Agnes Stevens, founder of School on Wheels, the volunteer tutoring organization that mentors homeless children, is headed to Sweden this month.
She has been nominated for the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child, sometimes known as the “children’s Nobel Peace Prize,” for her “20-year struggle for homeless children in the USA.”
“I have no idea who nominated us,” Stevens said. “And, really, it’s not a competition. The other two people who have been nominated have helped children in extraordinarily dangerous circumstances. We’re just honored to be included.”
Children’s World, a Swedish, nonprofit organization, established the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child, or WCPRC, basing it on criteria outlined in the United Nations’ Child Convention, a version of the Geneva Convention for people under the age of 18.
The WCPRC is organized, promoted, nominated, juried and voted on entirely by youngsters-about 16 million of them worldwide.
“Any child may be a part of this global community,” Stevens explained. “They join through their school, which only has to register. Then every child at the school has a vote. There are over 30,000 schools in 86 countries who take part in this adventure.”
The voting ends this month on April 14.
Adventure would be the nominative term, as participating youngsters in countries like South Africa send in their votes literally on donkey carts. The program is designed to build a truly global village, bringing awareness to children not only of worldwide struggle for survival, but also the possibilities inherent in education and the self-affirming dignity intrinsic to a democratic process.
Each year, three candidates are nominated from around the world to receive the WCPRC prize from Sweden’s head of state, HM Queen Silvia at Gripsholm Castle near Stockholm.
Stevens speaks modestly of her nomination.
“The woman from Peru (Josefina Condori) fights to keep Peruvian girls out of domestic slavery,” Stevens said. “The woman from Cambodia (Somaly Mam) builds safe houses to help girls who are kidnapped and sold as sex slaves. I’m in extraordinary company.”
A just-retired teacher in 1993, Stevens was working part-time at the Coeur d’Alene Elementary School in Venice, which is located next to a homeless shelter.
“It floored me to see how many kids were moving in and out,” Stevens said. “Not kids whose parents were illegal [immigrants] or drug addicts. Just people who lost jobs and then homes. There are literally thousands of homeless kids in Los Angeles.”
Figuring that schooling provided an anchor for youth living in itinerant circumstances, Stevens formed School on Wheels to bring tutors, backpacks, school supplies and, most importantly, one-on-one attention to children living in cars, shelters and tents from the Westside through Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles.
During the past 17 years, Stevens’ group has logged more than 30,000 tutoring hours a year, providing more than 5,000 children each year with school supplies, help with homework and tracking services to make sure they stay registered in school.
“Our volunteer tutors come from all walks of life,” Stevens said. “College students, retirees, people who can afford to give one or two hours a week. And it makes an amazing difference. I have a safety net. These children don’t.”
Karen Foshay is a network news producer and volunteer tutor for School on Wheels. “These kids don’t ask to be born into this life,” she said. “They are the future leaders of our community and the fact that they work to stay in school and aspire to something better shows their resilience.”
Accompanying Stevens to Sweden will be two children from the School on Wheels program, Ed Korpie and Brianna Audinett.
When Brianna’s mother, Melissa, was told her daughter had been selected to go to Sweden, she said, “My first thought was, ‘Are you crazy? She’s 11!’ It’s going to be hard for me to let her go.”
Brianna’s first thought, however, was, “Sweet!”
“I love School on Wheels and my tutor, Rosemary,” Brianna said. “I want to study science. Did you know there’s a jellyfish that produces its own green light? Or maybe astronomy. There are lots of galaxies out there.”
Children’s World publishes a magazine in 10 languages, written for young people, that chronicles stories of children’s struggles and triumphs worldwide. Balloting and voting information is available for the WCPRC prize in the magazine or online. Even if a school is not formally registered, a student can become a Global Friend and vote online.
“I know that Our Lady of Malibu is registered so that their students can vote,” Stevens said. “I don’t think any other Malibu schools are, though. It would be wonderful to see more Malibu schools participate since we’ve been nominated for the prize.”
School on Wheels will continue its program while Stevens is gone. Foshay said volunteering has given her a chance to make an immediate difference. “It’s just an hour a week. I mean, anyone can do that, right?”
More information on School on Wheels can be obtained online at www.schoolonwheels.org. More information on Children’s World, or to register as a Global Friend, can be obtained online at www.childrensworld.org