Two lawyer organizations are teaming to help a school library on Buffalo's West Side. WBFO's Focus on Education Reporter Eileen Buckley has that story.
Buffalo Public School #18 on the West Avenue has one of the highest poverty rates in the district. But Lawyers for Learning is working with to a variety of needs such as tutoring.
“My experience has been absolutely fantastic,” said Kara Eyre, Attorney and Lawyers for Learning Board Member.
The organization pairs a local attorney with a student. They meet once a week for an hour, review homework and talk with teachers and parents about the student's needs.
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“My student that I have had he’s an immigrant from Burma and English is not his first language and so he is in the unique position of being a very, very bright and motivated student, but doesn’t speak English in the home and has issues when it comes to reading comprehension and things of that sort, so what we try to do is work with him to help him to provide so gap filling for those types of skills,” explained Eyre.
Right now, School 18's library lacks resources.
“Particularly books and a librarian is not even on staff all the time,” said Elise Cassar, Attorney and Board of Director with the Western New York Chapter of the Women's Bar Association of New York State.
The organization is helping to collect books for the school with Lawyers for Learning.
“One of the mainstays of education is reading, literature and a good foundation for graduation and continued success throughout careers,” noted Cassar.
Lawyers for Learning has other local partnerships where it works to send students to summer camp tuition free.
Jennifer Scharf, president of the WBASNY, explained they work on other events with Lawyers for Learning.
"We collaborate with Lawyers for Learning on as many events as we can. Their next event is a bowling tournament,” said Scharf.
Both organizations believe it’s imperative to reach out and collaborate with city school student that need a boost.
Cassar notes they want to be a part of a successful school district.
“And to help in the comeback of Buffalo is to really have successful public school sand successful graduates form public schools,” Cassar said.