Lawndale Tutors Come To You

Lawndale, a bedroom community for Los Angeles beach cities, has had a long reputation of being an area for cheap housing and renters. In the 1980s, city officials realized they would need to do more to draw more people to purchasing homes and residing within the city, as well as drawing more tourism to the city. In order to accomplish these goals, Lawndale formed a beautification committee.

The beautification committee set about implementing an urban renewal project along the city’s stretch of Hawthorne Boulevard (State Route 107), a major South Bay thoroughfare. By 2003, their projects were completed, and slowly but surely, the city generated more income and residents, with downtown revitalization as well as advertising around the city.

Lawndale’s Beautification Committee still exists to serve the community. Its ten members meet on a monthly basis and serve with no compensation. Truly, this committee exists to serve Lawndale. The city website describes the duties of the committee, unchanged since 1990, as: “Sponsor a “Clean Up Week” activity; Sponsor a Holiday decoration competition; Sponsor a program of awards for recognition of homes with significantly improved appearances; Sponsor a program of awards for recognition of businesses with significantly improved appearances; Develop a beautification program in conjunction with City-sponsored community functions; Any other purposes which the City Council may from time to time assign.”

Each of these activities contribute to the desirability of Lawndale and serve to increase communal bonds. They encourage home owners to take pride in their houses and communities, as well as incentivize aesthetic appeal throughout residential and commercial areas of the city. The beautification committee does not function with coercion, fines, or fees—instead, they use positive reinforcement to keep Lawndale an attractive place to live and do business.

Similarly, Grade Potential tutors use positive reinforcement to encourage their students to improve. Clients develop a trusting relationship with their tutors in Lawndale to have confidence in themselves and in their potential to succeed. Coercive or micro managerial styles do not work well in business; nor do they work well in academia. Good tutors recognize that it is through encouragement and positive thinking that their clients will be able to turn grades around. Students need to believe in themselves, just as the residents of Lawndale had to believe their city could be beautified through individual and collective efforts. It is from this starting point of renewed self-confidence that success can be realized.