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Community Service Programs
- Fresh START, designed to introduce first-year students to volunteer
opportunities, has grown dramatically each year. Held the last day of orientation, seasoned
volunteers lead groups of 10 to 20 students to various agencies throughout the Middletown
area. In 1992, 73 students participated. The number doubled in 1993 to 147 and then
jumped this year to 234.
- Role Model Training. The Office of Community Services provides youth training
emphasizing the significance of role models. Workshops cover mentoring and serving as a
role model. This year, 47 students participated.
- Teach for America-WESLEYAN. In its second year, TFA provides Wesleyan
students with an opportunity to lead an after-school workshop of their own design at an
elementary or junior high school. In 1993, five students led workshops at two elementary
schools. This year, 20 students are involved. The workshops at two local housing projects
have been extended as after-school programs.
- English as a Second Language. The ESL program, created this semester to
provide assistance to local junior high and high schools, involves 24 students. An
additional five students volunteer at a local Baptist church. The dominant language of the
Middletown students is Spanish. Some Japanese and Korean is taught at Middletown High
School.
- Traverse Square. The after-school program, founded and maintained by
Wesleyan students, once again has a high number of volunteers with 73 this semester. The
study hall, run Sunday through Thursday, is facilitated by student volunteers who develop
a different theme each night.
- Maplewood Tutorial. This tutorial at the Maplewood housing complex continues
to grow in its second year. Last semester, five Wesleyan students tutored twice a week.
This semester, the tutorial runs daily with 18 Wesleyan students involved.
- Community Tutorial. The program transports children of color from Long River
Village to the Wesleyan campus to provide tutoring and mentoring in a positive
environment. The program, which runs Monday through Thursday, involves 29 Wesleyan
students who tutor twice a week.
- Long River Village Clean-Up Day. On Saturday Oct. 9, 43 students of color spent
three hours helping to clean the streets, playgrounds, parking lots and common space of the
housing project.
- Middletown Tag Sale: In a joint effort between the Office of Community Services
and Community Action for Greater Middlesex County, a tag sale was held on Sept. 17 on
the south green. Almost $800 was raised.
- Halloween Halls: On Halloween, local children are escorted through dormitories
and fraternity row for trick-or-treating and haunted house events. Seventy-two Wesleyan
students took part this year in this extremely popular annual event.
- Thanksgiving Food Drive. Volunteers stationed around campus collected food for
needy Middletown residents. More than $1,500 worth of food was collected.
- Holiday Cards. Through the sale of holiday cards, money is raised for deserving
programs. Last year $500 was raised for Habitat for Humanity. This year's proceeds will
go to programs for young people in Middletown.
Other Middletown-Area Programs