School Mentoring Program Recognizes Greenlee

Tyrone Greenlee, TIPS Mentor, Asheville City Schools. Photo: Urban News

From staff reports

Tyrone Greenlee is one of 10 academic coaches working with AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) students to close the achievement gap, particularly with minorities and future first-generation college students.

For the past two years, Greenlee has mentored Asheville Middle School students one morning each week while he works full-time as the director of Christians for a United Community, and part-time as an administrator at New Mount Olive Baptist Church.

Academic coaching is a hybrid of mentoring and tutoring, helping
provide both life skills and academic knowledge. The AVID program
requires a commitment of one hour each week throughout the school year,
and coaches can determine whether to meet students before or after
school hours.

Greenlee works his volunteering into his schedule by mentoring
at 8:30 in the morning, at the start of the school day. He learns about
his student’s life and helps him with reading skills. “The AVID program
stresses shepherding them, getting to know both their academic and
social issues,” he says.

He says there’s an element of joy in being an academic coach:
“The young man I’m working with is wonderful — he’s 12 going on 30!
There’s joy in being around that kind of spontaneous energy that
children have, and being a small part in helping that child reach his
potential.”

A native of Asheville, Greenlee is also on the board of Children
First and works with the youth in his church. “I have a heart for the
struggles of young people, especially at the middle school age,” says
Greenlee. “There are so many young people who don’t have the support
they need and deserve to become successful.”

Fortunately, Greenlee is not alone in mentoring. Other members
of CUC also volunteer with AVID, and Greenlee also mentors and counsels
youth at the Francine Delany New School for Children. But the schools
need more volunteers. The Asheville City School system is seeking 90
academic coaches this year. If you are interested in being a coach or
learning more about the AVID program, please contact Terri Wells,
academic coach coordinator, at (828) 350-6135.

Christians for a United Community is a coalition of Asheville
churches that works to address racism and the disparities caused by
racism in our community.