Education

HandsOn Suburban Chicago (Chicago, IL) coordinates the CHiLL Mentoring Program which has provided 2,104 hours of quality tutoring and mentoring to 98 uniquely counted at-risk students. Program seeks to integrate Science, Technology, Engineering and Math curriculum into mentoring. Students, parents and teachers also work together on school wide days of service. In addition, for the America Reads Program, schools identify teachers that could benefit from volunteer support within the classroom. HOSC responds to these needs by recruiting, coordinating and placing volunteers in the identified schools and provides continued support to both the school and volunteer. *there are a variety of mentoring and tutoring programs across the network (other models to explore: HandsOn Greater Phoenix, HandsOn Central Californias One Day Mentoring Challenge, LA Works Lets Read Program, ) Community Action Center (Philadelphia, PA) leads Reading STARS, a volunteer-driven evidence based early reading program that seeks to increase student reading levels in 20-40 hours. The program works on a one-on-one coaching model with reading coaches guiding the student through clear and easy to follow reading lessons. Students and coaches move at their own pace moving forward only when the student has mastered each concept. HandsOn Central Ohio (Columbus, OH) leads the annual Service Above Self Fair event in all Columbus City School high and middle schools. Students develop and complete service projects and present them at an annual competition modeled after a Science Fair. The Columbus Rotary is a valued partner and funder, and the program model has received distinction as a program of importance from Rotary Worldwide. Volunteer LAs Foster Grandparents Program initiated a partnership with JumpStart, placing older adult volunteer in low-income preschools to drastically improve literacy and language skills. CNCS and JumpStart are considering a national roll-out of the model. Hands On Atlantas (Atlanta, GA) school-based AmeriCorps members provide literacy and math tutoring, free after-school enrichment, college readiness, service learning and parental engagement. The current class of HandsOn Corps members also trains and supports volunteers to provide free Saturday school to more than 800 elementary students through Hands On Atlantas Discovery Program. HandsOn Charlotte (Charlotte, NC) hosts a bi-weekly Family Night to offer a free meal followed by supportive programming for students and parents. The goals of the program are to increase student test scores and attendance, and also parental involvement in the life of the school and the education of their children. Further, the program offers older students (high-school-age) with opportunities to give back to their former school and support its long-term success. For United Way of Larimer Countys (Fort Collins, CO) Science Speaker program, volunteer scientists are invited into Waukegan middle schools to make presentations about their careers. This provides students unique interactive learning opportunities designed to spark their interests, reveal the real-world relevance of their schoolwork and engage them in learning by bringing science to life. An AmeriCorps member was recruited to help UWLC grow this program and as a result, 20 speakers have been recruited to speak in 25 classrooms at 4 schools, serving over 330 students. They also coordinate a Stay In School program that targets the underlying causes of high school failure with a comprehensive approach that identifies students

in need and educates and motivates parents to get involved in their childrens education. Initiatives include: Computer Learn & Earn: families of middle and high school children earn a refurbished computer by attending specially arranged classes on computer literacy and school requirements for the purpose of accessing Infinite Campus, an on-line grade and attendance tracking system. Waukegan High School Career Expo: Students connect with guest speakers to build awareness of a variety of careers and occupations available to them. Students also have access to an on-line job shadowing program, ww.virtualjobshadow.com, a virtual career exploration service that allows students to hear from real people about their jobs. Family Focused High School Orientation: Parents learn the rigors of high school, how to foster good habits, the importance of regular class attendance and its relationship to graduation. Computer and internet access at home are increasingly important homework tools; through the Stay in School initiative, and as a result of AmeriCorps involvement with the program, over 40 volunteers have assisted 309 families through the Computer Learn & Earn program. Each of these families now has a computer at home, and through a partnership with Comcast, those families also have access to low-cost internet services. Many HandsOn Network Affiliates that are internal to or part of their local United Way are participating in the 1 million mentors program, the goal of which is o recruit one million readers, tutors and mentors to enhance the education and lives of young people. United Way of Greater Chattanooga (Chattanooga, TN) promotes Dolly Partons Imagination Library. With the help of volunteers families sign their children under 5 up to receive a free book a month. Volunteers also helped to educate parents about the importance of reading to children 20 minutes a day. HandsOn Suburban Chicago (Chicago, IL) coordinates the SAVE model of skills-based volunteering, which engages skilled volunteers to build the capacity of community agencies serving in this program area. HandsOn Inland Empire leads a successful and replicable student achievement program, Promise Scholars, based on the Online to College program. Local research during the implementation of the Online to College pilot program shows that early college awareness, aspirations and access services can increase high school completion rates for entire class cohorts by 10% and college going rates by 30%. This program leverages skilled and corporate volunteers to engage with students in the classroom and provides at risk students experiential opportunities with local colleges, community colleges and trade schools.

Also popular: Back to school supply drives (often involving corporate volunteers and groups) HandsOn Schools/Revitalization type projects to improve the physical appearance of the school property Providing resources to educators to support their own service learning efforts (ie making connecting to community organizations with opportunities for youth to serve) Supporting college access programs Service as a means to Leadership development (Service Learning)