In 1994, the City of Claremont, Claremont Unified School District, and many community volunteers created Claremont’s first Youth Master Plan. The most critical need it identified was the lack of after-school, academic-support programs for struggling elementary-school students, particularly those whose families had no access to such programs for financial or other reasons. In response, volunteers from the Pomona Valley Section of the National Council of Negro Women and from St. Ambrose Episcopal Church formed two tutoring programs, which merged in 2005 to become CLASP.

 

CLASP continues to be the only nonprofit, nonsectarian organization in Claremont to offer after-school homework help and enrichment activities to elementary students in the Claremont Unified School District. It serves approximately 70 students each year, offering individualized help to students who have been recommended by their teachers as having a need for this service.

 

Volunteer tutors provide homework help, either online of in person, at neighborhood sites for 90 minutes each day, two days a week. Transportation is provided to some of our centers. Tutors are the backbone of our CLASP programs, serving as mentors and providing a positive relationship that is as important as the academic tutoring.

 

In addition to our volunteer tutors who donate over 10,000 hours of service each year, CLASP has a part-time paid staff that includes a program director, a tutor Coordinator, five site supervisor and several assistants. Over 30 community membesr volunteer on the board of directors and board committees, providing vital administrative and program services.