Video Observer: School on Wheels Program Helps Children Experiencing Homelessness

By Emerson Little on December 29, 2024

School on Wheels tutors support students in person at a local shelter. Photo courtesy of Lara All / School on Wheels

At an event at Fullerton College in September, Lara Akl, Volunteer Engagement Coordinator for School on Wheels, connected with community college students and Fullerton residents to recruit volunteers and share information about the charitable organization she works for. School on Wheels is a non-profit that has been providing free tutoring services to students experiencing homelessness in Fullerton, North Orange County, and throughout Southern California for the past 30 years. I hadn’t heard about this group before, so I decided to interview Lara about how she became involved with School on Wheels and how her organization helps to serve Fullerton and its surrounding communities.

“Growing up in Lebanon, a war-torn country, I experienced an unstable childhood, moving often to escape danger,” said Lara. “I attended seven different schools, so I relate deeply to the challenges our students face. My mother struggled with helping us with homework while trying to make ends meet, similar to the stress School on Wheels families experience. Our students lack stability, which often leads to educational gaps.”

To help fill in these educational gaps for children, School on Wheels “offers personalized, one-on-one tutoring by matching students with volunteer tutors, who are professionals, college students, retired teachers, and community members,” Lara explained.

I learned that these volunteer tutors help with subjects such as reading, math, and science and support high school students with college applications, FAFSA forms, financial literacy, job search skills, and exploring post-graduation options. In addition to tutoring, the non-profit organization provides scholarships, field trips, and career workshops, among other opportunities, to help students.

According to the School on Wheels website, children experiencing homelessness are nine times more likely to repeat a grade, three times more likely to be placed in special education, and four times more likely to drop out of school entirely. Approximately 2.5 million children are homeless annually in the United States, as determined by the non-profit American Institutes for Research – National Center on Family Homelessness. In the counties across Southern California where School on Wheels provides tutoring and mentoring services, 163,400 students have been identified as living in homeless situations by their school districts. According to the California Department of Education website, 29,323 students in Orange County fall under this category.

The non-profit School on Wheels currently partners with 18 sites in Orange County, including emergency shelters, motels, group homes, and domestic violence shelters. Their tutors meet students in shelters’ community rooms, outdoor areas, or public libraries. They also collaborate with various organizations and school districts.

Founded in 1993, School on Wheels was started in Los Angeles by a retired schoolteacher named Agnes Stevens. According to their website, they were and still are the only organization in Southern California dedicated exclusively “to the educational needs of this fragile population” and have served more than 50,000 students over the past 30 years. In 1999, they began expanding to other counties beyond Los Angeles.

Lara said, “We have approximately 100 volunteer tutors in North Orange County. We are always seeking additional volunteers, and applications are accepted year-round.”

When asked if School on Wheels offers both online and in-person tutoring, Lara said that since the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve adapted to provide flexible tutoring options. She stressed that high school students are served exclusively online, while middle and elementary students have in-person, online, or hybrid options. “To ensure all students have access to online learn- ing, we provide devices and hotspots to overcome technological barriers,” she said.

“Our goal is to help provide them with the consistency and support we know they need,” said Lara. “My mother would have been eternally grateful had she had the kind of support our volunteer tutors offer our students. Our tutors are passionate mentors dedicated to empowering students, building academic confidence, and fostering hope for their futures.”