2011 Kids on Campus Annual Report

AN ATHENS COUNTY COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP • 2011 ANNUAL REPORT

College of Health Sciences and Professions

WHO’S WHO

ABOUT KIDS ON CAMPUS

Staff

Our mission Kids on Campus is a rural partnership that empowers underserved, at-risk children and their families in the realization of their full potential through educational, nutritional and recreational opportunities.

Guiding the organization are the beliefs that every child has the potential to succeed, education is the key to the future, and a supportive home and community environment is essential to achieving educational and social potential.

Interim Program Directors Kevin Davis, Tina Lenigar Program Coordinators Crystal Smith Amanda Brooks This report is published annually to summarize the accomplishments of the Summer and Afterschool programs of Kids on Campus. The organization is a community partnership involving a wide range of individuals and organizations, including the Trimble, Athens City and Federal Hocking local school districts, Ohio Department of Education, Learn and Serve America, Ohio University’s College of Health Sciences and Professions, and many others. ©2011 by the Ohio University College of Health Sciences and Professions Editor Jody Grenert Correspondence regarding Kids on Campus can be sent to: Kevin Davis, interim program director Kids on Campus W317 Grover Center Athens, OH 45701-2979 Telephone: 740-566-8543 E-mail: davisk4@ohio.edu

Ohio University is an Affirmative Action institution.

Our goals  Provide low-income, at-risk children with the opportunity to enhance academic and life skills through high-quality out-of-school

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 Serve as a model program that

will encourage and challenge other communities to develop partnerships to provide services for economically disadvantaged children.  Continue expanding educational experiences to families, schools and communities.  Provide nutritious meals and snacks to all participants.  Demonstrate healthy approaches to resolving conflicts, solving problems and making decisions.  Ensure a safe environment for the program.  Secure the necessary funding to make Kids on Campus programming available to all at-risk children and families.

WHAT’S INSIDE Contents Message from interim program manager | 3 Afterschool Program | 4-7 Summer Program | 8-11 Program partners and supporters | 12-13 Photo gallery | 14-15 On the Web For more information about Kids on Campus, go to: www.ohio.edu/kids

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programming.  Give priority enrollment (75 percent) to children determined to be academically at risk or whose families qualify for free or reduced-price school lunches.  Bring together educational institutions, businesses, agencies and community members to aid in the governance, implementation and evaluation of Kids on Campus programs.  Provide transportation for all students who need it.  Create and implement a multidisclipinary and multicultural curriculum.  Maintain or increase students’ mastery of concepts taught in reading and mathematics.

Acknowledgements Much of the information for this report was gleaned from two lengthy studies undertaken by the Voinovich Center for Leadership and Public Affairs. The center provides applied research and technical assistance to government and development organizations, and has worked with Kids on Campus for several years on the program’s evaluation efforts. In compiling its studies, the Voinovich Center team conducted site visits, interviewed program participants and analyzed data from surveys and tests.

A M E S S AG E F RO M T H E I N T E R I M P RO G R A M M A N AG E R

Some numbers are worth a thousand words W

hen it comes to describing poverty, sometimes numbers tell a story better than words. In the “bad news” category, a few of these numbers include:  Nearly 16 million U.S. children – more than 1 in 5 – lived in poverty in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.  In more than a third of Ohio’s 88 counties, child-poverty rates are above 25 percent, according to a recent report by Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio.

Kevin Davis  Nearly 1 in 3 Athens County children lives in poverty, according to Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio.

We know that children who struggle with poverty have the odds stacked against them when it comes to academic achievement and success. Research shows that children from low-income families learn as rapidly as those from more economically advantaged ones during school hours. It is the lack of participation in learning activities afterschool and during summer where economically disadvantaged kids lose ground.

Kids on Campus (KoC) helps many of the children in Athens County fight these odds. The educational programs, recreational activities and nutritional meals provided by KoC help empower children who are academically at risk and surrounded by rural poverty to reach their full potential.

When it comes to describing KoC’s successes in combating poverty, this year’s Annual Report is a good resource. Flip through the pages and you’ll find plenty of “good news” numbers that tell a story, too:  The KoC afterschool program was able to help 1 in 3 young participants improve their reading grade during the 2010-2011 school year; 27 percent were

Members of the Kids on Campus staff are, from left, Amanda Brooks,Tina Lenigar, Crystal Smith and Kevin Davis.

able to boost their grade in math.  82 percent of parents said their child does better in class while taking part in the KoC afterschool program.  61 percent of parents whose children attended KoC’s 2011 summer program saw an increase in their child’s physical activity due to the program.

