Project Grant 18SFAPA002

SINCE 1972, THE SPONSORING AGENCY FOR FGP OF LUZERNE/WYOMING COUNTIES IS THE AREA AGENCY ON AGING. THE AGENCY PROVIDES DIRECT SERVICE, ACTS AS AN ADVOCATE AND SPEAKS OUT ON ALL ISSUES RELATED TO THE WELL BEING OF OLDER ADULTS. THE AAA MISSION IS TO CREATE A COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT THAT PROMOTES THE ABILITY OF ALL OLDER ADULTS TO FUNCTION WITH INDEPENDENCE AND DIGNITY, ENGAGING OLDER ADULTS, THEIR FAMILIES AND OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF SERVICE POSSIBLE. OUR FGP IS FUNDED FOR 123 VSY'S, HOWEVER AN ESTIMATED 130 FGP VOLUNTEERS WILL SERVE. SOME OF THEIR ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE TUTORING, MENTORING, HOMEWORK REVIEW, SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO INCREASE SELF-ESTEEM AND CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION AND TO IMPROVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS LEARNING. THE PRIMARY FOCUS AREA OF OUR PROJECT IS EDUCATION WITH THE TWO OBJECTIVES OF K-12 SUCCESS (74 VOLUNTEERS) AND SCHOOL READINESS (49 VOLUNTEERS). AT THE END OF THE THREE-YEAR GRANT, OUR PROJECT EXPECTS THAT 571 CHILDREN WILL HAVE RECEIVED ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE FROM THEIR FOSTER GRANDPARENTS. OF THESE 571 CHILDREN IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 428 WILL DEMONSTRATE IMPROVEMENT IN THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND/OR GAINS IN THEIR SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THE CNCS FEDERAL INVESTMENT OF $513,269 WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED BY $113,825 FROM NON-FEDERAL RESOURCES INCLUDING ASSISTANCE FROM OUR SPONSOR, OUR VOLUNTEER STATIONS, AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THE COMMUNITY NEEDS THAT OUR PROJECT WILL ADDRESS INCLUDE POVERTY, ILLITERACY, LOW EDUCATIONAL LEVELS, AND CHILD CARE. OUR FGP WILL MEASURE RESULTS OF OUR EFFORTS THROUGH THE ANNUAL IMPACT SURVEY. THE RESEARCH--BASED METHOD THAT WILL BE UTILIZED TO ADDRESS THESE NEEDS IS ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING AS DEMONSTRATED BY POWERFUL RESULTS/TUTORING COMPANY TO CONSISTENTLY PRODUCE BETTER GRADES, HIGHER TEST SCORES, IMPROVED STUDY SKILLS, AND INCREASED CONFIDENCE. MANY STUDENTS WHO HAVE STRUGGLED IN A CLASSROOM SETTING BEGIN TO THRIVE ACADEMICALLY AFTER RECEIVING ONE-ON-ONE ATTENTION. OUR FGP ANTICIPATES THAT OUR OUTCOMES WILL DEMONSTRATE THAT A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF CHILDREN/STUDENTS SERVED BY A FOSTER GRANDPARENT WILL EXHIBIT IMPROVEMENT IN SELF-ESTEEM, ATTITUDE TOWARDS LEARNING, CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION, AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.