Against All Odds: The LINK Success Story

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Against All Odds The LINK Success Story

• Project DC
• LINK Inc
• Sean Garrett

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Background Information
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Background Information

• Sousa MS Lowest DC Stanford 9 Scores
• A Case Study
• Success of Afterschool Programs
• 25 less violence (Montgomery, AL)
• Substantial drops in drug and alcohol use
  (Oregon)
• 72 Academic success rate (Brooklyn, NY)
• 80 decrease in absentee days (Chattanooga, TN)
• Statistics from Cohen et all, Providing Quality
  Afterschool. 2000

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Research Purpose and Thesis

• Question To what extent does LINK address the
  challenges faced by these children?
• Thesis LINK makes a small, positive impact on
  the students.

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Linking Communities for Educational Success, Inc

• Founded Winter of 1999
• Mission To help adolescent students living in
  Southeast DC reach their true academic and social
  potential
• Affiliations/Funding Washington College of Law,
  local law firms, DOE, and Sousa MS
• Provides afterschool programs, Saturday
  enrichment, summer camp and monthly programs for
  families

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My Role

• Participatory Observation
• Tutor, Researcher, Friend
• Challenges and Rewards
• Data Gathering
• Informal Interviews
• Dinner for Winners

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Results
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Results, Continued

• Gender Differences
• Boys Club
• Staffing Issues
• Relationship with the School
• Challenges

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Recommendations

• Attendance
• Focus on Parents
• Advertise Academics
• Point System
• Trips and Gender-based Activities
• Staffing
• Male Role Model

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Recommendations

• Program
• Keep Homework Time
• Fieldtrips
• Increase Tutors/Mentors
• Local High Schools and Colleges
• Policy/Funding
• LINK vs DCPS Afterschool
• Staff position

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Next Steps

• Input from Teachers
• Validity of Data
• Outsider Status
• Consolidation of Business Functions
• Be Patient