The partnership between First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte and Westerly Hills Academy is a strong one, one that the school principal describes as a flagship model of a successful school-community relationship. You wouldn’t know it now, but there was a time when the two organizations knew little about one another. In 2000, the church staff reached out to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and expressed interest in being partnered with an area school, to provide tutoring services and whatever else the school might need that the congregation might be able to provide.

CMS suggested Westerly Hills Academy, a Title 1 school with which the church had no prior connection. That suggestion sparked a partnership that has spanned 22 years and touched thousands of students’ lives. "We were just looking for a way to support students, and help them thrive and take advantage of their potential, and just nurture the kids as they learn and grow, and do what we can to be a positive force in that experience," said Heather Herring, the child and family partnership coordinator with First Presbyterian Church. Tutoring is a big part of how the church supports students at Westerly Hills, through its partnerships with three local tutoring organizations: Augustine Literacy Project, Heart Math Tutoring, and Helps Education Fund. Herring promotes the three organizations to the congregation regularly, as well as the importance of and need for tutoring.

Lillie Cochran, a church member and longtime tutor, said the way the partnership is set up encourages connections to both communities, at the church and the school. She often runs into other church members when she’s at the school for her weekly tutoring sessions. "Outreach is really where my heart is," she said. "I get to foster that relationship with the church and with Westerly Hills through that." Herring echoed that, noting the church’s focus on one school has helped to create close bonds. "I think that we feel a real connection to Westerly Hills," she said.

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