Team Work Brings Restoration to Jefferson

When I think of the way our INSPIRE teams work together, I am reminded of a television show I watched as a child. Earth! Fire! Wind! Water! Heart! When the five powers combine, they form Captain Planet and save the world! While UrbanFUTURE teams might not be saving the world (yet), when each part of the team works together, they can make quite an impact in the life of a child. Our INSPIRE teams at Jefferson Elementary are making huge strides to restore the bonds between schools, families, and communities!

Through the support of her mother, mentor, and teacher, DeAnyai, a fifth grader, has improved this year, both academically and as a person.

From the parent…

I see more growth in DeAnyai’s academics and participation in class. Mary (the mentor) is wonderful and very informative. I appreciate the program and the very committed teachers and mentors! I pray over my children every day, and I know that UrbanFUTURE is one of God's answers to my prayers.

From the mentor…

I decided to volunteer with UrbanFUTURE because I was looking to get more involved in the community. DeAnyai seems to bring a positive attitude to our sessions every week, regardless of outside circumstances. My biggest success with DeAnyai is the relationship we’ve developed, and because of this, she seems very open to listening, learning, and sharing during our mentoring sessions. We always spend our time working on the UrbanFUTURE character and goal-setting curriculum, but we do it together, making it more enjoyable and exciting.

Ms. Spivey (DeAnyai’s mom) always thanks me for working with DeAnyai and tells me how much she loves and appreciates UrbanFUTURE. She is very trusting of me and open about DeAnyai’s strengths and weaknesses. This past week, I got to go with Ms. Spivey to parent teacher conferences, so I have a better idea of what to work on with DeAnyai. Ms. Spivey not only praises UrbanFUTURE, but also continually expresses her appreciation for what I am doing; my biggest success with Ms. Spivey is that I have begun to build an open, trusting relationship with her.

From the Teacher…

I think that D's relationship with her mentor has started to impact her sense of accountability and her internal motivation. She knows there's someone else she's going to see and tell about her goals and her progress in class, so she's asking questions, and monitoring herself, and will occasionally even say things like "I am going get all of my work finished so I can show her what I did today." Deanyai's mentor just recently gave her a planner, and now Deanyai is writing in her homework assignments and checking them off as she goes. The excitement to engage and improve, knowing she has someone who is rooting for her one on one, is a huge benefit to Deanyai. And because they're working on goal setting together, being very explicit about HOW you set real goals and action steps, I can see Deanyai internalizing that- when she sets goals for herself in class they are concrete, achievable, and meaningful to her.

In UrbanFUTURE tutoring, Deanyai is getting the individual extension work that we don't always get to in class, to help challenge her. I know this is happening because when she participates in class (which is often, and confidently) she offers higher level answers; that is, she explains her thought process and can apply new knowledge more readily, which is evidence of the one-on-one coaching tutoring in which she's asked to do that in depth.

Part of Jefferson's mission (and what's just plain necessary for student success) is greater parent involvement, and UrbanFUTURE really brings that to bear. I think that sometimes there's a sort of divide set up between school and home, or there's communication, but it's needs-based (i.e. only when something goes wrong) and can be less frequent. UrbanFUTURE, with its mentors regularly contacting parents, with parents knowing they can contact Stephanie or a mentor as well as a teacher, with parent chaperoned field trips, and family events (like the ice cream party to celebrate student test scores!) is a very positive, student centric gathering place for all of those who are working towards the success of a student- parents, mentors, and teachers. It's not about the school, or the teacher, or the parent, but about what is happening with the student. I personally have found it easier to get a hold of my parents who are UrbanFUTURE parents, and I think those parents are more actively aware of what is happening with their student's progress, since they communicate with me AND mentors. UrbanFUTURE INSPIRE mentors helped get parents up to school for conferences, and came to conferences to meet with parent's about what students are working on. 

It's reassuring to me as a teacher to know that some of those individual attentions that I can't give to students during the day (enrichment to excelling students, extra support and individual coaching for struggling students) is being given to them after school. EVERY STUDENT at our school needs more positive love and attention, and the fact that 4th, 5th, and 6th graders, who are coming into adolescence, one of the most challenging times for development of self-image and attitude towards school and the future and other people, are getting that CONSISTENT, POSITIVE attention and support (not to mention role models), is hugely beneficial.

