community foundation grant proposal final draft

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Mollie Foust Proposal Draft II 1) One Page Cover Letter Flower City Soccer League (FCSL), a non-profit urban youth soccer league, provides over five hundred Rochester youth the opportunity to participate in an alternative athletic activity during the afterschool hours. With over forty teams in the league, FCSL attracts a wide spectrum of youth from every Rochester neighborhood. As stated in its mission statement, FCSL stresses not only the athletic development of its participants but equally the enhancement of life skills and improvement of academic performance for all players. The league’s past efforts to improve academic achievement, including highest G.P.A. awards and tutors by-request, have fallen short as evidenced by exceedingly low New York State Test scores in the Rochester City School District. Despite the fact that the majority of FCSL teams reside in city recreational centers where academic services may be offered, very few facilities follow curriculums with trained facilitators and only a handful of FCSL players take advantage of these services. Additionally, some teams are neighborhood or community- based and cannot offer any type of academic assistance to their players. As such, FCSL proposes to institute the Flower City Academy™ as an enhancement of the pre-existing programs offered by the recreational facilities. The Flower City Academy™ will provide high-level academic assistance through one-on-one tutoring, peer-to-peer learning, and math and literacy games to athletes in the Under-12 division (ages 11-12). This age group was chosen because the Rochester City School District identified seventh grade as the critical year in declining test scores. In establishing the Flower City Academy™, FCSL will achieve the following goals: 1. Develop and implement a twelve-week academic tutoring curriculum for youth ages 11-12 who participate in the FCSL league. 2. Pilot the program in two FCSL locations. The pilots will evaluate the design of the Flower City Academy™ and help aid in the refinement of the program.

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Final Proposal for Community Foundation Grant; 2009

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Page 1: Community Foundation Grant Proposal Final Draft

Mollie FoustProposal Draft II

1) One Page Cover Letter

Flower City Soccer League (FCSL), a non-profit urban youth soccer league, provides over five hundred Rochester youth the opportunity to participate in an alternative athletic activity during the afterschool hours. With over forty teams in the league, FCSL attracts a wide spectrum of youth from every Rochester neighborhood. As stated in its mission statement, FCSL stresses not only the athletic development of its participants but equally the enhancement of life skills and improvement of academic performance for all players.

The league’s past efforts to improve academic achievement, including highest G.P.A. awards and tutors by-request, have fallen short as evidenced by exceedingly low New York State Test scores in the Rochester City School District.

Despite the fact that the majority of FCSL teams reside in city recreational centers where academic services may be offered, very few facilities follow curriculums with trained facilitators and only a handful of FCSL players take advantage of these services. Additionally, some teams are neighborhood or community-based and cannot offer any type of academic assistance to their players. As such, FCSL proposes to institute the Flower City Academy™ as an enhancement of the pre-existing programs offered by the recreational facilities.

The Flower City Academy™ will provide high-level academic assistance through one-on-one tutoring, peer-to-peer learning, and math and literacy games to athletes in the Under-12 division (ages 11-12). This age group was chosen because the Rochester City School District identified seventh grade as the critical year in declining test scores. In establishing the Flower City Academy™, FCSL will achieve the following goals:

1. Develop and implement a twelve-week academic tutoring curriculum for youth ages 11-12 who participate in the FCSL league.

2. Pilot the program in two FCSL locations. The pilots will evaluate the design of the Flower City Academy™ and help aid in the refinement of the program.

3. Facilitate the adoption of the Flower City Academy™ in recreational facilities that already provide academic assistance. This will include the training of current staff members as well as a restructuring of the existing programs to include an evidence-based curriculum.

4. The Flower City Academy™ will become a model for Rochester youth sports programs and will share its expertise with other local athletic leagues through community workshops, lectures, and youth-led seminars.

FCSL requests a grant of $34,000 to hire a Youth Development Coordinator, train recreation center staff as well as FCSL coaches, referees, and volunteers, integrate the Flower City Academy™ into the current services of the recreation center, and enhance the facilities where the Flower City Academy™ will take place, including but not limited to educational materials and supplies and transportation for independent teams. The establishment of the Flower City Academy™ is will tremendously enhance the experiences of athletes who participate in the Flower City Soccer League and further improve the academic achievement of Rochester’s youth.

