Grant From USA Funds Helps Indianapolis Students Receive Tutoring and Mentoring

The Indianapolis Police Athletic League is working to make a difference in the lives of inner-city youth in Indianapolis, and USA Funds^® is assisting in that effort.

Volunteers from PAL's Indianapolis chapter interact with local youth, focusing on character through academic development, arts and culture, and physical activities. USA Funds recently awarded a $50,000 grant to support the Indianapolis PAL tutoring and mentoring program. USA Funds has supported the organization since 2003.

Through PAL’s tutoring and mentoring program, 250-300 students per semester receive assistance. Teachers and administration from Indianapolis Public Schools select the participants. In each of two sessions conducted weekly, students meet for two-to-three hours after school.

The goal of the tutoring and mentoring is to improve students’ educational performance, and to motivate them to stay in school and create a plan of action to attend postsecondary schools that will assist them in becoming more-productive citizens.

Indianapolis PAL also offers sports programs to provide youth with another constructive outlet. They currently offer boxing, baseball, volleyball and cheerleading.

Indianapolis PAL programs also help the students to network with other kids at school, become more confident in themselves, and form positive relationships with the officers of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police.

“These kids often see the officers when the officers are called to duty in their neighborhoods,” says Shane Harley, director of fund-raising, Indianapolis PAL. “We want to show the kids that these officers really do care and want to help them be safe and succeed. Through the PAL programs, the officers form positive relationship with youth and encourage them to stay in school and make positive choices in their lives.”

As a part of the tutoring and mentoring program, police officers also present USA Funds Unlock the Future^® to students. USA Funds Unlock the Future provides students with more-complete information about the value of education following high school, the range of education options available to them and the wide availability of financial aid.

Harley says the police officers are realizing their goal of making a difference in the lives of youth in inner-city Indianapolis.

"There is an epidemic of drugs and poverty in some of the areas where we work. Our officers encourage the youth to break this cycle of drugs and poverty and to be more successful in school and plan for their future," says Harley. "Sometimes an officer is the first person to believe in a student, and then to see that student become excited about school or sports and plan for the future —  it really grabs the hearts of these officers," says Harley.