KoC has a tremendous amount of data available that demonstrates gains in the academic progress of the children we serve. We have numbers that indicate students are improving their reading levels, math scores, homework completion and overall academic performance. We have numbers that demonstrate the positive views that school districts and teachers have of our program. We also have numbers that show high parental satisfaction with the program.

As you review this Annual Report, we hope you also look beyond the numbers and data detailing our successes and take a moment to notice all the smiling faces. These are the true measure of the difference KoC makes in children’s lives. Those faces show the

happiness, trust, confidence and self-esteem these youngsters gain from their relationship with KoC. Beyond the numbers, both good and bad, these smiles are what our Annual Report is all about.

We know KoC has enriched the lives of many children in Athens County. And we know this true community partnership could not be possible without the support, expertise and commitment of our donors, partners and friends, whom we acknowledge on Pages 12-13. We attribute our success to the collaborative nature of our program.

Thanks for your support.

Sincerely,

Kevin Davis KoC interim program director

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A F T E R S C H O O L P RO G R A M : O V E RV I E W

Nutrition, homework and activities galore M

ore than 450 children in first through sixth grades participated in the Kids on Campus Afterschool Program during the 2010-2011 school year, most of whom qualified for free or reducedprice lunches.

The program operated at five schools: Amesville, Chauncey, Coolville and The Plains elementaries in those cities; Trimble Elementary in Glouster; and Federal Hocking Middle School in Stewart.

The Afterschool Program began in 1998, but underwent a two-year hiatus from 2001 to 2003 due to a funding loss. The majority of its funding comes from state and federal grants administered through the federal and state Departments of Education.

Programming takes place in gyms, libraries, cafeterias, playgrounds and classrooms at each school.

Each school’s program has a coordinator and 20-30 part-time tutors and program assistants who range in age from university students to retirees.

The Afterschool Program’s core mission is providing math and reading intervention and homework assistance, and each school devoted at least 45 minutes a day in this area.

Each school’s program also included academic enrichment activities and

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healthy snacks.

Fitness and nutrition are emphasized on the playground and in the classroom. All snacks provided in the program follow USDA guidelines and include choices from at least two food groups.

Program coordinators also emphasize the importance of good behavior, and each school has its own rules regarding conflict management and consequences.

Each program site pursues a different schedule that reflects differing timetables and needs within its community.

The afterschool activities provide children with a variety of enrichment experiences including art, music, science, computers, multicultural activities cooking, dancing, physical exercise, community service and numerous recreational opportunities.

The program was created to help children who, despite the diligent efforts of their families and schools, need additional assistance and activities to meet state mandatory testing requirements and become proficient readers, writers and problem-solvers.

These students work best in the small-group learning environments that Kids on Campus operates at its member schools for approximately 30 weeks of the school year.

A F T E R S C H O O L P RO G R A M : I M PA C T

Surveys and testing gauge program’s success S 82% everal academic tests and surveys were conducted during the 30week schedule to evaluate the program and the children’s learning progress.

Surveys of KoC students, parents and teachers were conducted by Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, which provides applied research and technical assistance to government and development organizations. In addition, the children took standardized tests aimed at measuring improvements in reading and math skills.

On the right side of this page are highlights of these surveys and tests.

KoC has implemented the LeapFrog intervention system of interactive software. LeapFrog improves reading and math skills by providing personal learning paths to accelerate student mastery of state academic standards.

of parents agreed that their child does better in school when attending the program.

66%

of elementary school teachers said the KoC participants in their classrooms had shown improvement in their academic performance.

63%

of elementary school teachers said the KoC participants in their classrooms had shown improvement in completing homework.

60%

of children participating in the program said they learned something new at KoC

34%

of KoC participants improved their reading grades from fall to spring..

27%

of KoC participants improved their math grades from fall to spring..

