CHUMS a hit at Hillsboro Elementary
By TAMMY REGIER
One year ago, Mike Fisher a Tabor College sophomore from Ingalls, didn't know if he really wanted to continue pursuing an elementary education major. But that all changed after he became a mentor with the C.H.U.M.S. program at Hillsboro Elementary School.
"I could see the difference I was making in kids; lives and I loved it." said Fisher, who is the current student director of C.H.U.M.S.
C.H.U.M.S. stands for Challenging, Helping, and Understanding kids through MentorShip and is program run by Tabor College students.
Students apply for the 18 paid positions in the fall. The money comes from an anonymous donor who was an at-risk child when he was growing up. The donor helped get the program started in 1996 and continues to donate the money every year.
"He talked to David Brandt and said he would donate the money if Tabor could run a program," Fisher said.
Last semester 20 Tabor students were involved, with two volunteering their time. Most of the Tabor students are education majors, but a few of the students are youth ministry majors and sociology majors.
Each Tabor student is assigned one or two elementary students. The Tabor student will mentor the same student for the entire school year.
Last semester 22 elementary students were chosen by the principal and teachers to in C.H.U.M.S. Students in grades one to five are eligible. Students who need to work on schoolwork or social skills are chosen for the program.,
C.H.U.M.S. meets every Monday. and Thursday from 3:30 to 4:80 p.m. Mondays are spent doing homework, with the mentors tutoring the elementary students. On Thursdays, the first 15 minutes is spent eating snacks. Then everyone plays a game for 15 minutes. The last 30 minutes is spent doing homework.
The elementary students may have a homework assignment they need to work on during the tutorial or they may have certain skills they need to improve, such as spelling or math.
C.H.U.M.S. is not all work and no play. Every month they have a party. Last semester those parties with the elementary included a barbecue in the park with the elementary students' families and bowling. Every year, C.H.U.M.S. also makes a float for the McPherson may Day Parade.
The kids have so much fun interacting with Tabor students that some students ask to be in the program, although they have to be chosen by the principal and teachers.
"There are a lot of kids who aren't in C.H.U.M.S. who want to be," Fisher said.
The vision of C.H.U.M.S. is make "to a difference in the lives of at-risk students." The Tabor students are not just mentors, but also companions, role models, teachers, motivators, and friends to their young chums.
This is the first year that C.H.U.M.S. has continued through the college. In the past years, the Tabor students took a break during January. Fisher said teachers told him that during the break, the elementary students grades had suffered without the extra little help.
The C.H.U.M.S. program is a win-win situation. The Tabor students get experience working with kids and may get credit for experience-based learning, while the elementary students get the extra help they need.
"The teachers tell us all the time how great5 this program is and how grateful they are that we're doing this," fisher said.
