Celebrations are typically reserved for when you reach a milestone. This was the case for Sailors from Center for Surface Combat Systems Unit (CSCSU) Great Lakes and students from Chicago's John Milton Gregory Math and Science Academy, May 8.

The Sailors and students marked the completion of another Saturday Scholars program year with a ceremony at the USS Whitehat followed by lunch at a Great Lakes galley. The students were presented with a completion certificate and a CSCSU challenge coin while Sailors were given a Gregory Academy t-shirt during the ceremony.

"You develop a bond with a lot of these children. They look forward to seeing you week after week," said Fire Controlman 1st Class (SW/AW) Esteban Reyna, an instructor at CSCSU and one of the program coordinators for Saturday Scholars.

Saturday Scholars is a tutoring program that matches Sailors with students to help the students achieve better in school. The partnership between the U.S. Navy and Gregory Academy has been in place for more than 20 years.

"With the expectations that (Chicago Public Schools) has for our students we have to give them rigorous work. The Sailors have been doing a fantastic job (tutoring them). We've seen an improvement in scores," said Cathy Wright, an eighth grade teacher at Gregory Academy.

Saturday Scholars has also grown into a mentorship program where the Sailors share their expertise and life experience for the third to eight graders.

"We often see the same Sailors who volunteer in the beginning and will volunteer in the second session," said Charlene Reynolds-Myers, a learning labs instructor at Gregory Academy. "The kids will say every morning, 'Oh, is my Sailor here?' They really look forward to seeing the same Sailor and the consistency in their life and somebody that really cares about how they're achieving."

The program is divided into two sessions. The first, in the fall, is five weeks long. The second, in the winter, is four weeks long.

"For you to ask a kid to leave their bed, the cartoons and their video games and to come in for nine Saturdays, it's huge," Wright said. "So we are celebrating them for their effort. I think that's awesome."

For more news from Training Support Center, Great Lakes, visit www.navy.mil/.