Catholic charity helping students learn school subjects By BECKY WRIGHT Standard-Examiner staff OGDEN — Trinity Duran needed help to improve her grades. "I was struggling on my math and language," said the 10-year-old from Ogden. So her mother started taking her to Give Me a Chance. That was two years ago, and Duran says her last report card is proof that it's working. "I had three As, and one B," she said. Give Me a Chance is a Catholic charity administered by the Daughters of Charity, an order of sisters whose mission is to serve the poor. The main mission of the seven nuns based in Layton is to teach low-income women marketable skills, to help them become self-sufficient. One of the most visible projects of Give Me a Chance, founded in Weber County in 2010, is DeMarillac Formal Attire. Women in the program are taught sewing and business skills, and they create formal wear to sell in a shop at 2620 Washington Blvd. Heidi Moncrief Portz, an adjunct math instructor at Weber State University, was helping out with the program and noticed that many of the women brought their children with them. "So I got the idea for running a program for kids," she said. She started with a summer program two years ago, and last year began an after-school program called the Children's Enhancement Academy. This year, the program expanded from two days a week to four days a week. "We have two separate groups," said Portz. "Children in kindergarten through third grade come on Mondays and Wednesdays. The other one, Tuesdays and Thurs days, is for students in fourth through sixth grades." A math tutoring program for junior high and high school students is in the works. The Children's Enhancement Academy, in the Give Me a Chance headquarters at 2913 Grant Ave., in Ogden, is open to all students at no charge. "By our own choosing, it's not a fun and games kind of thing — we want to push academics," Portz said. "We feel if kids get their homework done, they have a sense of success, and like school more." Of course, to keep kids wanting to attend, there are fun activities. Outdoors, students can play tug of war or jump rope. The program also has equipment for soccer and volleyball. Portz said she wanted to include volleyball because it's a team sport girls can try out for in secondary school. The large building has indoor space where kids can play ping- pong or foosball, but most enrichment activities focus on science, art and music. Next week, Portz said, students will learn to make butter and corn- bread for Thanksgiving. During study time, volunteers work with small groups of children in various rooms of the building. "They actually tutor you," said Duran. "You do your homework, and when you have a problem, you raise your hand and they'll help you answer the problem. They'll have you get a paper, or go on the white board, and you'll write the problem down and you'll try to figure it out. If the teacher thinks it's wrong, she'll help you do it, and she'll have you practice that kind of problem." The tutors are volunteers. Two are Daughters of Charity sisters who used to teach school, and a couple of others are community members. Most of the tutors are students from Weber State or the University of Utah. Portz said more volunteers are needed, and they have to pass background checks. Landon Barlow, a WSU sociology major, helped students learn about parallel and perpendicular lines on Tuesday. He later took the kids outdoors for a break, where they learned to play badminton. "I wanted to make a difference for the community, and I feel like this is a good place to start," he said of his volunteer work. "The kids are great... and you can see directly the impact you have as you come and help them with their schoolwork, and as you talk to them. It's a really great experience." Other WSU students helping with the after school program include nursing student Kassadi Beckstead. She said the program encourages kids to focus on academics without distractions such as TV, but it has a relaxed feel. "They get their homework done, and they all get to know each other and they all have fun," she said. Participant Sophia Wheelton agrees. "I've been coming here for two years — it's really fun to come here, and I like it," she said. "The best thing about coming here is being able to finish your homework, and then go do something fun." The after-school program will take a break over the winter holidays, and start again on Jan. 5. Enrollment is open now, and Portz is hoping to sign up 20 more children. For more information call 801- 627-2235, or 801-791-5667. Contact reporter Becky Wright at 801-625-4274 or bwright@stan- dard.net. Follow her on Twitter at ©Reporter BWright.