What UrbanFUTURE is Thankful For This Year

With the Thanksgiving holiday upon us, this is a great time to reflect on the past year and share with others what we are thankful for and how much we appreciate them. In spirit of the holiday, here is what we at UrbanFUTURE are thankful for.

• Outstanding volunteer tutors and mentors who spend an hour each week working with urban youth. They play a vital role in Restoration and the success of UrbanFUTURE.
  
• Dedicated teachers who work with UrbanFUTURE staff on a daily basis to help each student succeed academically and grow as a person. Teachers provide us with some of the greatest insight to each student we work with.
• Enthusiastic donors who ensure that Restoration will continue to have an impact for urban youth in St. Louis and share our vision of eliminating the academic achievement gap in urban schools.
• Strong partners who collaborate with us to maximize resources and impact in the lives of students on a daily basis. Our partners include Youth In Need, YMCA, St. Louis Public Schools & Human Development Corporation.
• Corporate sponsors who invest their time, money and leadership in UrbanFUTURE. Our sponsors include Walgreens, Wells Fargo Advisors, Maritz, Kaldi's Coffee and Ameren.
• Engaged parent leaders who are taking charge of their child's education and working to ensure they succeed academically and in life. Our parents are a vital cog in Restoration and are great advocates for UrbanFUTURE.
• Hard-working and dedicated students who show up every day to learn and grow. It's amazing how inspiring our students can be for all of us.
  

We know Restoration only succeeds because of everyone involved and can't thank you all enough for your continued commitment and dedication to helping urban youth see and believe in their possibilities!

Happy Thanksgiving!

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!