>>> CHICAGO STUDENTS ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO MAKE UP FOR COVID-ERA LEARNING LOSSES, AND A LOCAL TUTORING ORGANIZATION IS TRYING TO HELP THEM CLOSE THAT GAP.

WITH DEMAND HIGHER THAN EVER BEFORE, THE NEARLY 60-YEAR-OLD NONPROFIT SAYS IT NEEDS MANY MORE VOLUNTEERS TO STEP UP AND WORK WITH STUDENTS IN NEED.

"CHICAGO TONIGHT"'S NICK BLUMBERG JOINS US NOW.

TELL US ABOUT THIS GROUP'S WORK.

>> PARIS, AS YOU MENTIONED, TUTORING CHICAGO IS A LONG-RUNNING ORGANIZATION.

IT BEGAN WHEN MONTGOMERY WARD EMPLOYEES STARTED TUTORING STUDENTS IN CABRINI GREEN.

NOW THEY WORK AROUND THE CITY.

THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THE ORGANIZATION TUTORS HAS QUADRUPLED OVER THE LAST DECADE, AND THE PANDEMIC HAS ONLY MADE THE NEED MORE DIRE.

>> THE READING IS STILL BEHIND.

THEIR MATH IS STILL BEHIND, WHICH ACTUALLY ALSO IMPACTS THEIR CONFIDENCE.

SO WE'RE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE CUSTOMIZED LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR THEM.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE DEMAND IS VERY HIGH.

WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS MORE FEW OR THES.

THE MORE TUTORS THAT WE GET, THE MORE IMPACT THAT WE CAN MAKE ON THE STUDENTS.

>> THEY SAY DEMAND IS VERY HIGH, HOW VERY HIGH?

>> THE GROUP'S BEEN WORKING WITH MORE THAN 1,100 STUDENTS IN GRADES ONE THROUGH TEN, MOSTLY CPS, BUT SOME CHARTER AND CATHOLIC SCHOOL ATTENDEES AS WELL.

THEY'RE EXPECTING RECORD ENROLLMENT THIS YEAR, TOPPING PREVIOUS NUMBERS, AND THEY'RE OPENING A NEW LOCATION ON THE SOUTH SIDE TO JOIN THEIR NORTH AND WEST SIDE LOCATIONS, AS WELL AS EXPANDING THEIR DIGITAL OFFERINGS.

>> THE ONE TO ONE TUTORING IS REALLY LIKE A CUSTOMIZED LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR THE STUDENT, AND IT'S ALSO LIKE A MENTORSHIP.

SOME OF OUR TUTORS STAY WITH THE SAME STUDENT FOR THREE TO FIVE YEARS.

THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM AND ARE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE A BIGGER IMPACT FOR THEM.

>> SO WHAT ARE STUDENTS PROVIDED HERE?

>> THEY GET 90 MINUTES OF FREE ONE TO ONE TUTORING EVERY WEEK.

FAMILIES WHO NEED IT ALSO GET A CHROMEBOOK AND TECH HELP.

AS FOR THE TUTORS, THEY GET TRAINING AND A CUSTOMIZED LESSON PLAN.

MERRICK IS TRAINING A STUDENT HERSELF THIS YEAR AND SAYS WHILE IT FELT A LITTLE DAUNTING, THE GROUP MAKES IT EASY FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT EXPERIENCE TO HELP A STUDENT.

I ALSO SPOKE WITH GILL FITZGERALD, A RETURNING TUTOR, HE SAYS HE WAS APPREHENSIVE TOO BUT THE EXPERIENCE WAS WORTH IT.

HE WAS IN THIRD GRADE READING AT A FIRST GRADE LEVEL, SO THEY FOCUSED ON SIGHT WORDS, WORDS YOU CAN'T JUST SOUND OUT BUT HAVE TO MEMORIZE.

>> WE WORKED REALLY HARD EVERY SINGLE WEEK, AND THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES.

YOU'VE GOT TO PUT IN YOUR BEST EFFORT.

YOU COULD SEE IT IN HIS CONFIDENCE.

EVEN HIS MOM GAVE ME A NOTE AT THE END OF THE YEAR SAYING HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT WE MADE.

SO IT WAS TERRIFIC.

IT FELT GREAT.

AND I CAN'T WAIT TO DO IT AGAIN THIS YEAR.

>> FITZGERALD SAYS THE STUDENT HE TUTORS IS NOW READING PROFICIENTLY AT HIS GRADE LEVEL.

>> I HAD TUTORS FOR MULTIPLE DIFFERENT SUBJECTS FROM, I WOULD SAY, FIRST GLADE UP THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.

AND IT MADE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON ME ACADEMICALLY, HELPED MY CONFIDENCE.

I KNOW A LOT OF STUDENTS OUT THERE DON'T HAVE THOSE SAME TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES.

SO DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE AMOUNT OF IMPACT ONE PERSON CAN HAVE.

YOU CAN CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY ON A STUDENT 'S LIFE.

>> ACCORDING TO A TUTORING CHICAGO SURVEY, MORE THAN 90% OF THE TEACHERS WHO WORK WITH STUDENTS WHO GO THROUGH THIS TUTORING PROGRAM REPORTED IMPROVEMENTS IN READING AND