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The Children's Learning Experience is a
small, intense program that prepares children for academic success. During
the school year, children are picked up from school, brought to the
Center, provided with a snack and paired with their individual learning
facilitator who
introduces and reinforces academic basics. The program continues into
summer vacation, providing a way for children to hold onto the academic
gains they've made.
The odds say many of the children we
serve in the Brightmoor and surrounding communities will end up dropping
out of school and going on to lives of poverty. Children's Learning
Experience helps children beat those odds by providing:
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Individual and small group academic
support and encouragement
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A positive, nurturing environment that
fosters a love of learning
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Strict participation standards that
include a high degree of parental involvement
The goal of the Children's Learning
Experience is to ensure children are performing at or above grade level,
and that goal is being met. The stories below are just a sample of the
success our children are achieving.
Children's Learning Experience Success
Stories
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Lydia, a first grade student at Gompers Elementary School,
participated in the Center’s summer and fall programs focusing on
reading and math skills. At the end of the 2007 school year Lydia was
struggling and her grades did not demonstrate her ability. Her report
card in the fall of 2007 was all A’s and B’s. Her mother reports now she
loves to read and wants to read to everyone.
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Darren
works very hard to decode words. After testing, the school
psychologist reported that his school work will need to be adjusted to
accommodate his learning style related to his dyslexia. Darren has
participated in both the summer and fall programs and has learned that
learning can be fun and more importantly that he can be an achiever.
Brightmoor and the surrounding
communities have an unemployment rate of 36 percent, and 28 percent of the
adults have not graduated from high school. Many in the area are living in
poverty, unable to support their families. Lack of education is a major
component of the generational poverty that plagues this area. The Adult
Learning Experience addresses this.
The Adult Learning Experience has been
designed around the concept of First Steps and Next Steps. In this program
we recognize that getting a high school diploma or completing a GED is the
crucial first step and the foundation for self-sufficiency. To help our
students take that first step, we provide tutoring in math and language.
But a GED is no longer enough to give
adults the ability to support themselves and their families. It is an
important first step, but only a first step. That's why the Adult Learning
Experience program goes further. Building on the confidence that comes with reaching
a hard-won goal, we work with our graduates on Next Steps.
Whether that Next Step is enrolling in
college, attending a vocational school or getting into an apprenticeship
program, we support program participants as they take measured, lasting
steps toward self-sufficiency.
Here are a few of the successes we've
seen with the Adult Learning Program:
First Steps/Next Steps Success Stories
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First Step student James successfully completed the requirements
for a GED in September 2007. He has successfully moved on to the Next
Step, and in January 2008, enrolled in the Wayne County Community
College program for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning.
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First Step student Randolph successfully completed the requirements
for a GED in September 2007 and achieved the Next Step in October
2007. He enrolled and is attending a State of Michigan Approved
Apprenticeship Training Program. Randolph has worked in construction for
over 14 years. This apprentice program will provide his Michigan
Certification, allowing him to grow and further develop his current
company.
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First Step student William completed his work at the Center and
in January 2008 was accepted into a 14-week comprehensive building
maintenance training program which includes job placement. Throughout
his time at the Center William was committed to his educational goals.
He rode his bike to the program in spite of inclement weather conditions
and rarely missed class sessions.
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