"‘Fifth-grade teacher Isela Imai and tutor Diana Parra de Gutierrez have groomed a poster child for No Child Left Behind.’

"They weren't looking to do so when Lucero Aguilar, 10, came into their lives for tutoring.

"‘There's been a lot of growth. We've got a model example right here of a happy student, a confident student and one who is well supported," said Imai, who met Lucero three summers ago in an English-as-a-second language class."

"Continued support for Lucero comes from one-on-one tutoring in her South Broadway home provided with federal No Child Left Behind Law funding to schools in poverty neighborhoods."

"Lucero was one of 1,300 children in the Albuquerque Public Schools last year to receive the tutoring compliments of the federal government. She is among an estimated 1,700 to be tutored this year.

"Albuquerque has more than 10,000 children who qualify for free tutoring, but it's up to parents to apply. Schools provide information to parents, but most don't respond, officials say.

"So far this school year, only 500 students have applied, officials said. More are expected to apply after parent-teacher conferences later this fall.

"And educators expect the demand to grow, as more families and schools reap the benefits of tutoring."

"‘I got all A's and B's," Lucero beamed. "My tutor helped me. I didn't know none of my multiplication, none. She gave me a test every day.’

"A blossoming fifth-grader who wants to be a teacher or a doctor, Lucero will be tutored for an hour or more at least three times per week, either at her dining room table or the library a half-block from home."