Young people make great tutors. They can be big-sibling-style role models. They may have clearer memories of, say, 8th grade math than do some people who studied it decades ago.

Teens are welcome as volunteer tutors in the youth programs offered in some CommonBond Communities housing developments (651-291-1750, www.commonbond.org/volunteer). But high schoolers are in the minority among volunteers, partly because the program asks them to attend once a week throughout the academic year.

The yearlong commitment is important to maintaining the mentor relationship between tutors and students, said Kristina Kithinji, volunteer manager and former youth program coordinator for CommonBond Communities. But high school students may be involved in too many other activities to commit the time.

On the other hand, "college students traditionally have been one of our largest sources of volunteers." With other volunteer tutors ranging up to 75 years old, the different generations benefit from sharing experiences and knowledge.

St. Paul-based CommonBond is a nonprofit organization that develops, owns or manages affordable housing and services in 50 cities in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. Some developments include onsite Advantage Centers offering low-income residents free services including the Study Buddy and Homework Center programs for children as well as English language classes, parenting education, career development, access to computers and health services.

Children in the communities often face challenges in school. "We have quite a few who are below grade level," said Jelanna LaFleur-Donaby, who coordinates the youth programs in two CommonBond properties, Westminster Place Apartments and Cathedral Hill Homes in St. Paul. Many are from immigrant families and although their parents want to help, they're not as familiar with local school systems as people who've been through them.

The students show improvement as Study Buddy volunteers help with homework and provide extra tutoring in math and reading. The tutors also help kids strengthen "soft skills," Kithinji said, such as completing tasks, submitting homework on time, breaking large projects into smaller pieces, speaking up in class or approaching teachers for help when they don't understand the material.

In school, students don't get many chances to interact with teachers one-on-one, Kithinji said. A Study Buddy is someone who will "be your cheerleader ... somebody who's walking along this path with you."

Many former Study Buddy students go on to graduate from high school and attend postsecondary schools, she said. One kid who went through the program, now attending the University of Minnesota, is back this year — as a volunteer tutor and mentor. □