Reach for the Future!
A Partnership for Educational Success
in Spokane, Washington
in Spokane, Washington
How Reach for the Future! began and what we do
In 2005,
Reach for the Future! began with a small group of local women who had
read about and had seen a 60 Minutes television segment about the first
"I Have a Dream Foundation" class in New York City. The Spokane group
contacted the "I Have a Dream" organization, and set up a Board of
Directors. Members of the Board met with the director of four IHAD
projects in Vancouver. They also traveled to Portland, Oregon to visit
the program center for the nine Portland projects. They met with the
chairman of their Board and a sponsor of one of the projects, and
observed a project coordinator. Reach for the Future! is modeled after the "I Have a Dream Foundation" which has a proven rate of success. Since
November 2005, when Reach for the Future! received 501(c)(3)
designation, the Sponsors and Board of Directors have been aggressively
raising funds for the implementation of this program.
Our Reach students doing a Legos project.
Our Reach students doing a Legos project.
In
September, 2008, in collaboration with the Spokane School District and
the Boys and Girls Club of Spokane County, Reach for the Future!
adopted the entire second grade
level at Lidgerwood Elementary School where each student is
guaranteed a college education or vocational training if s/he graduates
from high school. To ensure success in reaching the goal, the
appropriate support structure is being provided with a focus on
mitigating barriers to social and academic success and instilling pride
in each student's own competence. The Project Coordinator (our only paid staff member) manages all of the after-school and summer programs which include tutoring, homework
support, field trips, social and cultural enrichment activities.
Our Project Coordinator, Lauren, and some of the Reach students.