In the Spotlight
LISC Loan Supports Successful Summer Reading Program
Kansas City, MO (July 2008) - Committed to improving access to quality education, Greater Kansas City LISC made a $1,318,000 loan to the Swope Corridor Renaissance Upper Room, Inc. (Upper Room), an eight-week summer reading program offered free of charge to elementary and middle school students in low-income communities. The loan covers the entire cost of the program, including teacher salaries and educational expenses.
Upper Room has been wildly successful in helping students reach their full academic potential. Hundreds of students who participated in the program have experienced a dramatic increase in reading level as they work with 85 certified teachers and over 500 volunteers. "Last year John Hopkins [University] did an evaluation program," said Jerry McEvoy, executive director of Upper Room. "They found the average student gained a full academic year in reading in the eight weeks, which is literally unheard of anywhere else."
The program is so successful in bridging the achievement gap that McEvoy was given the opportunity to represent Upper Room as part of a panel in Washington, DC this summer. One of only four programs in the national spotlight, Upper Room touted its undeniable academic successes in support of new legislation proposed by Senator Barack Obama that would provide increased federal funding for educational summer programs.
Academic improvement isn’t the only thing Upper Room has to brag about. The Hopkins evaluation also revealed that 100% of the students wanted to return to the program the following summer - a statistic that did not surprise McEvoy. When Upper Room began in 1999, only 89 students participated in the summer program. This summer, over 1,500 students are enrolled in 14 sites. "We didn't even advertise," said McEvoy. "We just sent a letter out to the families that participated the year before and enrollment blew up on its own."
McEvoy added that thanks to the LISC loan, Upper Room was able to begin implementation of a five-year expansion plan to include 21 new sites, serving a total of 3,500 students. "Each year we'll have money to put back into the pro-gram," said McEvoy. "This financial plan will help us grow to where we want to be." |
Mentoring can change a life.
The average student gains a full academic
year in reading in the eight-week program.
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The loan reflects LISC’s commitment to neighborhood revitalization. “Greater Kansas City LISC is proud to support Upper Room,” said Julie Porter, executive director. “We believe that access to quality education is vital to creating and maintaining sustainable communities.”
NeighborhoodsNOW - Increasing Access to Quality Education
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