Video: Two Doors keeps on helping kids

Imagine a kid walking through the front door after school, wound up, wanting to play and not in the mood - at least not yet - for homework. Multiply that by a dozen or so and you have an afternoon at Two Doors Community Resource Center.

The Dewey Avenue agency is an after-school enrichment program - part tutoring, part mentoring - for kids ages 7 to 11 from nearby Longridge Elementary. The students burst into the former home-turned-kids' center, sign in and plop down their backpacks. Some hug the volunteers who greet them. Others anxiously look to see who gets the first turn on the list of activities.

Then, volunteers and kids gather in a circle to chat. Volunteer Al Adaskin of Greece asks if they'd like to play in the snow. The kids launch into tales of memorable snowball fights. Before they break away, they do a math routine.

"Jessica, will you start us off with a multiplication table? Pick any number you like," Adaskin asks Jessica Debuyser, 9.

Rahel Gebrezghier, 9, jokingly suggests the number one. The kids go along with it and then pick other numbers. As the digits go up, so does the volume.

Then it's time for a snack of apples, animal crackers and juice. Only when they're chomping away do the kids get quiet for a few minutes. They sit in small groups scattered around the house. A volunteer sits with them. They talk about their day, what they want to do for the afternoon and the homework they have to tackle by tomorrow.

Indeed, relationship building is the most important part of working with the kids, said director Wayne Spitz. Only after that bond is built can help with homework and other issues follow. Years from now, Spitz said, the kids likely won't remember solving a math problem. Instead, he says, "they're going to remember that time they spent with you ... .It's really about relationships more than anything."

That relationship building was threatened last year when Two Doors found itself in a financial hole. Not enough visibility, and not reaching out enough, Spitz said, put the 14-year program on the verge of closing. But a fundraising campaign came to the rescue.

"A lot of people came through for us last year," Spitz said. He credits area churches, state grants and individual donations. The program gets no funding from Greece Central and relies solely on donations. The building is provided for free by the adjacent Bethany Presbyterian Church. Two Doors pays insurance and utilities. Operating expenses are $54,762.

Two Doors has many volunteers. Some, like Molly Hood and Kathy Wurzer, are retired teachers. Others, like Skye Bierton, are college students. Still others, like Adaskin, are retirees looking for a way to help kids. He recalls being thanked by one of the kids after helping out with homework.

src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eViDH2N4A-srel=1" width="425" height="355" scale="ShowAll" loop="loop" menu="menu" wmode="transparent" quality="1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed> Listening as much as possible is key, he said. "A lot of them need a grandparent." The program is "more than academics," Wurzer said. There's a focus on respect and values, she said. In turn, the kids learn they have value, she said. Hood recalls helping one boy write about the state government. "And he said, 'That's the biggest paragraph I've ever written in my life!'" Students are referred to the program by teachers and counselors. They are bused over after school and get picked up by parents by 6 p.m. The center has occasional family nights for parents to pick up computer tips themselves and learn about community resources. Two Doors is set up like a home. The former living room has a fireplace surrounded by built-in bookshelves filled with reading material. There's a large aquarium nearby. The kitchen has handmade drawings, a school calendar and snapshots. There are quiet areas upstairs for computer time and homework. That's the best part for Alex Zambuto, 10. "I get all my homework done," he said. Homework is at the top of the list for many of the kids. "I like playing with my friends, making them laugh and doing homework with the volunteers," said Allyson Graham, 9. Ramatoulaye Kante, 9, said she likes "a lot of things" about Two Doors. "Having snack, going outside, doing my homework and hugging Mr. Spitz," she said. Rahwa Gebrezghier, 9, enjoys spending time with her friends and the volunteers, too, she said. The feeling is mutual for the volunteers. "It's pretty amazing," Hood said. "You feel like you're really contributing to a worthwhile cause." Spitz hopes to expand the program into the summer in the future. For now this year has a special focus on nutrition, Spitz said, with an expert coming in to talk about healthy eating choices and fitness. Through a grant with the Rochester Museum & Science Center, Spitz and some volunteers have attended training on science activities. The group also takes field trips to area museums and events. The community has been noticing Two Doors' work. It received the Marguerite Hare Browne Service to Education Award this year. To contribute, make checks payable to Two Doors Community Resource Center, 2984 Dewey Ave., Rochester, NY 14616. To volunteer, call (585) 663-1720. <em>Colleen M. Farrell can be reached at (585) 394-0770, Ext. 265, or at cfarrell@mpnewspapers.com.