From the Student…

My mentor is helpful because she is teaching me how to be more patient. I like my mentor because she’s fun and she helps me with a lot of things, like my self control which I really need to work on. I know she cares about me because when I’m sad or my head hurts, she asks me what’s wrong and lets me take a break. When I wasn’t keeping up with my homework, she bought me an agenda . Doing all of my homework was one of my action steps for my reading goal, so my agenda is helping me reach my goals. My goals are helping me get better as a student, like some of my action steps and goals are affecting my report card and my grades are improving. I know she cares about me because she took me to Crown Candy and we got ice cream and a BLT. My favorite part of UrbanFUTURE is mentoring and the field trips.

We may not be saving the world Captain Planet style, but we are working to change communities, schools, families, and most importantly, the lives of our students!

My Own Three 3 Cups of Tea

The following is an account from one of UrbanFUTURE's One on One INSPIRE Mentors (Ayesha Najib).  Ayesha has been volunteering with UrbanFUTURE as a mentor for 3 years now.

Greg Mortenson’s book, Three Cups of Tea, is an inspiring story of one man’s attempt to build schools in rural Pakistan.  Mortenson is a simple man from humble beginnings.  An even simpler man, Haji Ali, befriended him and together they started what is now an astounding project. This book made me think about how much wisdom a Nurmadhar from a remote part of my own country possessed. Although Haji Ali was illiterate, he was wise in the lessons of life.

Three years ago, I joined a volunteer mentoring organization, working with underprivileged children. I felt this was one way to give back to a country that has given me so many opportunities and has become my new adopted home.

I was assigned to a pre-teen African American girl. I was instructed to contact her parents for personal information. I compiled a list of questions, hoping for insight into her study habits, bedroom and a dedicated workspace. When I called her home, the phone was disconnected and there was no way to reach the family. Much later, I discovered that the phone was disconnected due to nonpayment and that this would happen many more times.

When we first met, I saw a sweet girl who was excited to join the afterschool program and work with her own mentor. She was in the fourth grade but reading at only second grade level.  She was one of five siblings, being raised by a single mother. On our first meeting, she volunteered that her father had been killed the previous year. Her eyes filled with tears as she spoke and I was struck by the fact that she would offer such information to a total stranger.   

When I first met her mother, I immediately realized that she did not trust me; she looked disinterested, did not make eye contact and did not speak much. I attempted to call the mother weekly to discuss the child’s progress. This was always difficult, as the family moved frequently and their phone was often disconnected. When I managed to find her, she would be brief and to the point.

Shortly after we met, I dropped my mentee home.  She invited me into her home and I walked into a dilapidated two-bedroom apartment that housed six people. The girls slept in the living room, with two mattresses on the floor and a small bookshelf as furniture. Her mother was in the kitchen with the oven door open, trying to heat the house.  One of her brothers was sitting on the top shelf of a closet strewing paper all over. A cousin had crushed the laptop I had given, while the educational CD I provided was thrown carelessly on the floor.  I suspected that life had dealt her a difficult hand, but had no idea how bad. I was shocked that a child in the richest country on earth could live so poorly.

I was her mentor for a year and a half and had modest success with her. We met weekly and worked on homework, reading skills,  and team building assignments. There were many barriers to her success.  Her family constantly moved from one relative’s house to another. During the winter holidays, her mother transferred the children out of that school. The children were being bullied and she was scared for their safety. She was remorseful that I would not be able to continue to mentor her daughter, but insisted that I continue to be involved.  For the first time, she acknowledged that I was a positive influence and her daughter had blossomed under my guidance. This caught me by total surprise.  All this time, I thought this woman did not care for me; I was always met with a lukewarm stare and minimal eye contact.  Clearly, things had changed.

Now that some time has passed, I have been able to reflect on my interactions with this young girl and her family.  As Haji Ali said to his friend Greg Mortenson, “The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family.”  In my own way, I realize that I had shared three cups of tea with this family.  As I befriended and mentored this young girl, both this girl and her mother began to take me into their confidence. They invited me into their home and when they needed help, they sought me out. Although we never shared a cup of tea, I felt like a family member.   My greatest lesson was that it takes time to build relationships. To do so, you must listen to the other person, spend enough time to build trust and never judge them. I hope that I will continue to have an influence on this young girl, albeit from a further distance now that I am no longer her mentor. In the end, I realized that I learned the most from our relationship, and for this I am grateful. 