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2) Organization Information

Basic Information:

Flower City Soccer League, Inc. 3240 Chili AvenueRochester, NY 14624

Phone: (585) 889-4840Fax: (585) 889-4190

Email: [email protected]: http://www.flowercitysoccerleague.com

Project Contact:

Mollie FoustEmail: [email protected]: (847) 271-5522

Board of Directors

Jeff Reese, President Jason Perry, Executive Director Dennis Morihara, Vice President (M&T Bank) Allen Nisbeth, Treasurer Eleanor Coleman, Secretary (SWAN) Mollie Foust, Director of Youth Development Bernie Iacovangelo (Faber Homes) Anthony Jordan (Rochester Dept. of Recreation) Bob Hoey (Baden St. Settlement) Dave Gipner (Quad-A for Kids) Mike Lopez Bob Hoey Paul Chambers

2007 Annual Report

To be obtained from Allen Nisbeth

Signature of CEO and Board Representative

Jeff Reese, President _________________________________________________

Jason Perry, Executive Director ________________________________________

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3) IRS Determination Letter

see attachment of .pdf file

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4) Adherence to Basic Eligibility Criteria

The overall objective of the FCSL is to contribute to the personal growth of its participants through the enhancement of physical and life skills and improvement of academic performance. Character traits such as a positive self-image, respect for self, ability to get along with others, fair play, and the valuation of individual and team accomplishment are encouraged. FCSL also strives to provide the best possible soccer environment and instruction for the children of Rochester. Since its inception in 1994, FCSL has developed the strongest urban youth soccer league in Rochester, providing opportunities for over five hundred youth annually. Although the mission of FCSL always included an academic component, the limited resources and strong focus on athletics created restricted avenues for FCSL to evaluate academic performance.

Currently, FCSL helps players identify outside agencies where they can receive tutoring if they or their parents request it. Also, at the conclusion of each season, coaches collect players’ report cards and FCSL awards prizes to students with the highest GPA. These practices begin to address issues of academic achievement but remain shallow when trying to support students and affect actual performance changes. The Flower City Academy™ is an afterschool program that meets Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 2:30pm to 5:30pm. Through partnerships with the Rochester Department of Parks, Recreation, and Human Services, the Flower City Academy™ will be offered at numerous city recreation center facilities as well as the Bulls Head Unity Gym. Recreational Centers which have agreed to establish a branch of the Flower City Academy™ include North Street Recreation Center, Adams Street Recreation Center, Carter Street Community Center, Campbell Street Recreation Center, Flint Street Community Center, #42 School Recreation Center, and Webster Avenue Community Center. Other facilities that are not part of the Parks Department but have agreed to host Flower City Academy™ tutoring sessions include Monroe YMCA, Maplewood YMCA, SWAN, and Baden Street Settlement. Teams that wish to participate in the Flower City Academy™ but are not connected to a facility can attend sessions at the FCSL home in Bulls Head Plaza. Each of these facilities operates on a different schedule, but all are open during the times that the Flower City Academy would take place. Please see the appendix for a detailed breakdown of locations and hours, as well as partnership agreement contracts for each facility.

All of the youth participating in the Flower City Academy™ must be registered players in the league. Therefore, the Flower City Academy™ will have a continuous, recurring population of youth participating in the program. Focus groups which took place in March and April of 2008 allowed youth to participate in the framework and design of the Flower City Academy™ from its inception. Youth involvement is a fundamental component of the program and participants will be given several avenues in which to provide feedback on the program. Each week, coaches will check in with athletes and ask them how the Flower City Academy™ is going. Since coaches are not providing the tutoring services, it allows the coach to collect feedback about the tutoring program without the youth feeling pressured to only provide positive comments. Additionally, youth will be required to fill out evaluation forms after the sixth week of the program and at the conclusion of the twelfth week. These forms will allow site directors to modify the program during the season as well as provide feedback on how to better implement the program for the following season.

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5) Project Description

The Flower City Academy™ is a community-based tutoring program specifically designed to captivate and improve the academic success of Rochester’s youth athletes who participate in the Flower City Soccer League. The Flower City Academy™ is purposely geared toward youth in the U12 age-bracket (ages 10-12) because the years between fifth grade and seventh grade see significant drops in standardized test scores. After the successful implementation of a program for all U12 teams, Phase II of the program would consist of expanding the Flower City Academy™ to additional age-groups.

Goals of the Flower City Academy™ include: Increase youth literacy and math skills, academic achievement and test scores of

FCSL athletes Empower youth to gain self-esteem and the ability to set meaningful goals Establish positive adult relationships with the youth Provide a safe alternative during the afterschool hours for youth

Please refer to the “Project Objectives” section for a more detailed discussion of these goals.