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A F T E R S C H O O L P RO G R A M : S N A P S H OT O F S C H O O L S

Each school takes its own path to success

AMESVILLE ELEMENTARY

CHAUNCEY ELEMENTARY

COOLVILLE ELEMENTARY

Address: SR 329 N, Amesville, OH 45711 Coordinator: Crystal Smith Program began: 2003 Children enrolled: 40 2011 highlights:  Puppet, poem and theater research  Arabic articulation  Edible institutes  International Fair family event  Visit from Petland  Drum making  Paper Mache crafts  Storybook covers

Address: 21 Birge Drive, Chauncey, OH 45719 Coordinator: Amanda Brooks Program began: 2003 Children enrolled: 50 2011 highlights: More than 100 parents and family

Address: 26461 Main Street, Coolville, OH 45723 Coordinator: Crystal Smith Program began: 2002 Children enrolled: 52 2011 highlights:  Swiss Alps replica  Clay animals  Italian mummies  Candy crystals  Leaning tower of Pisa structures with marsh-

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members attended the program’s 4 Family Events, which featured a magician, making ice cream in a bag, family reading activities and a cookout. Academic enrichment units included STEM-focused activities (science, technology, engineering and math), cooking and nutrition, weather, sewing and various physical activities. Special presentations were given by the Ohio University Athletics Department, The Dairy Barn, Ohio Valley International Council, Hocking College and The Athens News. Each of the students worked during the spring to research, write and illustrate their own book. They also each sewed and decorated their own pillows made from recycled T-shirts.

mallows and noodles  Jell-O houses  Visitor from Wayne National Forest  Bake sale that raised $65, which that was donated to the local food bank

A F T E R S C H O O L P RO G R A M : S N A P S H OT O F S C H O O L S

Activities are fun, healthy and educational

THE PLAINS ELEMENTARY

TRIMBLE ELEMENTARY

FEDERAL HOCKING MIDDLE

Address: 90 Connett Rd., The Plains, OH 45780 Coordinator: Amanda Brooks Program began: 2007 Children enrolled: 50 2011 highlights: Academic enrichment activties

Address: Rt. 3, 18500 Jacksonville Rd., Glouster, OH

Address: 8461 State Route 144, Stewart, OH 45778 Coordinator: ????

Program began: 2005 Children enrolled: 32 2011 highlights:  ???????  ???????  ???????  ???????  ???????

included STEM-related pursuits (science, technology, engineering and math), cooking and nutrition, geography, music, junior achievement and various physical activities. Special presenters came from The Dairy Barn, Ohio Valley International Council, Hocking College, and Ohio University’s College of Business and School of Applied Health Sciences and Wellness.

Several teachers noticed improvement in students’ recall of math facts. Given the program’s emphasis on math facts in the homework room, this was a solid result. Also, students greatly improved their reading ability and confidence. Homeroom teachers noticed that KoC participants volunteered to read more often during class.

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Coordinator: Kevin Davis Program began: 2005 Children enrolled: 63 2011 highlights: Regular activities included:  Nutritious snack and recess  Homework assistance  Computer time  Newsletters  Special guests from Ohio University and the

Athens community The program also held a science fair in which the children worked on projects for more than a month.

There was also a “free day” in which activity stations were set up around the school and the kids picked where they wanted to go and when. These included a pottery station, popcorn and movie, computer games, build-your-own veggie pizza and bingo.

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S U M M E R P R O G R A M : T R I M B L E E L E M E N TA RY

Be Bold program stresses nutrition, exercise K

ids on Campus completed its 16th year of summer programming in 2011 with activities that involved 124 children, many of whom qualified for free or reduced-price school lunches.

The summer program took place at both Trimble Elementary School in Glouster and Federal Hocking Middle School in Stewart (See Page 10 for details on the Federal Hocking program).

The Trimble Elementary program had 55 partipants in grades one through five. Students were placed in one of three 18-person teams, depending on grade level.

The program included breakfast and lunch.

Funding for the program was provided by the Sisters of St. Joseph Charitable Fund and the federal 21st Century Community Learning Center Program, established by Congress to help rural and inner-city public schools meet state and local student standards in core academic subjects.

The program emphasized nutrition, exercise and health in the hope that the children would then share their new health-related knowledge with their families.

Recreation activities focused on hand-eye coordination and

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sportsmanship. Students practiced juggling three balls or bean bags daily. They also participated in obstacle courses and organized team activities such as soccer.

During the five-week program each week featured a different science theme. These included birds, butterflies, Earth, frogs and physics.

Students worked on a variety of projects including a butterfly journal, birdcalls, seltzer rockets and slime. Activities were the same for each team, but they were modified to fit the skill levels of the three age groups.

Each of the three teams rotated through Reading Lab each day except Friday, which was field trip day. In Reading Lab, participants had a chapter book read aloud to them and they worked on various reading skills under the supervision of a first-grade teacher from a neighboring school.

Introduced this year was Accelerated Reader, a program where students read books and then took comprehension quizzes online. Each student in the program received a report on their progress and reading level.