Results Speak for Themselves

Darrion proudly displays his 'Science Student of the Week' certificate

Darrion is an optimistic 8^th grader with tremendous potential. However, optimism doesn’t always produce tangible results. Hence, Darrion’s mediocre academic performance.

Fortunately, his INSPIRE mentor, Aaron Adams and Darrion's mother, are committed to Darrion’s personal and academic progression.

Describe your first meeting with Aaron.

He asked me what my favorite things were. He used to play baseball and I played baseball. He actually connects with things like that.  We really hit it off.

How has Aaron’s guidance impacted your performance?

We really focus on goal setting. He told me, he made sure that he did his work and did his sports. He inspired me to do the same thing.  Homework goals – making sure assignments turned in. He helps me with my Communication Arts work. We read a few passages and write about what we’ve read. I’m also reading a lot better. 

Discuss your recent accomplishment.

I recently improved my science grade from an F to B. We talked about science a lot and the experiments I was doing in class.  He could relate since he’d done them before.  Every time I had science homework, we would go over our science homework.   I’ve been doing better in her class.  I was science superstar of the week. I felt like I couldn’t have done it if I didn’t have the help. He has been the only type of mentor who I’ve had that has helped me achieve goals and become a better student. 

With continued work and dedication, Darrion knows he can continue to display academic growth, especially with the support of his INSPIRE team. 

Fanning Falcons are Flying

UrbanFUTURE at Fanning Middle School is in full swing!  With 62 students fully enrolled in Restoration, afternoons are filled with a buzz that starts off with grade specific homework help.  Students are already taking charge of completing missed assignments, as well as staying on top of current assignments, and are eager to improve or maintain the grades that they received on their progress reports at the end of last week.  

Following homework help, students are engaged in great enrichment classes through the EXPLORE! program.  They are cooking with St. Louis University nutrition students, sculpting with COCA, rooting for the football team through cheerleading, battling in a game of wits during Chess Club, and establishing a student government among other activities. WOW! Enrichment programming runs Monday through Friday so that our students have engaging alternatives to going home every day of the week.  As the EXPLORE! program manager, Jocelyn Peters has gone above and beyond to engage our students in a fun and meaningful way.

The fun doesn't stop there!  Students are also excited about the tutors and mentors that they have the opportunity to work with during the last hour of programming through the IMPACT and INSPIRE programs.  Tutors have begun delving into the curriculum with students in both math and communication arts and already the students are soaring!  Though the academic component can be difficult, students and tutors have been working hard to improve in basic skills and in challenging reading materials.  Keep up the good work!

Keshun Rhodes, a seventh grader pictured above, asks about her mentor every day. Through the INSPIRE program, run by Domnick Hadley, she has found someone that she can talk to about reading, classes, teachers, and just life in general.  Though they have only met with each other once, Keshun is bubbling with excitement to work with Doreen again.  Already, Doreen has met with Keshun's language arts teacher and her mom to talk about Keshun's reading levels and how she can help to improve her grades in language arts!  

In addition to great programming after-school, UrbanFUTURE is also involved with the students during the school day!  On the 8th grade field trip to the Magic House last week, UrbanFUTURE staff helped to facilitate the trip with the 8th grade teachers and had a lot of fun in the process.  Check out some of the great fun the students (and staff!) had in the pictures below!

Ms. Berry, the IMPACT team leader, on the electric ball!  Hair flew everywhere as both teachers and students took their turn!

Ms. Krominga (science teacher) with two UrbanFUTURE students, Porcia and Darrion,  in the Mark Twain exhibit about Tom Sawyer!  Students got the opportunity to dress up like the characters they'd read about in class.

Kicking Off the Program Year

Labor Day has come and pass marking the unofficial end of summer. With the end of summer comes the beginning of a new Program Year for UrbanFUTURE. Next week, programming will be in full swing at Fanning Middle and Mann Elementary schools with over 100 students signed up to meet with tutors and mentors. Already, parents have attended orientations, volunteers have been trained/re-trained and students have completed pre-test assessments.

At both sites, 4th - 8th grade students will have an opportunity to participate in INSPIRE Mentoring, IMPACT Tutoring and Explore! Careers. The full menu of programs will help students grow as a student and as a person in preparation for high school.