The Flower City Academy™ program model is based on a local summer camp program that has had marked success in improving both the test scores and academic attitudes among young athletes. ROC E6 was founded in 2004 by Arkee Allen, a math teacher at East High School. Allen developed an intensive summer-camp program that used sports as the gateway to academic achievement and moral development. During the first week of the six-week summer session, all youth are given the NY State Regents Exam for the grade that they will be entering the following fall. After six weeks of intensive instruction, students repeated the exam. In 2007, eleven out of fourteen sixth graders who were enrolled in the program passed the ELA portion of the test, and seven produced mastery of the material according to the State Rubric. Scores were equally impressive on the math section, with nine out of fifteen youth passing and thirteen of fifteen increasing their scores1. Using ROC E6 as a model, the Flower City Academy™ will take aspects of the camp-model and form them into a comprehensive after-school program.

Three days a week from November through March, the Flower City Academy™ will provide intensive academic assistance for all U12 FCSL participants. Each session will be three hours in length, from 2:30pm-5:30pm. Like the ROC E6 model, all participants will take a diagnostic Math and ELA New York State Regents Exam appropriate to their grade level during the first week. This data will provide the tutors a base-line for instruction and help them focus on each child’s individual needs. Throughout the next twelve weeks, youth athletes will receive concentrated tutoring that focuses on homework completion, concept understanding, and skill building through individualized attention as well as group games and activities. Connections will be made to the soccer program by focusing examples around sports-related topics, providing enhanced communication between the tutors and the coaches, and through the P.A.S.S. points incentive program. The Flower City Academy™ will commence with each student being re-evaluated. The expectation is that half of youth athletes will pass the exam according to State standards and all students will increase their scores.

A vital aspect of the Flower City Academy™ is for youth athletes to acquire a positive attitude regarding academics and achievement. According to Erikson’s eight stages of human development, children begin to develop abstract and critical thinking skills during early adolescence. These skills allow one to make connections across disciplines and understand how

1 Taken from Roc E6 2007 Summer Grade Report, http://www.roce6.com/results.php

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actions and attitudes in one area of life are not isolated from other spheres. The Flower City Academy™ tutoring curriculum not only enhances the understanding of course material but also facilitates youth to connect their actions as an athlete with those as a student. For example, through games and discussions, students will learn that being disciplined on the field and being disciplined in the classroom are not mutually exclusive characteristic but rather the same attitude applied to different scenarios. Understanding such connections will help youth maintain positive attitudes surrounding academic achievement and behavior.

To encourage attendance and participation in the Flower City Academy™, FCSL has developed the P.A.S.S. program, which stands for Participation, Academics, Sportsmanship, and Service. Through the P.A.S.S. program, athletes receive points for completing specific tasks and modeling appropriate behavior. Participants in the Flower City Academy™ will receive points for attending sessions, completing homework, and participating in activities, as well as several additional behaviors and actions. Points are tabulated individually for each student and can be viewed through a secure log-in on the FCSL website. Each youth will keep track of their points and be able to redeem them in the FCSL Store for goods such as new soccer equipment (balls, shoes, etc.), school supplies (backpacks, calculators, etc.), and popular products (mp3 players, etc.). Coaches will also use the P.A.S.S. points program during practices and games, creating additional connections between actions, behaviors, academics, and athletics.

Tutors will be comprised of specially trained volunteers from local colleges and universities, high school students enrolled in IB, Honors, and AP courses, and the community at-large. Trainings will take place at the University of Rochester and volunteers will learn about youth development, effective teaching practices, and the structure of the program through workshops and speakers such as Dena Swanson, Arkee Allen, and Anthony Jordan.

The Flower City Academy™ tutoring curriculum was developed after doing extensive research on effective tutoring programs. In 2007, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning determined that the most successful tutoring programs followed a SAFE model: sequenced, active, focused, and explicit2. Using the Understanding by Design program created by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, the Flower City Academy™ tutoring curriculum was developed to follow this research and as such unfolds in a structured and developmental pattern. Research also found that gains in academic achievement are more likely to occur if staff are well-trained and supervised, provide support and reinforcement to youth during learning activities, conduct pre-assessments to ascertain learners’ strengths and academic needs, and coordinate their teaching or tutoring with school curricula3. These elements are all prominently featured in the Flower City Academy™ program.

