Nature and Purpose
Boston Excels is a uniquely successful and comprehensive full service school collaboration between the Home for Little Wanders (formally Boston Children's Services),and four needy inner city Boston elementary schools. The goal of Boston Excels is to help children succeed in school by helping schools become centers for the development of children and families. At each of the Excel schools, there are two full time Excel staff, a coordinator and a senior social worker. The Excel coordinator oversees parent outreach efforts, after and before school programming, a mentor/tutor program, a school based mental health program, family literacy programs, and school/community collaborations.  PULSE students would join Boston Excels in its mission of helping schools actualize the belief that all children can learn by becoming part of the mentor/tutor classroom assisted program.   In Greek mythology, Mentor was a faithful friend of Odysseus. In Odysseus's absence on governmental expeditions, Mentor became the guardian and tutor of Odysseus's son Telemachus and was a trusted and wise advisor to him over a long period of time. PULSE mentors will become faithful friends to several children, while assisting Boston teachers in their need to individualize the teaching and learning opportunities in their classrooms.

Tasks
This is a unique opportunity for PULSE students to understand inner city schools and the experiences of the low income, mainly minority children who attend those schools, and to gain exposure to key educational issues of the day, including bilingual and special education. We want to maximize that experience for each PULSE student by personalizing their internship.  All internships will include some individual mentoring and academic tutoring, and will occur at school during the school day. Beyond that, PULSE students will be offered a lot of choices. They can work with children ranging in age from 5 to 12, individually or in classrooms. They can work in Spanish classrooms, in special education classrooms, in computer labs or art rooms. They can plan and lead activities during lunch times or in school-based before or afterschool programs. They can provide English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction to children, work with parents in our ESL/Family literacy programs, or help families connect with resources through each schools Family Center.

Time Requirements
PULSE students will work 10-12 hours a week, spread over two or three days, in a consistent schedule that has been worked out with their supervisors. They must have week day time available, during school or after-school program hours (8 am-5 pm), and make a serious commitment to be at their assigned school for the full academic year. 

Supervision
The Project Excel Coordinator at each school will be the on-site supervisor for PULSE students. For the first month, PULSE students will meet for an hour each week with the coordinator. After that, they will have a formal supervision meeting every other week, although their supervisors will be available to them on a daily basis should they need support or advice.  Occassional group supervision meetings may occur at Boston College in the evening.

Supervisor
Anne Greenbaum, Director Boston Excels

Address
Home for Little Wanderers
271 Huntington Ave.
Boston, MA 02115
Tel.: (617) 927-0695
Fax: (617) 267-8142
www.thehome.org

Council Member:   Adam Koneman