UrbanFUTURE has hired Ray Sewell as a Community Specialist to work specifically with parents on taking on a leadership role in their child's education. This new position will provide
UrbanFUTURE parents with an additional resource in navigating their child's educational path. Ray and the Team Leaders will host several parent events during the year to engage, instruct and listen to parents on the challenges they are facing.

The biggest news for the new school year is UrbanFUTURE's expansion into three new school sites. Team Leaders have already begun meeting with parents, teachers and students at L'Ouverture Middle and Jefferson and Meramec Elementary schools. Beginning in October, students at these sites will have the opportunity to begin the IMPACT Tutoring program. There may also be opportunities for students to attend Explore! Careers' field trips this fall. INSPIRE Mentoring at these sites will not begin until January.

This promises to be an exciting year for UrbanFUTURE. We look forward to working with more students, parents, volunteers and teachers than ever before as we all work towards eliminating the academic achievement gap in urban schools.

How You Can Help

UrbanFUTURE is gearing up for a very exciting school year this fall. After last week's successful interview weekend, we are getting ready to welcome new Team Leaders to the organization in August to begin the acculturation process at new school sites.

We have been hitting the volunteer recruiting trail hard at local cafes, major corporations, farmers' markets and outdoor concerts. We expect to be doubling our volunteer corps for the upcoming year from 200-250 to 400-500.

Finally, we're finalizing our development plans for the start of the new fiscal year on August 1st. This October, we will be conducting our first ever volunteer-driven campaign to raise money and referrals. In conjunction with the campaign, UrbanFUTURE will be holding its inaugural trivia night in November.

With so much happening at UrbanFUTURE, now, more than ever, we need your support. There are several ways you can help us out. You can sign up to volunteer as a tutor or mentor. Tutors and mentors spend an hour a week with a student at one of our school sites. Tutors focus on helping student's with homework and helping them improve their grades. Mentors work with students on goal-setting, character development and literacy. Click here to learn more about becoming a tutor or mentor and fill out an application.

If you are unable to volunteer one hour each week, but you would still like to help out, UrbanFUTURE is getting ready to start a "Friends of"-type group. This group will help to promote UrbanFUTURE, assist with fundraising events, make calls to thank donors and advocate for UrbanFUTURE whenever and wherever possible. For those interested in getting involved in this group, please call Tim Weiss at (314)776-3434 or e-mail tim@urbanfuturestl.org.

You can also help us simply by connecting UrbanFUTURE with your family and friends, who might be open to learning more about UrbanFUTURE. One of the best ways UrbanFUTURE can expand its reach in the St. Louis community is by utilizing the networks of current supporters. This will help grow our base exponentially. Referrals can be sent to tim@urbanfuturestl.org.

Finally, we always need financial support. UrbanFUTURE provides its INSPIRE, IMPACT and Explore! programs at no cost to the school district or the students and families who participate in them. For only $10, a student is able to meet with a tutor for one week. $50 covers the cost for a student to participate in the Explore! program for 1 month. For $250 a student will be able to meet with a tutor for one semester. $500 will pay for a student to meet with a mentor for one quarter. $3,000 will cover the cost for a student to participate in INSPIRE, IMPACT and Explore for the entire year. To make a donation to UrbanFUTURE, you can do so online or by mailing your donation to:

UrbanFUTURE
3145 S. Grand Ave.
Ste. A
St. Louis, MO 63118

If you have any questions about making a gift to UrbanFUTURE, please contact Tim Weiss at tim@urbanfuturestl.org or (314)776-3434.

We appreciate your continued support of UrbanFUTURE's efforts to close the achievement gap. Together we are helping urban youth see and believe in their possibilities!

Student Reaches New Heights in Literacy

Elizabeth, a 4th grade student at Mann Elementary, wanted to become a better reader. She and her INSPIRE mentor, Molly, along with Elizabeth’s mother, Mrs. Castro and her teacher, Mrs. Slechta have been working hard all year to improve Elizabeth’s reading comprehension and Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) score. Through daily effort and consistent follow through, Elizabeth was able to raise her SRI score by 409 points—which is 121 points over her goal set at the beginning of the year. WOW! Living proof that the best way to get better at reading is by reading! Awesome work, team!

