Project Grant 21VSHGA002

UNITED WAY OF THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA, INC. (UWCSRA)'S MISSION IS TO UNITE PEOPLE AND MOBILIZE COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO CREATE LASTING CHANGES THAT TRANSFORM LIVES. PROJECT UNITE PROVIDES VOLUNTEER-BASED BEST PRACTICE INTERVENTION PROGRAMS FOR EARLY LEARNING WHERE SCHOOLS ARE IDENTIFIED AS LOW-PERFORMING BY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND WHERE THE RICHMOND AND COLUMBIA COUNTY BOARDS OF EDUCATION HAVE IDENTIFIED COMMUNITIES WHERE CHILDREN ARE ENTERING KINDERGARTEN UNPREPARED, POVERTY RATES ARE THE AREA'S HIGHEST, AND THE CONCENTRATION OF YOUNG SINGLE PARENT-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS IS GREATEST. OUR WORK PLAN INCLUDES BORN LEARNING WHICH WOULD PREPARE CHILDREN FOR SUCCESS IN SCHOOL BY IMPROVING THE LITERACY COMPETENCIES OF YOUNG CHILDREN BOTH BEFORE ENTERING SCHOOL AND DURING ELEMENTARY YEARS AND BY ENGAGING PARENTS IN THE LEARNING PROCESS. THE WORK PLAN ALSO SUPPORTS THE WRAPAROUND SUPPORT PROGRAM (WSP), A DISTRICT-WIDE INITIATIVE WITHIN RICHMOND AND COLUMBIA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOCUSED ON ALLOWING STUDENT VOICE TO GUIDE THE DEVELOPMENT AND ATTAINMENT OF NEEDED RESOURCES AND SERVICES. IN NEIGHBORING RICHMOND COUNTY AND COLUMBIA COUNTY, PROJECT UNITE EXPECTS TO SERVE THE PARENTS AND/OR GUARDIANS AND SIBLINGS OF OVER 11,000 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN STRUGGLING SCHOOLS. THE STUDENTS AND SIBLINGS OF STUDENTS, AGES 0-6, ENROLLED IN THESE SCHOOLS ARE LIVING IN POVERTY AND FACE BARRIERS TO SCHOOL SUCCESS SUCH AS FOOD INSECURITIES, UNSTABLE HOUSING, AND PARENTS WITHOUT A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION. SEVENTEEN VISTA MEMBERS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT BY PERFORMING ACTIVITIES SUCH AS RECRUITING VOLUNTEERS TO MENTOR AND READ TO YOUNG CHILDREN, RECRUIT FACILITATORS TO PROVIDE PARENTING WORKSHOPS, AND WORKING WITH LOCAL COMPANIES TO DEVELOP SPONSORSHIPS FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMMING IMPLEMENTED. AS SCHOOLS BEGIN TO ENGAGE BOTH THE PARENTS AND COMMUNITIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STUDENTS AND THE SCHOOL IS NO LONGER DESIGNATED AS A LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOL, VISTA MEMBERS WILL REPLICATE THEIR SUCCESSES AT A NEW SCHOOL IDENTIFIED AS LOW- PERFORMING WITHIN THE RICHMOND COUNTY AND COLUMBIA COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEMS. IN COLUMBIA COUNTY, EIGHT VISTA MEMBERS, AND IN RICHMOND COUNTY, EIGHT VISTA MEMBERS, AND 1 VISTA MEMBER IN WILKES COUNTY WILL FACILITATE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN STUDENTS, SCHOOLS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO ENHANCE STUDENTS' SOCIO-EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING WHILE ASSISTING IN THEIR TRANSITION TO POST-SECONDARY LIFE. THE GOAL OF THE WSP IS TO ESTABLISH STUDENT LIFE "CENTERS" WITHIN EACH OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS, MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND AGENCIES WHERE NEEDED SERVICES CAN BE OFFERED BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER SCHOOL HOURS. ONCE ESTABLISHED IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS, THESE SERVICES WILL EVENTUALLY BE EXTENDED DOWN TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SETTINGS.