Seminole State College Educational Foundation, Inc.

PROJECT PURPOSE

The SSC Educational Foundation partnered with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation for the development of a state-of-the-art sports complex that will transform the entire five-county service area of SSC. The BCM Sports Complex will include: a 1,000-seat stadium; a 10,000 square-foot training facility; a high school size multipurpose field for softball, and baseball; three multipurpose fields for youth baseball and softball; an adaptive field for special kids and others with special needs, and related parking lots; sidewalks; lighting; signage; landscaping; restroom facilities; snack bars; press boxes; and equipment. This robust sports complex will be home to the perennial powerhouse SSC Trojans Baseball and women soccer teams as well as being a destination for thousands of sports teams from every age group who will engage in recreational programs designed to provide safe and healthy out-of-school activities for at-risk youth and their families. The target population for this project includes families and children living in a poverty stricken area with a high Native American population where high school dropout rates are high, income and educational attainment is low, and barriers to academic success are abundant. The positive programs that will be provided at this complex will help culturally-isolated kids to break away from the cycle of poverty and become beacons of hope in their communities. Moreover, the complex will provide opportunities for disabled veterans, special kids and other people with disabilities to enjoy sports on an adaptive field designed specifically for them. A complex similar to this near Sandusky Ohio served over 350,000 people this past year.

EVIDENCE

The proposed project incorporates measurable annual objectives and performance measures that embed continuous, ongoing evaluation to promote data-based decisions and measure achievement of overall project goals and five-year outcomes. Designed as a comprehensive process, the evaluation plan incorporates feedback loops to facilitate modifications throughout the project period. Ultimately, evaluation will allow us to assess success in meeting established goals. Throughout the project period, the SSCEF will employ ongoing formative evaluation to track effectiveness of project development and implementation and to inform programmatic change and summative evaluation to measure attainment of activity objectives and performance measures, document project impact, and facilitate program sustainability.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

SSC?s service area (Hughes, Lincoln, Okfuskee, Pottawatomie, and Seminole Counties) covers 3,796 square miles serving people with low rates of educational attainment and high rates of illiteracy, drug use, teen pregnancies and teen suicides (Quick Facts, Census.gov.). Almost one-third of children in this area live in poverty with roughly 76% of students being eligible for free or reduced-cost lunches. Most of these students low income students are also first-generation, meaning they are the first in their families to attend college. While Oklahoma is home to one of the largest Native American populations in the United States, the Native American population in the target counties (16%) is almost twice the Native American population (9%) in Oklahoma (Quick Facts, Census.gov, 2015). Most of the rural schools in the service area have Native American populations in excess of 20%. These data are significant due to high rates of Covid-19 infections among the isolated areas served.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

The proposed project incorporates measurable annual objectives and performance measures that embed continuous, ongoing evaluation to promote data-based decisions and measure achievement of overall project goals and five-year outcomes. Designed as a comprehensive process, the evaluation plan incorporates feedback loops to facilitate modifications throughout the project period. Ultimately, evaluation will allow us to assess success in meeting established goals. Throughout the project period, the SSCEF will employ ongoing formative evaluation to track effectiveness of project development and implementation and to inform programmatic change and summative evaluation to measure attainment of activity objectives and performance measures, document project impact, and facilitate program sustainability. In addition, the SSCEF will continue to partner with CRSF through their ?No Park Left Behind? initiatives. Program partners will supply semi-annual reports that will follow specific measured outcomes on the field. SSCEF will be responsible for the maintenance and management of programs on the field while CRSF will monitor the progress and supply ongoing resources to ensure the success of the new field. The Ripken Foundation projects and programs are often monitored by a unique system known as Qualtrics. Qualtrics is an online surveying tool that allows for streamlined, accurate collection of impact statistics from program sites located around the country. This tool allows CRSF to measure a number of kids and mentors participating in the program. Qualtrics also consolidates the data collection process and allows for a smooth transfer of information from the sites to the Ripken Foundation.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma