Project Grant 12SDAMA001

MISSION: GENERATIONS INCORPORATED (GI) STRIVES TO IMPROVE THE LITERACY SKILLS OF YOUNG CHILDREN THROUGH GRADE THREE. WE ALSO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR OLDER ADULTS WHO SERVE AS LITERACY VOLUNTEERS IN OUR PARTNER SCHOOLS AND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES. WE CREATE STRONG, MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PERSONS, AGED 50 AND OLDER, AND CHILDREN. WE HAVE A DEEP PRESENCE IN OUR TARGET COMMUNITIES, WITH A FOCUS ON EARLY LITERACY. BUT WE'RE ABOUT MORE THAN JUST READING. WE BUILD STRONG MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS AND PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT MEASURABLE RESULTS IN STUDENT'S ACADEMICS, SELF-ESTEEM, AND BEHAVIOR. GENERATIONS INCORPORATED ACTIVELY COMBATS CHILDHOOD ILLITERACY THROUGH ENGAGING OLDER ADULTS IN RESULTS-DRIVEN INTER-GENERATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT INSPIRE STUDENTS AND IMPROVE SCHOOLS. WE CURRENTLY ENGAGE 260 OLDER ADULT VOLUNTEERS TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY LITERACY SUPPORT TO OVER 3,700 K-3RD GRADE STUDENTS - ALL ARE AT RISK OF SCHOOL FAILURE AND 80% ARE LOW-INCOME. WE HAVE GROWN TO SERVE 12% OF BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL K-3RD GRADE STUDENTS, AND 50% OF REVERE PUBLIC SCHOOL K-3RD GRADE STUDENTS. OUR PROGRAMS GENERATE STRONG RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OLDER ADULTS AND STUDENTS THAT GET RESULTS AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN BOTH OF THEIR LIVES. WITH OVER 15 YEARS OF PROVIDING OUR PROVEN PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE MEASURABLE LITERACY IMPROVEMENTS IN STUDENTS, WE HAVE BECOME A STRATEGIC PARTNER OF THE BOSTON AND REVERE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS. IN A RIGOROUS 2009 WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY STUDY OF OUR PROGRAM, STUDENTS SHOWED 60% MORE IMPROVEMENT IN KEY LITERACY SKILLS THAN NONPARTICIPATING STUDENTS. VOLUNTEERS SHOWED SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN DEPRESSION AND FUNCTIONAL LIMITATIONS. ALSO, WE ARE LEADERS IN RECRUITING, TRAINING, AND MANAGING OLDER ADULT VOLUNTEERS. SINCE 1998, WE HAVE BEEN AN AFFILIATE OF THE NATIONAL AWARD-WINNING AARP EXPERIENCE CORPS PROGRAM. WE NOW RUN ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE AARP EXPERIENCE CORPS PROGRAMS IN THE NATION. IN 2012, WE UNDERWENT A RIGOROUS SIX-MONTH STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS, WITH HELP FROM THE BRIDGESPAN GROUP. IN 2013, WE BEGAN TO IMPLEMENT IN THREE-YEAR READ TO SUCCEED STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN, WHICH WILL SEE OUR ORGANIZATION SHIFT ITS FOCUS TO PROVIDING IMPROVED EARLY LITERACY SUPPORT TO MORE KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE STUDENTS. RESEARCH POINTS TO THE CLEAR NEED TO START INTERVENTIONS EARLIER TO GET STUDENTS ON THE PATH TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS. WE BELIEVE THAT STRONG, CARING RELATIONSHIPS EARLY IN A CHILD'S LIFE CAN CHANGE THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL OF ILLITERACY. STUDENTS IN OUR PROGRAMS GAIN BETTER LITERACY SKILLS THAN STUDENTS WITHOUT THE ADDITIONAL HELP OF AN AARP EXPERIENCE CORPS TUTOR. "THE GENERATIONS PROGRAM IS A VALUABLE RESOURCE TO SUPPORT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. BY PROVIDING ALTERNATIVE READING AS WELL AS READING STRATEGIES THAT COMPLEMENT CLASSROOM ACTIVITY, STUDENTS ARE GIVEN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL AS TIME TO DEVELOP THEIR READING SKILLS."-STERLING SCOTT, 1ST GRADE TEACHER, BLACKSTONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SOUTH END