Tuesday evenings First Church serves approximately 34 children, grades 2 thru 5 in the program known as Whiz Kids. The children are supported by a staff of dedicated tutors from First church and our partner church, Church On the Rock. Also in support are site coordinators,  food service staff, a teacher liaison from Gatewood Elementary School, and a Club Time supervisor.

When the children arrive each week they are served a hot, nutritious snack meal. They then spend the next hour in supervised reading practice, under the direction of a one-on-one adult tutor. Following supervised reading the students then go to Club Time where they are given a half-hour of Bible stories and other activities in religious instruction. For many of them this is their first introduction to the Lord Jesus Christ.

An important part of the Whiz Kids program is the incentive rewards. That is simply a box of inexpensive toys from which a child can choose when a prescribed level of reading performance is achieved. If you have children’s toys, appropriate for ages 7-10, that your children have outgrown or if you would like to donate new toys to our incentive prize box, we would be most appreciative. This would be a great help in freeing up our limited budget for other needed supplies.

The Whiz Kids program takes place in Harris Hall each Tuesday evening between 5:30 and 7:30pm. If you are interested in learning more about Whiz Kids you are invited to visit the program any Tuesday evening, or you may contact Bob or Jan Helsel, our First Church Site Coordinators.