FERRIDAY &045; Volunteers and sheriff’s department employees are hoping &uot;every kid&uot; will take advantage of an after-school tutoring program this year.

The ongoing program, which is staffed by Delta Sigma Theta volunteers and hosted at the sheriff’s office’s Doty Road Substation, will expand this year, Correctional Officer Dot Johnson said. Tutoring begins Sept. 1.

&uot;We need the tutorial help in the major subjects,&uot; Johnson said. &uot;We want to give them the most help. We want people to take advantage of the program.&uot;

Parents are welcome to attend as well, Johnson said, and the program will also accept volunteers.

Johnson said she hopes &uot;any kid, every kid that needs help&uot; will take part in the tutoring.

Delta Sigma Theta members Debra Pinkney and Cecelia Thompson, under the direction of Dr. Helen Wyatt, serve as tutors.

The sessions will be offered from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday for children in kindergarten through 12th grade. Tutoring will be provided in all subject areas. The Food Bank of Central Louisiana will provide snacks for the students.

Johnson said children who need help can drop in as needed. On their first visit, they will be registered by members of the Delta Service Corps, who will be helping with the program.

Johnson said she hopes the tutoring will help students in Ferriday schools, where standardized test scores last year just missed the &uot;academically acceptable&uot; bar set by the state.

&uot;We’re hoping that children throughout the community will take full advantage of this great opportunity,&uot; Sheriff Randy Maxwell said in a statement. &uot;I’m pleased that the sheriff’s office is able to provide the facility to help make this program a reality for the students of our parish. There’s nothing more important than their education.&uot;

For more information about the program, call Johnson at 318-757-8874.