Bryan Wells
News Reporter

Every week, Mesa State students come to the Riverside Educational Center to lend a helping hand.
Patrick Ebel, the program director, said six work-study students and a number of volunteers from Mesa spend their time tutoring or working as regular staff members at the center. The students help with everything from data entry to tutoring first through 12th graders.
While students at Mesa volunteer in many ways around the Grand Junction community, Ebel is especially grateful for the work-study and volunteer students involved at the center.
“They’re invaluable,” Ebel said. “Without them this program wouldn’t exist.”
About 110 students are currently registered at the center for tutoring. One of the biggest reasons the center is so well attended, even though attendance is optional, is because of the students from Mesa State, Ebel said. Some of the kids even argue over who gets which tutor.
“These kids are here because they want to be,” said Ebel.
Mesa students feel the same way about spending their time at the center. Anakaren Meraz, a junior who is working through prerequisites for the nursing program, is employed at the center through the work-study program. Meraz has been working at the center for two years and says she really enjoys her work there. This year she is working with middle school and high school students.
“I love it,” Meraz said. “The kids and the other staff members are awesome.”
Meraz said the kids she works with are genuinely interested in the tutoring and what the tutors from Mesa can offer. Meraz is constantly asked about the college and what being a college student is like.
“They want to learn and I get a kick out of seeing them improve,” Meraz said. “It’s really worth it.”
Ebel said this year has been the best for the center due to the work-study and volunteer students. But he said that the center would continue to benefit from having more college volunteers.
“We’d love to have more volunteers and this is a great place for college students to not only improve their resumes but to really help out in the community,” Ebel said.
REC was formed in January 2006 when Mary Gonzalez, a former third grade teacher, partnered with Riverside Task Force Inc. in order to offer academic support to children who lived in the Riverside neighborhood of Grand Junction. The program started with 22 children but has now expanded and offers services to children from all over Grand Junction.
Aside from tutoring and classroom assistance, the program also schedules enrichment days. On enrichment days, the center takes students on field trips to the college and other places where they can have non-traditional educational experiences or the center brings in various individuals to present to the students.

bwells@mesastate.edu