The underlying features of the curriculum are based on the Josephson Institute’s Character Counts program, the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets, and data collected from parent, coach, and youth focus-groups. Very few tutoring programs exist that specifically address youth athletes and as such the Flower City Academy™ tutoring curriculum uses aspects from several effective program-models to best-serve their demographic.

2 Durlak, Joseph A. “The Impact of After-school programs that promote personal and social skills.” 2007. Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning.3 American youth policy forum, 2006; Birmingham, Pechman, Russell, and Mielke, 2005; Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, 2006

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6) Number of Young People it could affect

In the 2008 Outdoor Season, FCSL registered five hundred and four players ages five to seventeen. Of these, one hundred and seventeen participated in the U12 division for ages eleven and twelve4. The Flower City Academy™ is targeted at this particular age group because the Rochester City School District determined that state test scores drop significantly in the years between elementary and middle/high school. In 2007, for example, the percentage of youth in grades 3-6 performing at or above proficiency in ELA was forty-five percent. When looking at grades 7-8, the number of youth performing at or above proficiency in ELA dropped to twenty-nine percent. In math the disparities were even more alarming. The number of youth performing at or above grade level in grades 3-6 in math were fifty-one percent. This number decreased to a staggering twenty percent for grades 7-85. New supports are needed for children transitioning into adolescence and the Flower City Academy™ will help more youth achieve greater academic success.

The Children’s Agenda stated that in 2007, two hundred and thirty after school programs served 8,000 children ages 3-17 in Monroe County6. That is just nine percent of those in that age group. There is a need for more quality afterschool options, particularly ones that focus on academic development. Over 88% of Rochester children live at or below the poverty line, creating challenges for parents who cannot afford most expensive comprehensive afterschool programs or private tutoring. Although schools are legally required to provide tutoring to students who request it, many students are on the edge of those services or do not request help. Nationally, more than 7 million children in the United States are without adult supervision for some period of time after school7. These are the hours when violence juvenile crime peaks and when youth are more likely to experiment with alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and sex8. Participation in after school programs deters these negative behaviors by providing safe and engaging alternatives for youth. An intensive study performed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning in 2007 showed that after-school programs had an overall positive and statistically significant impact on participating youth, especially in three major areas: feeling and attitudes (self-perceptions, bonding to school), behavioral adjustment (positive school behaviors, problem behaviors, drug use), and school performance (performance on achievement tests, grades, school attendance)9. By using an evidence-based approach, the one hundred and seventeen athletes participating in the Flower City Academy™ will benefit in each of these four categories.

As part of FCSL’s seven-year strategic plan, the Flower City Academy™ will become an active program for all participating 11-12 year-olds in the first two years. Each successive year will add on an age-group to continue support for adolescents as they move through the soccer program. As such, at the conclusion of seven years, the Flower City Academy™ will be available to all youth in the FCSL program.

4 Statistics taken from New York State West Youth Soccer Association. http://www.nyswysa.org/5 Superintendent Brizard Presentation at University of Rochester, March 28, 2008. Available at www. rcsdk12.org 6 Lee-Davis, Carolyn, Kaczorowski, Jeff, and Yale, Michelle. “The After School Inventory.” 2007. The Children’s Agenda. 7 Durlak, Joseph A. “The Impact of After-school programs that promote personal and social skills.” 2007. Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning.8 Snyder, Howard and Sickmund, Melissa. “Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 1999 National Report.” 1999. Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse Publishers.9 Durlak, Joseph A. “The Impact of After-school programs that promote personal and social skills.” 2007. Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning

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7) Quality Standards Working to Meet/Program Models to Implement

FCSL has adopted the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets. Please refer to the appendix for a listing and description of these assets. The Flower City Academy™ is working to meet the following specific assets: adult role models, high expectations, achievement motivation, and positive view of personal future.

Through intensive tutor training, volunteers will learn how to effectively become an appropriate adult role-model, enforce high-expectations, and help youth realize their academic accomplishments. Each tutor will receive six hours of training—two before they enter into the program, two observational training sessions, and two hours of review training throughout the program. During each of these sessions, guest speakers will discuss youth development, strategies for success, and the layout of the curriculum. Additionally, tutors will actively participate in group discussions and simulate games that they will be facilitating during the real program.

