OAK RIDGE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
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Mission Statement
ORYDS provides year-round tutoring and a summer enrichment program to improve the STREAM skills of underserved youth in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. We nurture, mentor and empower youth to become critical thinkers and capable leaders in a global society.
About This Cause
The Kansas Department of Education reports that only 15% of students in the Kansas City Kansas Public Schools (KCKPS) are able to read at their grade level and only 8% can solve math problems at their grade level. Oak Ridge Youth Development School (ORYDS) provides year-round tutoring and a summer enrichment program in STREAM learning (science, technology, reading, engineering, art and math) to underserved families and at-risk youth to combat these issues. The Center for Disease Control reports that there are strong correlations between a child’s education and their success as an adult. Students who are unable to perform at their grade level have higher rates of absenteeism and behaviors. This results in fewer graduations, explaining the rate of only 70% graduating from KCKPS, verses the rest of Kansas and the US, averaging around 85-89%. Those who do not graduate have twice the rate of unemployment, underemployment, and inability to utilize resources needed for themselves and their families (health care, quality education for their children, secondary education, stable families, and life satisfaction). These rates are even higher for minority groups (specifically African Americans and Hispanics in Wyandotte County, KS, by 20%). The Wallace Foundation Study reports that moderate to high income families spend seven times more on enrichment activities for their children; however, graduation rates match that of affluent students when low-income students have access to programming with academic focuses throughout their childhood. These rates are why ORYDS assists families with educational and whole person services to ensure that at-risk, underserved youth and their families have access to these much needed resources. Lift Them Up is a newly established, year-round tutoring program at ORYDS for 2024. Students will attend sessions after school that include a full meal (addressing food insecurity for over 92% of the participants), taking part in a social emotional activity (allowing staff/volunteers to check in with the children and prepare them for tutoring), and one hour of tutoring with a certified teacher. The tutor helps the student complete any assigned classwork as well as providing additional instruction and access to industry leading technology and software games that enhance learning. The tutor communicates the student’s progress with their family as well as their school faculty (usually the referral source). Students also have access to the technology and software programs outside of school and tutoring through licensing purchased by ORYDS. This allows the student to practice their literacy and math skills daily so that more progress can be made between tutoring sessions. This program can have up to 20 participants at any time but will utilize services so that students who need more attention will have more sessions, and student who need less will have fewer sessions until completion. Currently ORYDS is discussing collaborative operations with Alpha Delta Sigma to increase the number of tutors available for the program through voluntary services, allowing more students to participate. The summer enrichment program offers similar educational assistance as well as many other services to 100-150 students per summer. ORYDS provides before and after school care so that students have a safe place from 7AM to 5PM. Students also receive breakfast, lunch, and healthy snacks throughout the day (again, to assist families who experience food insecurities). Students start the day by celebrating their progress (awards) and with a guest mentor that completes a Read Aloud and talks to the students about their experiences. During 2024, ORYDS has secured donors to provide students with copies of several of the books that will be presented during the Read Alouds. These practices help students improve their focus and motivation for the day, while Read Alouds help students build vocabulary, improve comprehension and active listening skills, and reduces stress. The mentors that interact with the children are leaders throughout the community and the groups who collaborate with ORYDS for programming. They challenge any negative internalized feelings that underserved youth may have about their own race, culture or beliefs and provide a renewed sense of value that positively impacts their personality and actions; allowing them to expand their mindset and see that they can achieve anything they want in life. Student then join their classmates (ratio of 1 teacher:6 students) for instruction (by a certified teacher) in reading and math as well as access to the same technology and software used in tutoring that allows students to improve their skills. During the 6 week period, students gain (on average) 2 grade levels in both math and reading. Unlike KCKPS, ORYDS has 50% of students reading and performing math skills at or above grade level. Students have access to the technology and software year round to practice. ORYDS holds monthly contests throughout the year for students that continue to use the software to advance their skills. In past years, students have participated in numerous additional programs during the summer enrichment program and 2024 will be no different. Students have daily physical fitness classes and weekly swimming lessons through collaboration with the Providence YMCA. Students also participate in Kids in the Kitchen where they learn how to make healthy meals and snacks. In 2024, ORYDS is partnering with Whole Foods to create a horticulture project where students will grow and harvest their own vegetables to make salsa. They will sell the salsa as part of their entrepreneur curriculum and donate the proceeds to another nonprofit in this area (stewardship). Additionally Bike Walk KC is partnering with ORYDS to provide weekly bike riding lessons, bike safety, and bike repair classes to students in 3rd grade and above. Students will have an opportunity to earn a bike by participating in these classes. ORYDS is also partnering with the Wyandotte Health Foundation to expand programming for social emotional learning (SEL) and character building. Students will participate in weekly activities and a program wide Character Bingo that reinforces positive behaviors. The LPC will be able to utilize more SEL tools for students who are struggling with different adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and build resilience. ORYDS is also partnering with MO-KAN Pets and Pets for Life to introduce students to therapy animals both for the READ program (improving reading and comprehension) and for much needed cuddles. MOCSA will also be partnering with ORYDS to provide age appropriate groups regarding body positivity, safe adults, consent, and healthy relationships. Students will continue to learn about African American history as 98% of the students are African American. ORYDS is partnering with the Show Me Riders who are presenting a Read Aloud about Black Cowboys and will teach the history of this through weekly groups that involve equine therapy and care for their horses. Additionally, ORYDS is partnering with the Red Tail Academy, who will present a Read Aloud about the Tuskegee Airmen followed by a field trip to the downtown airport to tour planes and use the flight simulators. Students will be designing a float and participating in the Juneteenth Heritage Parade and attending the festival as well. ORYDS is partnering with Home Depot to provide weekly building projects for the students that will increase their proficiency in math (angles, measurements, etc.) and understanding of engineering. Financial literacy will be provided to students 6th grade and above. Chess club is also available to all students with a tournament throughout the summer. ORYDS is also working with the Nelson Adkins Museum to create an Art & Soul class on belonging for students to participating in weekly, culminating in a field trip to the museum at the end of the summer. ORYDS will also begin a parent/guardian group that offers different classes identified by the participants. Through partnerships with Dream KC and The Nia Project, these will include health and wellness, parenting skills, adult literacy, and English as a second language. Currently ORYDS has written grants to include case management positions as well, so that families in need can receive one-on-one services to apply for and utilize community resources to address their needs. This will include referrals to resources as well as direct resources in crisis situations, should these grants be awarded.