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| ADOPT-A-SCHOOL INITIATIVE |
Greater Seattle Chapter of The Links began its Adopt-A-School Initiative (AASI) and educational partnership with The African American Academy (AAA) in Spring 2001. AAA is a K-8 Alternative public school with 417 students (98% African American, 88% free/reduced lunch, 80% single parent households, 1/3 raised by grandparents, and 22 Katrina students). The Links have sponsored and created a myriad of programs
to enhance the educational growth and development of the AAA scholars over the years. A number of programs, activities, events and partnerships have and continue to be implemented by each program facet, as identified below. 2005 was an exceptional year for our partnership at the Academy in that the Greater Seattle Links kicked-off and centered the majority of our activities for the Chapter’s 50th anniversary celebration, “A Golden Legacy: 50 Years of Community Service” at the African American Academy. All chapter program facets participated to plan programs and events for this year-long observance of the innumerable contributions made by our Chapter to the Greater Seattle community.
GOAL(S)/OBJECTIVES OF PROGRAM
- Support, motivate and supplement programs that affect students and families of African American descent who are at risk, impoverished, under functioning and/or educationally disadvantaged.
- Encourage community involvement and linkages with educational groups and organizations.
- Provide support, funding and incentives to enhance and encourage student achievement.
- Provide access and quality experiences that may be out of reach of the scholars, their family village and community support networks.
MOST OUTSTANDING QUALITIES OF THIS PROGRAM
Receiving awards and recognition in honor of the Chapter's work at the Academy, such as the
African American Academy's Special Recognition Awards and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Puget Sound Affiliate's Volunteer of the Year Award. Also, The Foundation recommended the Chapter submit its five-week breast cancer curriculum pilot project, "In Our Own Voices: ScholarsTalk About Breast Cancer Prevention," to its national office to review as a possible presentation to give at its June 2005 conference in Washington, DC. The curriculum was selected and Link Juana R. Royster presented a power-point on the project to conference attendees.
HOW WILL THIS PROGRAM BE SUSTAINED
This program through its 6 year history is already institutionalized. The Chapter voted at our June Workshop to continue this initiative through 2008 hopefully with the opportunity to collaborate on a community service project at the school when hosting the National Assembly.
In addition, the thrust of this umbrella program was used as an example at the National Assembly held in Atlanta (July 2004) to share with other Chapters to consider replication.
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