Project Grant 16SDAMA001

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 ARE THE LEADING INTERGENERATIONAL LITERACY PROGRAM IN GREATER BOSTON, ENGAGING OVER 270 COMMUNITY OLDER ADULTS (ALL 50+ YEARS) AS HIGHLY TRAINED LITERACY TUTORS TO OVER 3,400 KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE STUDENTS ANNUALLY. WE ENVISION A DAY WHEN ALL STUDENTS CAN READ PROFICIENTLY BEFORE THEY ENTER 4TH GRADE, AND GI EMPLOYS A UNIQUE INTERGENERATIONAL MODEL TO SOLVE THE COMMUNITY PROBLEM OF CHILDHOOD ILLITERACY. EACH YEAR, GI RECRUITS COMMUNITY OLDER ADULTS SEEKING MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PROVIDES THE TRAINING NECESSARY TO SERVE AS LITERACY TUTORS IN THEIR ENCORE CAREERS. VOLUNTEERS DEDICATE AN AVERAGE OF 10 HOURS EACH WEEK TO SUPPORTING STUDENTS WHO ARE READING BELOW GRADE-LEVEL THROUGH STRUCTURED AND HIGHLY FOCUSED LITERACY SESSIONS. OUR OLDER ADULT VOLUNTEERS BENEFIT FROM ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT, ACTIVITY AND SOCIAL INTERACTION THROUGH THEIR SERVICE, AND STUDENTS SHOW STRONG LITERACY GAINS AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL GROWTH AS A RESULT OF PARTICIPATING IN OUR PROGRAMS OVER THE COURSE OF A SCHOOL YEAR. IN JUNE 2016, GI SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED A RIGOROUS THREE-YEAR READ TO SUCCEED STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH RESULTED IN ENHANCED LITERACY CURRICULA FOCUSED ON SUPPORTING EARLY READERS (AGES 4-9), FORTIFIED VOLUNTEER TRAINING AND SUPPORT PRACTICES, AND IMPROVED PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE DISTRICTS AND SCHOOLS WE SERVE. THROUGH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, GI BECAME A PRIORITY STRATEGIC PARTNER TO BOTH BOSTON AND REVERE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND WE HAVE CONTINUED TO FINE-TUNE OUR PROGRAM MODELS AND EVALUATION PRACTICES TO ALIGN WITH DISTRICT GOALS AND CURRICULA. OUR PROGRAMS NOW ALIGN WITH COMMON CORE STANDARDS AND OUR VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATE IN CURRICULA TRAININGS HOSTED BY OUR PARTNER DISTRICTS. IN A RIGOROUS 2009 WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY STUDY OF OUR PROGRAM, STUDENTS SHOWED 60% MORE IMPROVEMENT IN KEY LITERACY SKILLS THAN NON-PARTICIPATING STUDENTS. VOLUNTEERS SHOWED SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN DEPRESSION AND FUNCTIONAL LIMITATIONS. IN 2016, GI WAS AWARDED A HIGHLY-COMPETITIVE, FOUR-YEAR SOCIAL INNOVATION FUND SUB-GRANT THROUGH AARP FOUNDATION EXPERIENCE CORPS TO SUPPORT THE SCALING OF OUR CLASSROOM-BASED LITERACY PROGRAM WITHIN THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BY 2020, GI WILL SERVE AN ADDITIONAL 700 BOSTON STUDENTS IN 35 CLASSROOMS. CONCURRENTLY, WE WILL PARTICIPATE IN A RIGOROUS THIRD PARTY IMPLEMENTATION AND IMPACT EVALUATION, WHICH WILL EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF OUR PROGRAM?S CLASSROOM-BASED SMALL GROUP TUTORING AND CLASSROOM ASSISTANCE MODELS. THE RESULTS OF THE STUDIES WILL GUIDE OUR PROGRAM MODEL IN THE FUTURE. ?GENERATIONS INCORPORATED MEANS SO MUCH TO OUR STUDENTS, OUR STAFF AND OUR OVERALL SCHOOL CLIMATE. [GI VOLUNTEERS] ARE SKILLED INSTRUCTIONAL PROFESSIONALS, WHETHER THEY ARE COMING FROM A BACKGROUND IN EDUCATION OR OTHER PLACES. THEY BRING SO MUCH IN TERMS OF PROVIDING A NURTURING PRESENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS, BUILDING THEIR CONFIDENCE AROUND LITERACY, AND BUILDING THEIR WILL AND SKILL TO ACHIEVE IN LIFE? THEY PROVIDE KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM LIFE EXPERIENCE. THEY PROVIDE PROBLEM SOLVING IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM...FROM A SCHOOL CULTURE PERSPECTIVE, THEIR BRIGHT SMILES AND WARM DISPOSITION LIGHT UP OUR SCHOOL CORRIDORS AND CLASSROOMS.? - MS. KHITA POTTINGER, PRINCIPAL AT MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. K-8 SCHOOL, JUNE 2016