A Final Push

Spring has arrived in St. Louis. For UrbanFUTURE that means there is one more quarter to make a final push to end the year strong. It's easy for students to lose focus when the weather warms up, the days are longer and summer is right around the corner. Despite all of that UrbanFUTURE staff and volunteers are working diligently to ensure students finish the year strong.

In preparation for year-end diagnostic tests, students at Fanning are having competitions in educational games that are enhancing their skills in math and communication arts. With teachers assigning less homework, these competitions help to keep the students' minds sharp, while having a good time.

Fanning students are also participating in reading circles. These small groups read a book together and have an opportunity to have open discussions. It's been a great way for students to keep building their literacy in a casual, laid-back atmosphere. Jennifer Davies, IMPACT Manager at Fanning, said, "This week students were disappointed about missing the reading circles because of having to take the post-test. They are very excited to get back to their small group next week."

At Mann, INSPIRE Team Leaders Lauren Coppedge and Sakinah Ra'uf have been emphasizing goal achievement. To ensure that students are staying on track for their 4th quarter goals, they have been checking in with teachers each week to see that students are following through on weekly action steps. Mentors are also checking student progress on goals each week and helping students fulfill weekly action steps. Team Leaders have also created a goal board that publicly displays each team's progress towards their goals. As an added incentive, students who achieve their 4th quarter goal will get a McDonald's Happy Meal at the end of the year.

The nice weather can be a major distraction for students, but at UrbanFUTURE students are learning the importance of finishing the year on a high note.

UrbanFUTURE Student Speaks

From time to time, we will have some of our students write blog posts with their mentors or tutors. Not only is this a great chance for us to share with you what they are working on, it gives students another medium to practice and improve their writing skills. This week, Chebryelle, a 4th grade student at Mann, writes about the time that she spends with her mentor Theresa.

In UF we have been setting goals and we are building charactor. Me Chebryelle and my mentor Theresa have been setting our own goals like my (ACADMIC) goal is to complete my homework before for doing any thing else. My (CHARACTOR) goal is to belive in myself.

I like Uf but you guys should stay longer. So that we can learn more and still have fun. OH did i mention that i like tutoring because she teach me how to do multiplication fact she taught me my 11's and 9's and she taught me a 9 trick and it is pretty easy.


when i grow up i want to be a singer,lawyer,teacher, and a typer. and to be one of those i have to stay in school and be BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and get good.

UrbanFUTURE Parents Raising the Bar

Last week, St. Louis Public Schools held 3rd Quarter Parent-Teacher Conferences. One of UrbanFUTURE’s outcomes is to increase parent engagement. A key measure of that is parent attendance at conferences. Between Fanning and Mann, 60% of INSPIRE parents attended conferences. Only 20% of non-INSPIRE parents attended their child’s conference. In other word, INSPIRE parents are tripling the norm in attendance at parent-teacher conferences! In fact, they are holding up the curve at both schools

Why is this important? Studies have shown that increased parental involvement in a child’s academics will lead to increased performance (Epstein & Sheldon, 2006). Through conferences, parents can learn how they can assist their child succeed in the classroom. Greater parent-teacher interaction also sends a message of a united front between the classroom and the home to the child. Further, it helps parents feel more comfortable and confident in speaking with a teacher about their child’s education, a significant barrier at times for under-resourced families. As parents continue to build a relationship with the teachers, we can expect students will see an improvement in grades and test scores.

UrbanFUTURE is proud of all the parents who made it out for conferences. This is one step forward in taking leadership. Keep up the great work!

Adding to Achieve

This quarter, Damien set a goal to improve his math grade and his reading score. Between Damien, his mentor, Preston and his mother, LaTonya, they decided that Damien could achieve these goals by asking for extra work in math and reading more at home.

Damien has worked extra hard this quarter to complete his math packet and has gone above and beyond his literacy goal by reading more minutes a day than he even planned. The consistency of the INSPIRE team meeting almost every week this quarter, has helped keep Damien on track. He is learning that doing adding a little more work, can go a long way in helping him achieve his goals. Way to go, gentleman!

If you would like to volunteer as a mentor or tutor with UrbanFUTURE, call David Carroll at (314)776-3434 and sign up for an upcoming information session. Don't have time to volunteer, consider making a donation online at www.urbanfuturestl.org.