Manufacturing minds

SHORELINE — Learning English as a non-native speaker can be difficult, but with the help of Homework Factory, success stories are often mass produced.

A sixth-grade boy read weekly for 30 minutes with an adult tutor at Homework Factory. He advanced from a third-grade to fifth-grade reading level during the course of the school year.

Without the determination of Shoreline resident Virginia Bennett, Homework Factory at Ballinger Homes and its classes and programs might not have been in place to assist the student and many others in similar circumstances.

What began with Bennett volunteering at an elementary school 11 years ago has grown into a community-wide effort to support and educate families living at Ballinger Homes.

The program has been so successful, it attracted interest from U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Bainbridge, who visited with the children March 30.

Small beginnings

Bennett began working with students at Brookside Elementary, in Lake Forest Park, in the spring of 1994. Many of the students she spent time with were learning English and lived at Ballinger Homes. Bennett saw a need.

With the help of then-principal Rick Stendara, Bennett was able to start Homework Factory, an after-school program for children to gather and receive help with homework from volunteer tutors.

“I just fell in love with the children,” Bennett said.

The program grew to include citizenship classes, job training and English conversation practice time for adults and summer reading and math programs, service clubs and recreational programs for children, among others.

With the remodel of Ballinger Homes complete this winter, Homework Factory now has the use of Ballinger Homes’ family center, which houses a kitchen, four computers, Homework Factory’s library, games and art supplies.

The Center for Human Services, a local non-profit that raises funds and supports families in the Shoreline area, took over Bennett’s responsibilities at Homework Factory in 2002.

Jane Hinton is the program manager for the center and helps to ensure Homework Factory and its programs run smoothly.

“Our goal is to provide a safe place for (children) to be after school,” Hinton said.

For Bennett, her service has always been about the children. Although she is no longer running Homework Factory, the children’s future is very important to her.

Bennett was honored with the Crystal Apple Award from the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation March 31 for her service.

“(The award) was developed to recognize people who’d given above-the-call-of-duty service to Shoreline schools,” said Geneva Norton, vice-president of the foundation.

“(Bennett) just perfectly exemplified what we were looking for,” she said.

Whenever Bennett saw a need for an additional service at Ballinger Homes, she found a way to make it happen, said Marsha Premel, area manager for King County Housing Authority, which runs Ballinger Homes.

“Everything that we have here stemmed from the Homework Factory,” Premel said.

A community-driven program

Although Bennett was the catalyst behind Homework Factory, she is the first to say she could not have done it without help.

“This award is so not about me,” Bennett said in her speech at the Shoreline Foundation’s fund-raising breakfast March 31.

“Our volunteers do about 300 hours of service a month,” Hinton said.

Homework Factory has one full-time staff member, two part-time staff members who each work less than 10 hours per week, two interns and a full-time AmeriCorps volunteer, Hinton said.

The rest is up to community members who volunteer as tutors on a regular basis, she said.

Don Swisher began volunteering at Homework Factory in 1999, but his wife was involved even before then, he said.

Swisher enjoys working with the children and watching them grow.

“I think the enthusiasm of these kids is amazing,” Swisher said. “It’s infectious.”

Community groups and organizations provide much-needed support as well, Hinton said. King County Housing Authority provides the location and some funding, the city of Shoreline supports with funding and programming through its parks, recreation and cultural services department and the Shoreline School District has awarded grants and supplies throughout the years.

Many other organizations have also offered support, including Shoreline Community College, Washington Alliance for Better Schools, United Way and Rotary clubs of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park.

These groups are integral in the success of Homework Factory and the students, Hinton said.

Rep. Inslee visits

After hearing about Homework Factory, U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee decided to stop by and see for himself on March 30.

Inslee turned his visit into an educational session for all the children who were present, explaining how the government works and encouraging them to become involved.

While drawing pictures on the white board, Inslee asked the students questions about the government and elections.

Then, he held an impromptu election — for the “junior president” of the United States. Three candidates were selected, and each one gave a speech about what they would do if elected.

Eleven-year-old Fatima Wardak was the winner, after promising to add chocolate cake to the food pyramid.

“I will make homework illegal in the public schools!” Wardak announced to the joy of her peers.

Wardak, a Brookside Elementary student, explained she has read about the government and elections.

“I plan, when I get older, to become a lawyer,” Wardak said.

Wardak has lived at Ballinger Homes her entire life and enjoys spending time with friends after school while working on homework.

“It’s a wonderful environment for kids,” Wardak said. “I like the people; they’re really nice.”

Maren Norton, who introduced Bennett at the Shoreline Foundation recognition, has known her since 1997.

Bennett began a program that has provided the children at Ballinger Homes with options that could have been out of their reach, she said.

She likened Homework Factory and the students to a balloon, growing with time.

“She let these kids take shape and fly,” Norton said. “Anything is possible at Ballinger Homes.”