Like the phoenix of Greek legend, the Village Learning Place of Charles Village rose from its own virtual ashes in 1997 and has since helped more than 15,000 low-income residents soar above their circumstances.
“The neighborhood … had a unique take on losing their community library,” Liesje Gantert, executive director of Village Learning Place, recalled of the contested closing of the local branch library. “So we protested: We had [mock] funeral marches, and we sued the city.
“We didn?t succeed in keeping it open as part of the library system,” Gantert added, “but we did get a 15-year lease for a dollar a year from the city, and we incorporated the Village Learning Place as a nonprofit.”
And now, the 19th-century Victorian former library building continues as a 17,000-volume, community-run affair and exposes about 2,300 mostly low-income residents a year to a variety of adult and children?s educational programs. “We?re a community-based learning center,” Gantert said, “that offers a variety of free educational programs and services … for all ages and covering a spectrum of subjects.”
Its summer children?s program, which runs 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. five days a week, is heavy in math and reading in the morning, but in the afternoon treats its students to such enrichment subjects as urban gardening, art and literature.
Adult programs include computer literacy, astronomy, Spanish and literary seminars.
The winter program for children in kindergarten to fifth grade provides a snack, homework help, an hour of math or reading remediation, and a period of art, computer instruction, recreation or nutrition discussion for 55 students.
“At the time, I [had] three children who went there,” Baltimore resident Wanda Parks said. “They had great tutoring and other kinds of sessions there that were really helpful. … Through their program and another tutor … [one child] has been a straight-A student ever since.”
The $412,000-per-year Village Learning Place has a paid full- and part-time staff of 11, and a volunteer cadre of 35 to 45 who help with instruction, library operation and grounds upkeep.
“We think we?re doing fantastic,” Gantert said. “We do parent and student surveys. We also test the children at program start and end, and on average, we see demonstrated growth.”
More information
» Village Learning Place
2521 St. Paul St., Baltimore
410-235-2210
villagelearningplace.org
