The University of Georgia has partnered with the CCSD to expand an after-school academic tutoring and sports mentoring program designed to advance middle school students’ success in the classroom and on the athletic field.

Building on the success of a pilot program conducted last spring with 45 students at Hilsman Middle School, UGA President Jere W. Morehead has provided funding to continue the program at Hilsman and extend it to Clarke Middle School this school year.

After six weeks of instruction, UGA students travel to schools twice a week to provide an hour of academic tutoring and an hour of athletic skills training. The program connects one UGA student to one or two middle school students to foster a mentoring relationship.

CCSD teachers and coaches noted that the pilot program last spring helped to improve the participants’ homework completion and grades, improve students’ conduct, and increased attendance both during the school day and in after-school sports programming. To maximize the program’s impact, CCSD has identified sports programs that will most benefit from this partnership.

Read the full article from UGA's news service on the expansion here.