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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Several prominent Kansas City leaders are working to bring a national school mentoring program to the Kansas City public school district.
Organizations and officials such as the Kauffman Foundation, the Kansas City Public Schools and Mayor Sly James said at a rally this week that the City Year AmeriCorps could help the district's struggling students.
The program, which started in Boston in 1988, trains 17- to 24-years-olds to serve as tutors and mentors in return for about $12,500 a year and a chance for college tuition vouchers and scholarships, The Kansas City Star reported (http://bit.ly/1JfaDFK ).
Corey Scholes, director of education for the Kauffman Foundation, said the group's members bring youth and idealism to the difficult task of motivating students while supporting teachers.
"You see someone who's practically your age and he's fighting for your future," Scholes said. "It's magic."
Civic and philanthropic leaders met with City Year officials this week to continue a joint discussion on whether Kansas City can garner enough community support to launch the program.
Kansas City would likely need $3 million to $4 million to secure the first four years of programming, though actual costs could vary, said Christine Morin, City Year's senior vice president for site growth and new site development. City Year has programs in 25 cities, and starting a new program can take one to two years, she said.
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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com
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