East Baltimore Development Inc., (EBDI) was awarded a $12 million grant from the Atlantic Philanthropies to launch the Elev8 Balitmore project, a comprehensive program that seeks to improve educational and social outcomes for middle-school aged children by providing critical support structures for families and the communities in which they live.
Formally known as The East Baltimore Integrated Service in Schools (East Baltimore ISS), Elev8 is a project of East Baltimore Development Inc (EBDI), the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the Baltimore Community Foundation. The key components of Elev8 Baltimore are derived from proven models for learning, health, and family supports locally and across the country. The EBDI's goal is to strengthen the quality and increase the quantity of services available to students and their families through local and national partnerships.
The grant will enable the project to work with selected local schools to develop school-specific plans for delivery of full services for after school learning, comprehensive school-linked health services, and student and family supports to middle grades students and their families. It will enable participating schools, including Collington Square School for the Arts, Dr. Rayner Browne Academy, Tench Tilghman Elementary/Middle School, and East Baltimore Community School, with access to local and national professionals with a proven track record with adolescents; cross-school collaboration supported by a Network Director at EBDI and an Elev8 Coordinator
at each school; opportunity to share best practices and engage in local advocacy to improve local and state
approaches to learning, health and supports for adolescents and their families.
As part of the Elev8 Baltimore planning, EBDI is designing a new pre-kindergarten through eighth grade school and reaching out to four existing neighborhood schools as potential sites for Elev8 Baltimore implementation. The prospective schools are located within a mile of one another creating opportunities for sharing resources and services and establishing a meaningful safety net for children, families and neighborhood residents. Similar to the neighborhood demographics, each of the existing neighborhood schools are designated Title I and serve predominantly African American students. Below is a brief description of each school.
School hours at participating schools will be extended by some 50 percent, with the day extended either before or after typical school hours. They will also offer summer educational program lasting at least three to four weeks and Saturday programs at least
once per month. Additional time will also be devoted to rigorous educational and cultural activities related directly to improved
academic achievement and developmental competencies, including academics, with particular emphasis on English, math and science; physical activity, particularly team sports o Culture (music, art, dance, etc.); and behavior, especially factors that are key to academic success, such as study techniques and leadership development opportunities through civic or community engagement.
Student will have access to meaningful relationships with caring, trained adults through evidence-based, school-based mentoring programs. And families will have access to preventative medical services, substance abuse education; mental health education, counseling; dental and nutrition services; and age appropriate reproductive health education. Parents will also have access to information about financial literacy, the Earned Income Tax Credit and other public programs, including child healthcare coverage and food stamps
Source: EBDI
Writer: Walaika Haskins