On the last day, a “family day� party was held with inflatables and fun activities for families.

I M PA C T O F P RO G R A M

Engaging activities help children to learn T

he Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs undertook an evaluation of the Be Bold program that involved the following elements:  Assessment of participants’ gains in reading, writing and word-identification skills.  Satisfaction survey of participants.  Satisfaction survey of participants’ parents.  Staff questionnaire concerning what worked, barriers and student performance.

Below and on Page 11 are highlights of these surveys and questionnaires.

81%

of participants in KoC’s summer program at Trimble Elementary improved their wordidentification skills.

73%

of first-, second-, and third-graders in the Trimble summer program improved their grade level in reading by at least three months.

78%

of parents reported improvement in their child’s reading skills as a result of the program.

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S U M M E R P RO G R A M : F E D E R A L H O C K I N G M I D D L E S C H O O L

Lessons on gardening and eating healthy foods F

unding for the Be Bold summer program at Federal Hocking Middle school was provided by federal 21st Century Learning Community funds, as well as grants from Bob Evans Farms and the Athens Foundation.

Ohio University’s College of Health Sciences and Professions provided staff and volunteers for the program, and the Community Foods Initiative provided food for learning and meals, and staff members to supervise the students as they prepared menus and meal ingredients. There were 72 participants from grades one through 11, all from Federal Hocking School District.

A key to the program was its partnership with the Community Foods Initiative, which operates a “Farm to Cafeteria� project in Athens County schools. The program emphased growing and cooking meals that are organic and meat free.

Regular activities included reading, recreation, gardening, cooking and Earth science. The gardening activity started before summer as a project by eighth-graders in preparing soil and planting seeds and plants.

The gardening activities were directly connected to the cooking activities. Students were involved in the preparation, cooking and serving of food to all staff and children attending the program.

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I M PA C T O F P RO G R A M

Parents were pleased with children’s progress According to surveys of parents of children in the Be Bold summer program:

78%

of parents feel that their child is more prepared for the coming school year after attending the program.

72%

of the parents rated Be Bold an excellent summer program.

61%

of parents saw their children’s physical activity level improve as a result of the program.

“I felt that my children were safe in an enriching environment and seriously eating healthy meals.”

— Parent

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D O N O R S , PA RT N E R S A N D S U P P O RT E R S

With the help of generous benefactors ...

COMMUNITY ACEnet Athena Grand Athens City/County Health Department Athens City Pool Athens City School District Athens County Children Services Athens County Dept. of Job and Family Services Athens County Health Recovery Services Athens County Library System Athens Foundation Athens Humane Society Athens Historical Society Athens News Big Brothers Big Sisters of Athens County Bob Evans Farms Burr Oak State Park Community Food Initiatives

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Coolville Fire Department Corporation for National Service (COMCorps) Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development Dow’s Roller Rink Federal Hocking Local School District Good Works Inc. Hocking College – Dave Sagan Hocking College Youth Tutoring Program Hocking, Athens, Perry Community Action Junior Achievement Kiwanis Club of Athens Learn and Serve America Live Healthy Appalachia Lowe’s M&M Inflatables Nelsonville City Pool Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources Ohio Division of Forestry

Ohio Second Harvest Food banks Petland Inc. Play Soccer Appalachia Precision Imprint Rural Action Shag Bark Mill Sisters of Saint Joseph Charitable Fund Sunday Creek Watershed The Dairy Barn Cultural Arts Center Ohio State University Extension – Athens Tri County Mental Health Counseling Services Trimble Local School District United Seniors of Athens County USDA Summer Food Program Wayne National Forest Headquarters …and many other generous community members

D O N O R S , PA RT N E R S A N D S U P P O RT E R S

... we put smiles on faces OHIO UNIVERSITY Alpha Delta Phi Athletic Department Auxiliary Services Campus Involvement Center Campus Recycling Campus Safety College of Business Patton College of Education and Human Services College of Fine Arts College of Health Sciences and Professions Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine

Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development (ILGARD) Legal Affairs Literacy Center Office of Community Service Office of Finance and Administration Office of Financial Aid Office of Institutional Equity Ohio Valley International Council Stevens Literacy Center Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs

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P H O T O G A L L E RY

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K IDS ON C A MPU S

P H O T O G A L L E RY

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Kids on Campus W317 Grover Center Athens, OH 45701-2979 Telephone: 740-566-8543 www.ohio.edu/kids

College of Health Sciences and Professions