Urban Ed Academy (UEA)
SMART Saturdays: Study, Move, Achieve, Respond, Transition
UEA believes that what Frederick Douglass said more than 150 years ago holds true today, "It is easier to build strong children than to fix broken men." SMART Saturdays builds strong boys of color equipped with the skills they need to learn, succeed, and lead.
SMART Saturdays uses a culturally relevant curriculum that occurs over 42 Saturdays each year. Boys participate in cohort-based projects and learning designed to grow academic proficiency and address the social/emotional challenges that impede school success.
SMART Saturdays prepares boys of color for the challenges of school and life.
Too many young men of color find themselves on the fringes of American society simply because they lacked solid educational foundations. UEA changes this paradigm by ensuring that boys of color begin cultivating the academic and critical social/emotional competencies required to do well in school, their careers, and life.
A 5th grader, Javon reads at a 2nd grade level, and his reading and science scores place him in the bottom 25% of students in his grade. He spends more time in the principal's office than the classroom. Javon's future is bleak, and he is already in danger of dropping out of school and into a life filled with economic and social challenges.
Javon is not alone.
- More than 80% of low-income boys of color lose 200 hours of classroom time each year due to detentions and suspensions.
- They consistently score in the bottom 25% of their classes on achievement tests.
- More than 70% of boys of color end up dropping out of high school.
- They earn 75% less than do their white and Asian peers.
- Young men of color fill more prison cells across the country than do any others.
- UEA's SMART Saturdays changes this trend for Javon and 499 other boys of color.
UEA's SMART Saturdays changes this trend for Javon and 499 other boys of color.
What We Need & What You Get
UEA's founders started this journey almost two years ago, and since then, they developed and piloted SMART Saturdays' innovative and interactive curriculum. UEA's strategies engage students academically while fostering leadership, building self-esteem, and cultivating a strong a sense of culture and community.
We must raise $25,000 by August 2013 to support the kick off our inaugural class of 500 boys of color.
Your donation can change how boys of color access and value education beginning at a young age.
Impact of Your Donation
UEA SMART Saturdays creates a cadre of engaged and joyful learners equipped to navigate the challenges of middle and high school and who achieve success throughout their academic careers and lives. UEA boys are our next generation of visionaries, leaders, scholars, entrepreneurs, and community stewards.
Of UEA's 500 boys,
- 475 will raise their grades.
- 450 will meet or exceed educational standards for their grade level.
- 425 will graduate from middle school.
- 400 will graduate from high school.
- 500 will understand the importance of education.
- 400 will champion causes affecting their neighborhoods.
We cannot do it without you...
Donate to UEA's SMART Saturdays and you'll get shout outs on Twitter, cool UEA swag, fun trips and adventures, and opportunities to connect with UEA's community.
Other Ways You Can Help
We know that not everyone can donate so here are some other ways you can help:
- Spread the word about UEA and our effort to raise the funds to kick off our first class in June 2013.
- Refer a boy so he can benefit from UEA and our program.
- SHARE our story with your friends, family, and community/networks by using the tools on our page!
YOU CAN CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY FOR BOYS OF COLOR - IT IS AS EASY AS DONATING, SHARING, AND SHOUTING OUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO...
UEA is a project of the Tides Center.
For more information contact Theodore Palmer -Creative Edge PR (646) 575-2967- TPlamer@creativeedgepr.com