. Reads, which started in 1997, aims to bolster literacy and provides students to tutor and mentor low-income D.C. residents in the first through third grades who do not read at grade level. Whereas DCSP tends to aid recent immigrants, DC Reads more commonly works with low-income African-American children. Georgetown Donors: The Hilltop’s official blood drive club, the organization coordinates all of the on-campus blood drives.
Grassroots Hoyas: This project works with at-risk youth to educate them about HIV/AIDS. Georgetown athletes serve as “student-athlete” role models, and use sports and games to foster an environment of health and education. GU Habitat for Humanity: Like the national organization, Georgetown’s version of habitat focuses on building homes for those in need. Prison Outreach: Students are paired oneon-one with inmates at Arlington and Alexandria, Va. prison facilities. The program not only tutors, but also enhances inmates written and communication skills.
Sursum Corda: Offered as an English class, the Sursum Corda-Georgetown University Tutoring Program is the oldest program in the country that matches an urban community with an American university. Students are paired to work one-onone with children ages 6-13 and meet with them twice a week to work on reading and writing.
Alternative Spring Break Trips: Each year, many groups of Georgetown students opt out of the pilgrimage to Cancun for a trip centered on community service. Destinations range from New Orleans, where students help with ongoing Hurricane Katrina relief, to the Mexican border, to Mobile, Ala. to Appalachia.
