L' Arts Academy students ride in high style

BY DR. JOAN G. LABARR
Editor

In a scene reminiscent of the “Richie Rich” comic books of the 1960s, when the school bell rings at Clara Oliver Elementary School, a shiny black limo pulls up and the driver walks out to open the back door.

One by one a group of children walk up to the limo and climb into perch on the leather seats. With their classmates looking on in wonder, the children are whisked off to their destination, the L’ Arts Academy, an afterschool tutoring program at Community UMC in southern Dallas.

The church, born of a merger of the former Lambuth and Crest-Moore-King UMCs, sponsors the three day a week program offering intensive one-on-one tutoring to elementary age children.

The program, inspired by a similar outreach at Lambuth, started in January and has already gained the respect and support of leaders at the school, and one church family is so impressed that mom or dad takes turns driving their son from Mesquite for tutoring in math.

So, where does the limo come  in? The answer reflects the close links in the primarily African American community and commitment to make a difference in the lives of its children. When Community UMC pastor Rev. Jackye Waiters-Lee invited Black and Clark Mortuary owner and CEO Linda Mitchell to a Shalom Community at Camp Wisdom UMC, it opened up conversation about the dream of a high-quality afterschool program and the big stumbling block to its realization.

Community UMC leaders had approached administrators at Clara Oliver School about interest in a high quality afterschool tutoring program and the potential for transformative effects on the children, families and community. The school leaders were interested but said that a requirement would be transportation for the children to and from the school site.

As the Shalom meeting conversation continued, Mitchell asked numerous questions. Finally, she said, “What if I did that?” A very surprised Rev. Waiters-Lee replied, “How much would
it cost?”

The answer came quickly.“This would be from us (Black and Clark) as our outreach. So, the idea of sending a funeral home limo to transport the children was born. “By providing a limo ride, we offer excitement, touch the lives of the participants and let them know they are winners. We can catch them (the children) while they are young and let them know that people other than their
families care about them. It’s an incentive for them to do right and finish school,” Mitchell said.

Once the children were signed up and the requisite permissions obtained, Wheeler invited colleagues to participate, including longtime Black and Clark Managing Funeral Director Emanuel Pruitt and Ermina Sunday. Pruitt often drives the limo and has a line of communication with the pastor.

“Mr. Pruitt tells the pastor if the children cut up in the limo, and the pastor stands at the door and waits for them—and it isn’t pretty,” Rev. Waiters-Lee laughs.

The reality is that the children spill out of the limo excited about what will follow. They enjoy the brightly decorated rooms filled with supplies designed to enhance their learning. After enjoying a snack, it is time to get to work. Volunteers including program coordinator Betty Ervin, Susan Grant, Sam Ferrell, and Charles “Chuck” Lee (the pastor’s spouse) know the children’s needs well and really focus on helping their charges grasp the information. Michele Lee, the church member mom who drives her son from the Mesquite-East Dallas area also pitches in to help.

Sam Ferrell leads a favorite activity after the academics end. It is a military-like drill in which the children march in formation and do calisthenics. After a full afternoon, the driver arrives at 5:00 p.m. to take the children who need transportation back to the school. (Some of the children live across the street from the church and are picked up by a parent.)

Dallas South District Superintendent Rev. Milton Guttierrez, who was present the day the NT UMR editor visited, is one of L’ Arts Academy’s biggest fans.

“The Community UMC seeks to live into its name by being a church for the whole community. This tutorial program with its limo service shows but one aspect of the commitment of the church to get involved in the community by linking school and business with the church so the children can receive muchneeded care in their educational lives,” Rev. Guttierrez says.

Community UMC is located at 4501 S. Marsalis Avenue, Dallas. For more information on the L’ Arts Academy and its other programs, contact the pastor at 214-372-0522.

L’ Arts Academy students and volunteers standing proudly
after an afternoon of tutoring include, from left: Clarence Berry,
Rev. Jackye Waiters-Lee, Aava Moore, R.D. Roung III (Trey),
Xaria Moore, Carols People, Cedric Roswell, Michele Young,
Jun Moore, Mikeal Henry, Cluck Lee, Faith Upshaw,
Samuel Ferrell and Susan Grant.

Rev. Jackye Waiters-Lee, left, with Black
and Clark Funeral Home owner and
CEO Linda Mitchell.