Safeco Foundation Grant Supports WWU Mentoring, Tutoring Efforts

Contact: Angela Harwood, director of Service-Learning, Woodring College of Education, (360) 650-3328 or Angela.Harwood@wwu.edu

BELLINGHAM – The Safeco Insurance Foundation is helping to support mentoring and tutoring efforts by Western Washington University students in Whatcom County schools.

The Safeco Insurance Foundation is providing $30,000 for Western’s Woodring College of Education Youth Outreach Initiative. Through that program, teacher education students provide mentoring and tutoring for low-income and limited English proficiency students through collaborations with K-12 schools and non-profit agencies, including after school support as well as in-class academic support.

“Support from generous corporate donors like Safeco is critical to our ability to provide these valuable outreach services to schools. We greatly appreciate having Safeco join our partnership,” said Angela Harwood, director of Service-Learning for Woodring College.

The four-year-old program is collaboratively planned and implemented through partnerships between Woodring College of Education, 12 elementary, middle and high schools in Whatcom County and four non-profit agencies needing assistance supporting under-served youth. In the past four years 375 Western students have provided up to 7,000 hours of service to more than 900 K-12 students.

Western Washington University’s Woodring College of Education is recognized throughout Washington, and beyond, as a leader in the development and implementation of programs that prepare outstanding teachers, from early childhood to adult education; educational administration leaders; human services professionals; and rehabilitation counselors. For more information please see Woodring College of Education.

The Safeco Insurance Foundation launched its first education initiative in 2009 with a goal of improving the educational achievements and opportunities for disadvantaged youth in Washington and Oregon. For more information, please see Safeco Insurance Foundation.