FERRIDAY &8212; Watching the kids at the Doty Road tutoring program takes a lot of energy.

In their excitement, they often run over to their tutors just to say they finished a problem. Some of them do that for each and every problem, prompting Cecilia Thompson, a Concordia Parish speech pathologist and tutor with the program, to give them a gentle admonition.

&8220;Just finish your problems and I&8217;ll be over there to see it,&8221; Thompson said to one particularly active kindergartner writing his words and sounding them out carefully.

Wednesday afternoon about 20 kids, from age 3 to 10, were at the center for tutoring. The program runs from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday from September until March.

There are 36 children of all ages enrolled in the program, but Thompson said there&8217;s always room for more.

&8220;We never turn anyone away,&8221; Thompson said. &8220;We can handle them.&8221;

Members of the local Delta Sigma Theta Sorority alumnae chapter run the program with the help of the Delta Service Corps and the Concordia Parish Sheriff&8217;s Office. Three tutors and two assistants are on hand to help the students with their homework and then with activities that will help them with the iLEAP standardized test next spring.

&8220;This building is an important community center and a (CPSO) substation,&8221; CPSO Officer Dot Johnson said.

&8220;We do a lot of recreation activities for kids, but we want that to center on their heads. We want to offer education as well as recreation.&8221;

The kids seem to be taking that message to heart.

&8220;I like to come here,&8221; fourth-grader Marchane Lovesong said. &8220;We do our work and homework.&8221;

Lovesong was learning vocabulary Wednesday with a quiz and a dictionary. Her friend Destiny Garrison, also in fourth-grade, said many of the students are there almost every day.

Thompson said her favorite part of tutoring is watching the children improve over time. The program monitors students&8217; grades each six weeks.

&8220;It&8217;s gratifying to see a child who at first doesn&8217;t know he can do something and then gets it,&8221; Thompson said. &8220;That&8217;s worth it.&8221;

To enroll a child in the program, call Johnson at the Doty Road Substation (318-757-8874).