New England Program Setting the Pace: BELL

BELL was founded in 1992 by a group of Black and Latino students at Harvard Law School, led by Earl Martin Phalen and Andrew L. Carter under the direction of Professor Charles J. Ogletree. The students began a small tutoring program at the Agassiz School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where most children could not read, write, or do math at grade-level proficiency. Since that time, every member of BELL's first class of students “ known as "scholars"“ has enrolled in or graduated from college, compared to only 30 percent of their peers.

BELL offers after-school and summer programs that feature small-group tutoring in literacy and math; mentoring from adult role models to foster self-respect and social skills; experiential learning through field trips, guest speakers and community service; support for parents to more deeply engage in their children's education; and rigorous evaluation to ensure continual improvement and success for children.

BELL After School meets for 2.5 hours per day at school-based sites. Scholars receive a nutritious snack each day before certified teachers and highly-trained university students deliver an hour of literacy tutoring to scholars in small groups. BELL uses a skills-based, multi-cultural curriculum to help scholars learn core reading and writing skills. Following literacy activities is 40 minutes of homework help, with an emphasis on math. Scholar-choice enrichment completes the day, and includes activities such as art, drama, dance, and physical education. Special activities such as guest speakers and cultural presentations contribute to scholars' healthy social development.

The BELL After School program is designed to boost children's academic and social achievements in a safe and supportive environment. In each of the last five years, every child who entered BELL at the "failing" level advanced to a higher performance category by the end of the program. In 2005, more than 80 percent achieved "proficient" or "advanced" levels in core skills.

BELL currently educates more than 8,000 scholars in 40 public school sites throughout Boston, New York City, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. More than 1,000 teachers and tutors work with scholars after-school and during the summer months. For more information about BELL, please visit www.bellnational.org.

New England After 3 PM
A Publication by the Afterschool Alliance
and the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, May 2006