Notre Dame Learning Center: Empowering Rochester’s Youth for 2 Decades – Rochester, NY.

Located in Rochester, New York, the Notre Dame Learning Center (NDLC) has grown into a vital resource for the city’s youth, particularly those navigating economic challenges and academic gaps. A recipient of the Basilian Human Development Grant, NDLC pursues its mission to uplift children in need, providing them with essential academic skills, confidence, and guidance.

The NDLC story began with the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND), an international congregation that first arrived in Rochester in 1854 to support German immigrants by teaching in parochial schools. Over the decades, the SSNDs played a vital role in the Rochester community, providing education in schools across the city until financial struggles forced the closure of many diocesan schools by 2008. In response, a group of ten remaining SSNDs surveyed local churches and agencies, revealing an urgent need for tutoring services, particularly in reading and math, to support both children and adults. In 2004, Notre Dame Learning Center was born as a sponsored ministry of the SSND, focusing initially on tutoring services for children in need.

NDLC stands out not only for its academic support but also for the nurturing environment it offers. With 300 dedicated volunteers—grandparents, parents, and others with a passion for teaching—the center provides one-on-one tutoring tailored to each student’s unique needs. Tutors, many of whom are not professionally trained teachers, receive guidance from a program supervisor who helps them build effective teaching techniques and interpersonal skills. This personalized approach allows NDLC to match tutors and students carefully, fostering stronger bonds and a supportive learning atmosphere.

“Each student receives one-on-one assistance tailored to their unique needs. We also take them outside the classroom and around the local community. We organize trips to the zoo, historic bus tours around Rochester, and museum visits. We try to provide experiences that broaden the kids’ perspectives and foster personal growth.” described Sister Evelyn Breslin, Executive Director of NDLR.

NDLC student group on a trip around Rochester. Photos provided by NDLC Staff.

The center serves students primarily from Rochester’s public schools, which rank near the bottom statewide.

“Mostly children come from the public school system, which is the worst in New York state, 99/98 out of the 100, the area we operate in is poverty stricken, kids are from the poorest neighborhood in N.Y. state. Most parents are single or are just grandparents bringing up the child.”

Beyond academics, NDLC tutors and staff often find themselves helping children cope with the emotional strains of their young lives.

“Most of our tutors aren’t teachers by trade, but our program supervisor works closely with them to develop teaching skills and, just as importantly, how to communicate with the kids. Sometimes, children come in crying—they may have been bullied, or maybe their mom didn’t come home the night before. That’s the hard part—reaching into that emotional side of things to support them fully.”

Tutors, many of whom are not professionally trained teachers, receive guidance from a program supervisor who helps them build effective teaching techniques and interpersonal skills. Photos provided by NDLC Staff.

The Basilian Human Development Grant helps fund key elements that enhance the NDLC experience, including textbooks, individualized assessments, and even snacks, all of which contribute to making the center a welcoming place. The grant also supports NDLC’s structured programming, enabling children to thrive in an engaging, distraction-free environment where they can be themselves and feel empowered to learn.

NDLC’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. Since its founding, over 2,000 students have benefitted from its programs, and success stories continue to unfold.

“We have twin girls who began their journey with NDLC as struggling third graders. Now, as high school sophomores at Bishop Carnegie High School, they’re thriving academically. Their experience has come full circle—they now volunteer as tutors at the center, helping younger students tackle the same challenges they once faced.”

Amongst the many challenges and setbacks, the center faces in its work, is the underlying mission that continues to inspire Sister Evelyn and the NDLC staff.

“It’s a welcoming, happy environment, and I enjoy coming to work every day and seeing the results. Just hearing the gratitude from the children reminds us of what we’re all about—the kids and the connection between each tutor and student. Fr. Kevin Mannara has been a dedicated supporter for three years, and I can’t thank him and The Basilians enough. I’m deeply grateful for the impact they’re making on education here in Rochester.”

Today, the center is bustling with students from grades one to nine, with most participants falling within grades one through six. For many, NDLC is more than a place to improve reading and math skills; it’s a community that inspires them to believe in themselves and to look beyond their present circumstances.