In a book-lined room at the Jamieson Community Center, transformation happens daily. Children who once walked in with slumped shoulders and downcast eyes now bounce through the door, ready to learn and grow.

"I've watched children who come in looking at the ground—they feel like they've failed," says Nancy Mowen, Executive Director of the Jamieson Community Center, her voice catching with emotion. "And I've watched in two weeks that posture changes."

This remarkable shift happens at the Pattee Learning Center, an after-school tutoring program established in 2017 through funding from the local Pattee Foundation. The program addresses a critical need: helping students who have fallen behind in core academic areas.

"We assess the kids individually so we can see their progress," explains Nancy. "Our criteria is they have to be at least six months behind grade level, but they can't be more than two years behind."

This careful triage ensures the program serves those who most need its unique approach—an approach that deliberately avoids conventional homework help. Instead, the center focuses on building strong foundations in reading, writing, math, and spelling through Response to Intervention (RTI) curriculum.

"We feel like kids can't do their homework because they were missing some of those foundational pieces along the way," Nancy explains, likening education to a building that needs every brick and mortar properly in place. "Our goal is to build that firm foundation where it's not missing any of the bricks."

Coordinating this meticulous program is Kathy Mainz, whose passion for education spans decades. After 14 years as a junior high science teacher, roles with the Iowa Department of Education, and 16 years in Monmouth College's biology department, she now manages the learning center's daily operations.

"I work individually with each of the buildings in Monmouth-Roseville," Kathy explains. "I talk with those buildings every single day to find out who's here, who's not here, who can we expect to get to tutoring."

This close collaboration with area schools extends to transportation. For students at Harding Primary, just half a block away, tutors walk over to collect them. Children from Central Intermediate, about nine blocks distant, arrive by school bus at Harding, where tutors meet them. The Jamieson Center even provides van transportation home for students without other options.

Among the center's 14 tutors is David Larios, who works with students eight hours weekly. As a native Spanish speaker, he brings special value to a program where approximately 65% of students are English language learners.

"My time here is important for me because I practice every day," David shares, noting that he's improving his own English while helping others. "I work with two kids, Diego and Kaden. It's very fun."

David represents the program's broader reach—his daughter Esther also tutors at the center, and his wife teaches Spanish at the high school. Their family's involvement exemplifies how the center has become a nexus of community engagement.

Tutors come from diverse backgrounds. While some are education majors from nearby Monmouth College, others study business, neurobiology, or psychology. "The common denominator," Kathy notes, "is they really care about kids and they want to see these kids get back to grade level."

The center provides these tutors with curriculum, in-service training, and abundant hands-on materials. Each tutor works with carefully paired students at similar skill levels, focusing on reading, mathematics, writing, and spelling during sessions that run from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

What began with $50,000 in funding and capacity for 16 students has evolved through partnerships. When pandemic-related challenges made it difficult for schools to establish their own tutoring programs, the district collaborated with the center.

"We were able to add extra spots with funding from pandemic relief," explains Amy Freitag from Monmouth-Roseville schools. "And then Nancy was able to continue those extra spots by applying for a separate after-school grant."

But perhaps the program's most valuable outcome can't be measured in test scores. It's visible in the transformation of students who discover they can succeed.

"We give them the opportunity for success," Nancy says, "and that in turn grows their self-esteem. We believe in them. We believe in every person in the community."

In this space where education meets compassion, the Pattee Learning Center isn't just tutoring students—it's rebuilding confidence, one foundational skill at a time.