Phone:
(617) 428-0990, 1-(800) 981-5535
Hours of operation (or meeting times & dates):
School year: Monday-Thursday and Saturday, 1-8PM Summer: hours TBD, call (617) 265-7170x305 for more information.
Mission:
Since 1981, the Boston Learning Center has been committed to promoting academic excellence for urban students. We believe that our youth are an invaluable asset for social change and community empowerment, particularly within low-income urban neighborhoods. We understand that many under-performing students are dynamic individuals with untapped potential who are natural leaders among their peers. By enabling all students to realize their full potential in school and in life, we can empower them as agents of change who can transform schools and entire communities.
89 South Street
Boston,
MA
02111
United States
How to get involved/application guidelines and procedures:
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Tutoring and Test Prep: Register online here or call Program Coordinator Peter Terry at (617) 265-7170 ext. 302.
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BIFF Project: Contact BIFF Project Director Gary Bracey at (617) 265-7170 ext. 375.
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Girls Connection: Register online here or call Caroline at 617-265-7170.
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S.A.L.S.A.: Call Lesley at 617-265-7170 ext 306.
Key Programs Offered:
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Tutoring and Test Prep
Private One-On-One Tutoring and Test Prep takes place at our main facility at 208 Ashmont Street. We also offer in-home private tutoring and in-home test preparation in cities throughout Massachusetts, including Boston, Springfield, Cambridge, Chelsea, Chicopee, Fall River, Gardner, Haverill, Holyoke, Lowell, Lynn, Quincy, Malden, New Bedford, Randolph, and more. Tutoring is available to students in kindergarten through the 12th grade. We offer more than fourteen different subjects in areas including Language Arts, Math, Science, and Foreign Languages. In-School and After-School Tutorial Programs have been developed with various public, private, parochial, and charter schools as well as community centers in and around Boston. Talk with your school Principal or community center Director about developing a Boston Learning Center tutorial program.
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BIFF (Building Inspiration to Fight Failure) Project
BIFF is an innovative after-school program that begins with 12 intensive lessons delivered over a nine-week period. Like the 12 Step Program used in drug rehabilitation, the 12 lessons presented in the BIFF core curriculum bring kids to a crossroad where they can see two paths very clearly. One path – the path they are on – leads to failure and mediocrity. The other path – the BIFF path – leads to excellence and prosperity. It is an easy choice and 80% of the students who finish BIFF choose the path of success. The lessons taught in the curriculum help students boost their skills in the following areas: Listening, Reading Speed, Study Skills, Concentration, Memory, Organization, Attention Span, Speaking, Test-Taking, Motivation, Confidence, and Multi-Model Learning. Once a student completes all 12 lessons in the BIFF core curriculum, he/she is initiated into the BIFF alumni club and is eligible to attend monthly follow-up meetings and participate in the incentives program designed to reward high academic achievement.
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Girls Connection
The Girls Connection Program is a collaboration between the Boston Learning Center and Madison Park Community Center in Roxbury. The program, which is designed for middle and high school students in grades 6 thru 12, includes both a summer component and an after-school component during the school year. The overall goal of the Girls Connection Program is to create a high quality, year-round program for teenage girls which offers comprehensive services and a variety of supports to enable participants to realize success in school and in life. Activities include tutoring/homework help, dance, double dutch, spoken word poetry, step, and entrepreneurship.
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S.A.L.S.A.
S.A.L.S.A. (Students Advocating Life without Substance Abuse) is a program in which high school students act as positive role models for younger students in the community by promoting healthy drug-free lifestyles. The members visit schools and other communities where youth gather across the Boston area and put on informative presentations about the dangers of drugs and alcohol while reassuring the younger crowd that you can still be cool if you say “No.” The presentations foster an open forum for discourse about all issues younger youth might have for the high school leaders. S.A.L.S.A. has a paid summer term as well as a school year term. The program begins with an intensive training period where youth develop original skits and prepare their future presentations. During this time, S.A.L.S.A. leaders develop leadership and presentation skills while looking forward to serving their community. Additionally, S.A.L.S.A. leaders learn entrepreneurial skills by essentially running the program with adult supervision.
Also (or Previously) Known As...:
