7 Organizations Dedicated To Helping Students Succeed
From kindergarten to college, all students deserve to have opportunities that allow them to learn and thrive. Unfortunately, not all children have equal access to the resources they need. The seven organizations listed here work to help students succeed, both in school and in life, by providing them with everything from help enrolling in college to music education to healthy food. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.
Groups That Work With Students
| Name | Mission |
|---|---|
| OneGoal | Provide urban students with the resources, support, and network to enroll in and graduate from four-year colleges |
| Coalition for Responsible Home Education | Empower homeschooled children by educating the public and advocating for child-centered, evidence-based policy and practices for families and professionals |
| Vision To Learn | Provide free eye exams and glasses to kids in low-income communities |
| Whole Kids Foundation | Support schools and inspire families to improve children’s nutrition and wellness |
| Crossover Basketball and Scholars Academy | Impact the education rates of marginalized communities in India through the use of basketball as a vehicle of change |
| Guitars and Ukes in the Classroom | Expand the role of music in education by training, inspiring, and equipping teachers to provide integrated music with cross-curricular learning |
| Widening Advancements for Youth | Change lives by creating engaging and encouraging educational opportunities for all young people |
Benefits Of Higher Education
- Students gain new life experience
- Graduates earn more money over time
- Opens minds up to new perspectives
- Gives students a chance to network with their peers
- Provides more career opportunities
- Improves critical thinking skills
- Allows students to realize where their passions lie
- Earning a diploma comes with a sense of accomplishment
The Boost Students Need To Overcome Obstacles
High School Graduations Rates By State
As of the 2016-17 school year, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics
| State | Graduation Rate | State | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 89.3% | Montana | 85.8% |
| Alaska | 78.2% | Nebraska | 89.1% |
| Arizona | 78.0% | Nevada | 80.9% |
| Arkansas | 88.0% | New Hampshire | 88.9% |
| California | 82.7% | New Jersey | 90.5% |
| Colorado | 79.1% | New Mexico | 71.1% |
| Connecticut | 87.9% | New York | 81.8% |
| Delaware | 86.9% | North Carolina | 86.6% |
| Florida | 82.3% | North Dakota | 87.2% |
| Georgia | 80.6% | Ohio | 84.2% |
| Hawaii | 82.7% | Oklahoma | 82.6% |
| Idaho | 79.7% | Oregon | 76.7% |
| Illinois | 87.0% | Pennsylvania | 86.6% |
| Indiana | 83.8% | Rhode Island | 84.1% |
| Iowa | 91.0% | South Carolina | 83.6% |
| Kansas | 86.5% | South Dakota | 83.7% |
| Kentucky | 89.7% | Tennessee | 89.8% |
| Louisiana | 78.1% | Texas | 89.7% |
| Maine | 86.9% | Utah | 86.0% |
| Maryland | 87.7% | Vermont | 89.1% |
| Massachusetts | 88.3% | Virginia | 86.9% |
| Michigan | 80.2% | Washington | 79.4% |
| Minnesota | 82.7% | West Virginia | 89.4% |
| Mississippi | 83.0% | Wisconsin | 88.6% |
| Missouri | 88.3% | Wyoming | 86.2% |
The Four Types Of Learners
- Visual: Prefer to look at information and visualize concepts
- Auditory: Prefer to listen to information
- Reading/Writing: Prefer to absorb information through text
- Kinesthetic: Prefer to learn through hands-on experiments
How To Handle Test Anxiety
In Depth
School can be challenging enough on its own, but many students face additional barriers to success, such as inadequate resources, medical difficulties, and abusive households. Recognizing these obstacles, numerous dedicated organizations strive to increase opportunities and bolster young people in their educational journeys. In no particular order, here are seven groups offering important resources and support to students, families, and educators.
Beginning our list at #1 is OneGoal, which strives to resolve the disparity in rates of college matriculation between low-income and well-off communities. From its start as an after-school program at Chicago's Dunbar Vocational Career Academy, it has grown into an organization serving over ten thousand students each year, with measurable increases in graduation rates among participants, validated by academic research. OneGoal selects teachers working in low-income school districts and trains them as Program Directors, equipping them with the skills to guide students in pursuing higher education.
The OneGoal model emphasizes the student-mentor relationship, with Program Directors offering individualized coaching and support. They focus on the three critical years during which participants research and apply to colleges, graduate from high school, and begin their post-secondary education. They help students develop the skills and attitudes that lead to academic success, with teachers receiving direct assistance from OneGoal staff throughout. The organization welcomes support, whether in the form of partnerships with high schools and colleges, applications from prospective Program Directors, or donations to fund their work.
They help students develop the skills and attitudes that lead to academic success, with teachers receiving direct assistance from OneGoal staff throughout.
Next up, at #2, is the Coalition for Responsible Home Education, a group working to safeguard and support homeschooled children. Founded by several homeschooling alumni with experience of both the positive and negative sides of the practice, they compile research on its methods and outcomes, to help inform the public. The organization seeks to raise awareness of the use of family education to conceal child abuse and academic neglect, maintaining a database of severe cases around the country.
In addition to documenting the consequences of abusive homeschooling, CRHE works to promote positive outcomes. They advocate for policies that would elevate standards and increase oversight, with the aim of preventing neglect and harm. They also highlight success stories and best practices, providing informational resources for parents, students, and individuals concerned about possible abuse. CRHE's website provides overviews of laws and research regarding home education. Those wishing to support the organization's mission can donate or volunteer, while those with personal experience can help as advocates.
#3 on our list is Vision To Learn, a nonprofit providing glasses to children in low-income communities, with the aim of removing a critical barrier to academic success. They partner with schools to conduct vision screenings, and deliver glasses directly to the students who need them using their mobile clinics. First started in Los Angeles in 2012, the program now serves children in over one hundred school districts across America.
They partner with schools to conduct vision screenings, and deliver glasses directly to the students who need them using their mobile clinics.
Vision To Learn has been recognized by public officials, teachers' associations, and other nonprofits for their impact. They have partnered with sports teams and local governments to further their mission, and they work to raise awareness about the extent of untreated eyesight problems, which affect American students' ability to succeed. Supporters can assist by making a donation, or by helping to bring Vision To Learn to a community in need.
Coming in at #4 is Whole Kids Foundation, a nonprofit seeking to promote healthy eating habits, and expand access to nutrition, among school-age children. Founded by Whole Foods Market to combat childhood obesity in America, they offer grants to provide schools with salad bars for their cafeterias, creating healthy lunch options for students. They also fund educational garden programs, aiming to teach kids about where food comes from, expose them to new tastes, and inspire enthusiasm about fruits and vegetables.
Some of Whole Kids Foundation's other initiatives include Bee Grants for schools to purchase hives and teach children about pollination, nutrition education for teachers who want to be more effective in promoting wellness, and an online resource library to assist schools with providing nourishing lunch menus. They also help to fund other organizations that promote children's health and nutrition, through the Healthy Kids Innovation Program. Readers looking to support the Foundation's work can make a donation or inquire about fundraising online.
Some of Whole Kids Foundation's other initiatives include Bee Grants for schools to purchase hives and teach children about pollination, nutrition education for teachers who want to be more effective in promoting wellness, and an online resource library to assist schools with providing nourishing lunch menus.
Entry #5 is Crossover Basketball and Scholars Academy, an international nonprofit based out of Boston, but working overseas in India, dedicated to increasing school attendance and graduation through athletic engagement. Using the sport as a springboard to teach lessons about leadership, teamwork, and perseverance, their coaching volunteers help to motivate participants to set and achieve academic goals. And by giving children an opportunity to engage in a gender-balanced program, they help to promote equality and build confidence in young girls.
Crossover's Hoops Creating Hope program is a two-week camp experience, offered for free to disadvantaged students, in which participants play, learn, and develop mindsets for success. Meanwhile, their after-school initiative provides additional opportunities for students to build on the skills they've learned on the court. Supporters can get involved as volunteers, spread the word about Crossover's programs, or make a donation to fund their work.
At #6 we have Guitars and Ukes in the Classroom, which works to enhance the school experience by providing access to musical learning opportunities. Believing in the importance of cross-curricular education and creative expression, they train teachers to play instruments and incorporate music, singing, and songwriting into their lessons. Their educators work within classrooms, letting children learn about risk-taking and perseverance by watching their own teachers grapple with a new skill.
Their educators work within classrooms, letting children learn about risk-taking and perseverance by watching their own teachers grapple with a new skill.
Through their AMAISE program, GITC prepares teachers to make use of music in a special education context, to ensure that developmental disabilities do not prevent children from experiencing the benefits of musical learning. The group hosts a conference on the practice, bringing together educators and staff members to connect, discuss, and build their skills. They also provide instruments and other supplies directly to classrooms where they're needed. Those wishing to contribute to GITC's mission can assist as volunteers, or donate to fund their work.
Concluding our list at #7 is Widening Advancements for Youth, or WAY, a nonprofit providing personalized educational experiences for middle and high school students. Aiming to engage interest and develop independence in young people, the project-based curriculum challenges participants to solve problems that relate to real-world skills. Coursework blends online and in-person learning, and students can set their own pace and make their own schedules.
WAY programs offer small class sizes and individual mentoring, aiming to put students on track to graduating with the abilities, and the confidence, to succeed in higher education. Their method incorporates technology to build important skills for twenty-first century life, with the curriculum delivered through the online learning platform HERO. By giving students more control over their own education, WAY seeks to encourage self-motivation and encourage young people to pursue their own goals. They welcome partnerships with interested schools, individuals, and organizations.
