Mentoring agency has eye on Arlington Hts. Teen Center

You might call Philip Herman opportunistic. In a good cause, of course.

Herman is founder and executive director of an organization that provides mentoring and tutoring for students from District 214 high schools and some middle schools.

The Greater Wheeling Area Youth Outreach, Inc. has moved into two spaces hit hard by the economic crisis, and he has an eye on a third.

GWAYO opened Hidden Treasures resale shop and a service center last fall in half of the old Irv's Men's Store, "inconveniently located" at Palatine Road and Milwaukee Avenue in Prospect Heights.

The 9-year-old group, founded and directed by Herman, also opened a center in March at East Park Apartments, 2262 Algonquin Parkway, where Rolling Meadows gave up its Police Neighborhood Resource Center because of the city's financial difficulties.

GWAYO now has a proposal to do programming at the Arlington Heights Teen Center, which is scheduled to close this weekend because the Village Board decided it could not continue funding.

The organization is seeking customers for the thrift shop, more funding for the Rolling Meadows site and volunteers for both the shop and working with students.

Herman's mission is to help teens whose families have economic issues or who are in special education, get ready for college.

"Guidance counselors or social workers refer students who have potential and may not realize that potential unless they are in a structured program like this," he said.

GWAYO depends on donations of time, money and things to sell in the shop and works with about 60 students a year on an annual budget of about $400,000. Half the money comes from government, including the U.S. Department of Labor, while the other half is private donations from individuals, corporations and United Way.

Students like Kane Longsworth, 16, a sophomore at Wheeling High School, are required to sign up for the programs at Prospect Heights or Rolling Meadows and to attend three days a week. They get a ride to the center where they get help with their homework and academic skills, then have time for recreation. Help applying to college and for financial aid is also available.

"Most of the time I don't usually do my homework at home," said Kane Longsworth. "I get distracted easily."

Trisha Dean, assistant principal for student services at Buffalo Grove High School, called GWAYO a "fabulous program.

"It's definitely for kids who are committed to follow through," she said. "They don't want them dropping in here and there."

Herman would like to offer a similar program in Arlington Heights. In addition, on a few days each week GWAYO would operate a drop-in center, similar to what is available there now except youngsters would be charged a fee.

Arlington Heights Village Manager Bill Dixon said a second organization he would not name also has a proposal in front of the village for the Teen Center. He said the staff has been instructed to work with the Arlington Heights Youth Commission and is not ready to make a recommendation to the village board.

"First we have to decide what we want there," said Dixon.

The Youth Commission recently gave support to continuing the drop-in model at the Teen Center, said Kathy Scortino, co-chairwoman. She expects village staff will codify its vision, and solicit proposals from agencies.

Herman spent 10 years trying to help suburban youngsters who were attracted to gangs.

"The success rate was so small. They were always in crisis mode," he said. "I thought 'We've got to figure out why they are making these choices. The gang is the last choice."

Research shows that success comes with "somebody on a consistent basis in their life that shows 'I believe in you; I care about you and there's a better place,'" said Herman.

Low-income students often live in overcrowded homes where the television is blaring and people are in and out and there's no computer to work with, he said. Children in poverty have a 10 percent chance of finishing college.

Starting with GWAYO students who graduated from high school in 2001, 11 have earned bachelor's degrees with more receiving degrees next month.

Eighty-eight percent of students who have graduated from the program are either in postsecondary school or have graduated, said Herman.

Ninety percent of the kids who start the program stay, he added.