Way to Go: Cara Lee, Long Beach

A Kellenberg Memorial High School junior has expanded her love of reading into a tutoring program for children in the Long Beach area.

Cara Lee, 16, of Long Beach, started a summer math and reading program for children ages 5-12 last summer at St. Mary of the Isle Roman Catholic Church in Long Beach. She developed lesson plans for each child based on his or her area of need and recruited middle school and high school volunteers to serve as tutors.

"Ever since I was little, I loved to read, so I wanted to do something to help kids enjoy it," Lee said. "It was a lot of hard work, but it was worth it." She undertook the project as part of the community service component of her Gold Award, the highest honor that can be earned by a Girl Scout.

The tutoring, in 90-minute segments twice a week, included as many as 14 children, Lee said. Lessons consisted mostly of basic math such as multiplication and division, with reading sessions including books such as Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women."

The tutoring will continue over the summer, she said.

Lee also is president of her school's Craft Club and is a member of the Service Club and the National Honor Society. In addition, she is a yearbook editor and an officer in the History Club.