The KYC MERITS Program expands on an informal, after-school homework assistance program that was initiated in response to requests from several youth members and parents.  The initial program involved enlisting volunteer mentors from the community to be available at the Youth Center on a semi-regular basis to assist individual youth members in completing their daily homework assignments.  As this program evolved, it became apparent that

the majority of the youth participating in the program require a more formalized tutoring curriculum with primary emphasis on improving Math and English proficiency.  The MERITS Program was developed to address this need by providing structured tutoring sessions facilitated by qualified educational specialists supplemented by appropriate computer-based learning modules.

The MERITS Program consists of three major components: 1) Individualized one-on-one tutoring; 2) Group workshops; and 3) Self-instruction through interactive computer-based learning modules. 

1) Individualized Tutoring – This component of the program will build on the original after-school homework assistance program by offering individualized, one-on-one tutoring focused on providing appropriate assistance with completion of daily homework assignments (with emphasis on Math and English).  

2) Group Workshops – Regularly scheduled group workshops are conducted to provide focused instruction and practical exercises focused on the improvement of Math and/or English proficiency skills: and

3) Computer-based Self Instruction - To supplement individualized tutoring and group workshops and facilitate self-paced learning in specific academic areas, the MERITS Program  also includes a computer-based self instruction component.