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This project is being considered by the White House for inclusion in some of its local initiatives to reduce juvenile delinquency. CALS, the computer-assisted literacy project endorsed by Rotary, was used to supplement a number of Northern Virginia after-school programs in low income areas. The project was first inserted into a program which supported middle and high school students forced on suspension from their regular school programs. It was soon inserted into four Computer Learning Center Project sites, and it was also inserted into the Alternative House after school programs. CALS has the proven capacity to raise literacy levels of student and adult learners 6 grade levels on average. Within six months of starting students who were normally frustrated in traditional classroom settings learn reading and comprehension skills which make them competitive in most academic settings. CALS has also been proven to be very effective as a tool for learning English as a second language. Freddy Medina, site coordinator for the Culmore SOS site and also for Alternative House, has successfully shown this to be the case with local students.
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SOS PlusSupport on Suspension (SOS)
PLUSComputer Assisted Literacy Solution (CALS)
Six Clubs
• Alexandria
• Bailey’s Crossroads
• Burke
• Dunn Loring
• Falls Church
• Tysons Corner
CALS
• COMPUTER ASSISTED LITERACY SOLUTION (CALS)
• Computer program which improves literacy levels in students of all age levels including adults
• Self-paced computer program available through high speed internet access
• Can be monitored by a facilitator at a different site
SOS
• SUPPORT ON SUSPENSION (SOS)
• A program run by Fairfax Partnership for Youth (FPY)
• Designed to give students who have been put on suspension in Fairfax County middle and high schools academic support
• Program sites at two locations
Four Facts
• Support on Suspension (SOS) – a local non-profit had history of support from 3 Clubs
• SOS had high percentage of students with lack of proficiency in literacy or in English
• Schools supported by program were in the “footprints” of 5 Clubs
• Computer Assisted Literacy Solution (CALS) –strong support in 3 Clubs
One Idea!
• Can CALS help students in the SOS program with their:
– Literacy Issues?
– English Proficiency Issues?
Research of Project Feasibility
• Fairfax Partnership for Youth (FPY) researched how CALS could be used to augment SOS.
• 3 of the 6 clubs had all done pilot programs using CALS.
• Demographic data from VA Department of Education and SOS Program showed that a high percentage of students came from low income areas where English proficiency was an issue.
Building Multi-Club Support
• Presentations at club meetings
• Social events
• Circulation of draft District Simplified Grant (DSG) request
• Build on existing familiarity with two known District 7610 club supported projects – CALS and SOS.
Planning• Committee consisting of knowledgeable representatives of:
Six clubsPartnering organization, FPYFairfax County
• Various members took on key roles:– Supervising project manager– Treasurer– Instructional Trainers and Facilitators– Publicity– Community Outreach
• Develop Project Plan
Plan
Based on student numbers from prior year 90 students were anticipated to go through SOS in current year
Each student participating would be given a CALS license
Staff site coordinators and volunteers were to be trained in administration and support of students
Implementation
• Fissures in plan appeared right after receiving grant money.
• At first meeting FPY indicated that THEIR financial situation was potentially unstable.
• FPY was unable to open SOS sites as scheduled.
• … and then, six clubs leap into action!!!!!
First Rotarian Redemption
• DOGFISH HEAD ALEHOUSE FUNDRAISER!– Raised over $5000 in needed funds to help open the two
SOS sites
– SIX CLUB FELLOWSHIP EVENT – Fellow Rotarians came out of the woodwork to support this project!
– HUGE COMMUNITY SUPPORT from Non-Rotarians too!
January Review
• Both SOS site coordinators quit in December
• Snow up to our armpits!
• Only a few CALS licenses activated by end of January
• Numbers of students being put on suspension was down
• Report delayed
• DILEMMA: What to do?
Second Rotarian Redemption
• WE NEED NEW PARTNERS!• Key committee members did a complete
reassessment of the project• Researched possible partners serving the same
demographic• Fairfax County’s Computer Learning Centers
Partnership (CLCP) was identified as possible partner in spirit of original grant proposal
• Selection of CLCP was reviewed and approved by the 7610 District TRF DSG committee.
Implementation of New Phase
• Originally started with 3 CLCP centers
• Still supporting two SOS sites
• Expanded to a fourth CLCP center
• Also expanded to Culmore Teen Center at Alternative House!
• By the end of our project we will have touched a total of 116 students!
Evaluation
• Success will be determined by:– Number of licenses issued
– Automatic reports generated by CALS management system
– Raised Rotary Awareness• 4 out of 6 clubs have had CALS presentations at their weekly
meetings
• Publicity in RI Literacy newsletter, FPY newsletter, Falls Church News Press
Evaluation (Continued)
• Success will also be determined by:– Number of Rotarian volunteers involved in hands-on
aspects of this project• Dogfish Head Ale House Fundraiser received active participation from every club
involved in project– Clubs took shifts at event so there was always a Rotarian on site from opening to closing.– 50-50 Raffle– Encouraging fellow club members and members of the community to come and eat
lunch, dinner, or both at the Dogfish Hear Ale House that day!– Although we did receive 15% of the proceeds from the restaurant that day – WE
GENERATED MORE MONEY FROM THE 50-50 RAFFLE AND SILENT AUCTION!
• Burke Club involved in training 7 facilitators for project• Key committee members were recruited equally from all six clubs• One on one tutoring with students at Culmore and Huntington sites by Rotarian
volunteers from the Bailey’s Club• Treasurer in charge of making dispersals on DSG was a member of the Falls Church
Club
