PROJECT ABSTRACT:
A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE INTERNATIONAL MEDALIST ASSOCIATION AND THE COLLINGTON SQUARE 21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER (CS21)

Project Purpose:

The U.S. Department of Education announced a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant award of $ 399,193.30 per year to the CS21 Project, to be based at the Collington Square Elementary school in Baltimore, Maryland. The International Medalist Association (IMA), Inc., wrote the grant on behalf of the Baltimore City Public School System and will serve as the project director of the grant among other services that IMA will deliver. The grant, which will cover three years, will provide sorely-needed funding for after-school, summer education and social services to approximately 550 youth attending three elementary schools in one of the most impacted areas of east Baltimore inside the Baltimore Empowerment Zone.

The CS21 project will directly address the academic, developmental, social and cultural needs of these students by establishing a year round after-school and summer Community Learning Center to serve youth and families in the CS21 consortium community. This CS21 project, in partnership with several community agencies, businesses and universities, will provide a variety of services intended to have a positive impact on the core goals of the program which include: improved academic performance, satisfactory school attendance rates, reduction in disruptive behavior, and increased parental involvement in school activities.

Site Location:

The project will serve three public elementary schools serving approximately 550 students, all of which are located in east Baltimore. The "hub" school is Collington Square Elementary # 97, which would also serve two nearby feeder schools: Elmer A. Henderson Elementary # 101 and Dr. Rayner Browne Elementary # 025. Both Collington Square and Dr. Rayner Browne schools are located in Empowerment zones. The Baltimore School District will provide bus transportation to and from the hub site to serve students in the two feeder sites.

Needs:

All three schools are designated as school-wide Title I sites and serve a predominantly low-income African American student body. Virtually all students in each of these schools are eligible for free school lunches, and most students are in need of academic remediation, as evidenced by the academic scores under the Maryland State Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP). In February 1998, both the Collington Square and Dr. Rayner Browne schools were designated as candidates for state reconstitution by the Maryland Department of Education due to low and declining scores on the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP).

Scope of Services:

The project will expand upon an existing after-school school year program by providing new and expanded year-round services, including one or more of the following: (1) homework assistance, remedial instruction and tutorial services designed to prepare students to meet or exceed state standards on the Maryland State Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP): (2) expanded after-school school library hours; (3) technological skills improvement program designed to enhance mathematics, reading and communication skills via computer tutorials and instruction; (4) counseling services, conflict resolution, drug prevention therapy, sports clinics and nutrition services; (5) youth motivation through community mentoring, field trips and the Gold Medal Speakers Bureau (a unique colloquium where Olympic athletes speak to the students); (6) D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read), a reading improvement and family literacy program which dedicates 10-15 minutes per day for students to read books of their choice and the African-American Read-in Chain where parents and other community members read books to children authored by African-Americans; (7) adult education and parenting skills including computer literacy, G.E.D. training and workshops of interest such as financial planning and basic legal rights; and (8) a four week summer program focusing on language arts and communication. A unique element of the program will be a major oral history project where students will interview elders in the community to compile research about the history of the community.

Commitments from Baltimore School District:

The Baltimore School District has committed to provide free after-school busing to and from the 21st CCLC site. In addition, the school system is committed to applying to the U.S. Food and Nutrition Service to provide free after-school snacks to youngsters to be served by this project. We will also assist the school in applying for funds under the Goals 2000 Program, Technology Literacy Challenge Grant Program, and other state and federal funding sources.

Competitive Project Features:

There are several competitive aspects to this application. First, the application serves three of Baltimore's lowest-income schools located in the City of Baltimore Empowerment Zone. Second, the project is very cost effective and represents an annual cost less than the Department of Education's suggested ceiling of $800 per student. Third, the project incorporates an after-school tutorial that builds upon an effective academic strategy, the direct instruction methodology, that has been recently been rated as one of three highly effective "whole school" education strategies. Fourth, the project involves an impressive list of collaborative partners, including: the John Hopkins University East Baltimore Mental Health Partnership, Morgan State University, the law firm of Venable, Baetjer and Howard, the Baltimore Medical System, and the International Medalist Association.

Collington Square Activity