CBT provides interested and capable high-school and college students with unique opportunities to shape the communities in which they live. At each of its sites, CBT offers tutoring services weekly for an hour and a half to students aged six to twelve. Each weekly session is part of a twelve-week, cumulative session that takes place in the spring and the fall.

High-school and college students tutor grade-school students at each of CBT’s locations. Under the supervision of CBT staff, each high-school student volunteer works with a younger student on his/her homework and on additional learning games. The program strives for a balance between learning and fun to ensure that both the volunteer and the student enjoy and benefit from the time they spend together.

CBT recruits high-school tutors from local schools and requires the tutors to complete an application and attend an orientation session before they are allowed to participate in the program. The tutors commit to attending each week to ensure that trusting relationships are established between themselves and their young learners.

College students interested in careers in education play a more senior role, supervising and proctoring the tutoring sessions. The college students play an integral role in the tutoring sessions as they monitor the progress and behavior of the high-school and grade school students. The college students are, in turn, supervised by members of the Board of Directors, which consists of young professionals experienced in volunteerism and community-building.

Finally, volunteers take part in community-building activities as the culmination of each twelve-week program. Activities will include: beautifying a public space, volunteering at a food shelter, passing out water at the Chicago Marathon, painting a mural, visiting a nursing home, and participating in get-out-the-vote efforts. Such volunteer activities further CBT’s mission by engaging individuals spanning multiple age groups to dedicate time and energy to improving their communities.