Neighbors Building Neighborhoods

PROJECT PURPOSE

Neighbors Building Neighborhoods has the mission to improve the quality of life in Eastern Oklahoma through education, organizational support, and coalition building. Since 2001, this broad mission has empowered us to work in areas of need in our diverse community. One of our most important endeavors is the Dream Team Youth Project, which provides academic support as well as social direction, nutritional assistance and mentoring for youth in Muskogee. There is a real need for this program in our community as 24.9% of the district population is below poverty level and 98.0% of students are eligible for free/reduced lunch. The Dream Team Youth Project is comprised of three programs. The After School Program is designed to help students excel in academics, learn social skills, and become productive citizens. The Summer Learning Program offers academic support to encourage continued learning through the summer months to help students stay on grade level. The Summer Night Hoops program offers a safe, family-friendly environment during weekend evenings in the summer. These programs provide quality educational instruction, mentoring by community leaders, nutritional meals, and a safe environment for the youth of Muskogee. Funding support for this vital community project was reduced significantly during the pandemic.

EVIDENCE

In a survey of Oklahoma parents, 60% said that after school programs excite kids about learning, and 66% stated that after school program participation reduces the risk that kids will participate in risky behavior. [Afterschool Alliance, Oklahoma (2018) ?Afterschool by the Numbers in Oklahoma?]. The Dream Team After School program at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center provides after school programming for grades K-6. A significant number of our 150 students are from low income families and many are from single-parent households, two risk factors for low academic achievement and dropout (National Center for Education Statistics, https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d17/tables/dt17_219.75.asp)

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

Recent studies reveal that Muskogee students perform at a lower level than students statewide with less than 50% of students in grades 3-6 proficient in English, Math, and Science. This, combined with the high poverty cited above, makes our students an incredibly vulnerable population. School closings due to the pandemic disproportionately affected our students as most come from single-parent homes or homes where both parents work, making virtual learning a challenge as few had access to the necessary technology or the benefit of in-person instruction. These students struggle to stay on grade level in ideal circumstances and the pandemic made their situations even more difficult. Further, our staff is from Muskogee Public Schools, and the pandemic limited their ability to help these students. Finally, the Dream Team programming was severely restricted because of COVID-19 protocols. These factors impeded students ability to further their academic progress and stay on grade level. The impact of the pandemic in Muskogee has demonstrated the strong need for additional support for our elementary students so they can succeed on grade level, advancing academically, and be prepared to enter the workforce or higher education upon graduation.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Effectiveness is measured through parent and student surveys at the end of each school year. Outcomes for the 2020-2021 year include: 96% have improved grades 96% have improved attitudes toward learning 92% complete their homework on time 100% of parents say their child is in a safe place 98% learn new things Success is defined as 60% or more of students reporting positively for each outcome indicator. With the support of the program, students are able to increase their levels in reading, math, and other core subjects, and many advance beyond their current grade level.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

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