As stated in the project description, the Flower City Academy™ curriculum built upon research done by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning and the Harvard Family Research Project to implement a SAFE program based on best practices: sequenced, active, focused, and explicit. The curriculum follows a sequenced pattern of topics, is focused specifically on connecting academics to athletics, uses athletics and educational games to actively involve participants in the program, and clearly explains each goal and topic to the participants.

In addition to the 40 Developmental Assets, the Flower City Academy™ was developed to meet almost all of the National AfterSchool Association (NAA) Standards for Quality School-Age Care. These specifically include: Human Relationships, Indoor Environment, Outdoor Environment, Activities, Safety, Health, and Nutrition, and Administration. Through tutor training and program evaluation, each of the standards is addressed in some capacity. Please refer to the appendix for a detailed breakdown of how each criterion is specifically adopted.

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8) Qualifications and Experience of Key Staff/Consultants

Jason Perry, Executive Director, FCSLExecutive Director of FCSL since August 2007Former Rochester Rhino defensive player

Mollie Foust, Community Outreach and Director of Youth Development, FCSLWilson Day Coordinator, 2006President and Co-founder of UR Education AllianceWrote and received grants from MTV-U (for UR Tours Jr.) and United Way of Greater Rochester (for Flower City Academy™ tutor transportation)Developed UR Tours, Jr. Program for city youth grades 5-8, currently serves over 800 Rochester youth annually Barrel of Monkeys Camp Director, 2005Award for “are you smarter than a fifth grader” eventNumerous awards for leadership, community service, and human resources

Jeffrey Reese, President, FCSL and North Street Rec Center Site DirectorCoached in FCSL for 10 yearsTook group of 30 youth FCSL players to San Francisco to participate in International Children’s Games in July 2008

Melanie Davis, VOA Site Director

Nasheem King, SWAN Site Director

Kevin Holman, Flint St. Site Director

Dena Swanson, Assistant Professor, Warner School Department of Counseling and Human Development

Swanson's research focuses on adolescent identity processes, school experiences, and the impact of adult relations on youth's adaptive behaviors. This work, supported by several funded projects while teaching at Pennsylvania State University, is relevant in identifying appropriate strategies and opportunities for adolescents' successful transition into adulthood. Swanson has co-authored articles in such journals as Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology, Journal of Negro Education, Development and Psychopathology, and Journal of Comparative Family Studies.

Swanson, a Holmes Scholar, was a postdoctoral fellow and co-director of the Center for Health, Achievement, Neighborhood Growth and Ethnic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania prior to joining Pennsylvania State University as an Assistant Professor. She also has experience as a rehabilitation counselor and a teen parent counselor.

Anthony Jordan, Area Manager for the City of Rochester’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Human Services

Anthony “tony” is responsible for managing several recreational facilities and staff including the creation of citywide sports programs, recreational/educational activities and various operational duties. A Rochester native, Tony attended East High School where he excelled in sports and academics. Named to “All Conference” honors in college, Tony pursued a career as a

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professional athlete in the National Football League (NFL). He was nominated “Rookie” of the Year” while playing for the Arizona Cardinals-and he also played for the Houston Oilers and the Dallas Cowboys.

Tony’s natural leadership abilities opened up new opportunities beyond the world of sports. He is a graduate from the Leadership Rochester ’06 Program, a national leadership program through the University of Rochester. He has worked as a Program Coordinator for the Rochester Housing Authority: a substitute teacher; athletic coach; and counselor for the Rochester City School District, helping at-risk students with academic and social achievement levels.His personal commitment to others has been recognized by several organizations for which Tony has given his time and talent. Some of these achievements include: National Consultant for Mentors in Violence Prevention program, Guest speaker for community functions and school graduation ceremonies, 1995 nominee for “Friends of Children” award, Spokesman for Kansas State University’s “Say No to Drugs” Program, Gannett News Youth Care Award, Diversity trainer and motivator for the City of Rochester School District.

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9) Project Outcomes

Goal 1 Increase youth literacy and math skills, academic achievement and test scores.

Objective 1 Hire certified teachers or train local University students to run the tutoring sessions and workshops that are offered three days a week. Develop a tutoring curriculum following “best practices” to increase literacy and math skills for FCSL youth ages 10-12.

Status FCSL currently employs 0 certified teachers but has begun advertising to teachers and local university and college Education schools. Tutors will teach 3 hours a day, three days a week in age-appropriate classrooms. The ratio of tutor to youth will be 1:4. A tutoring curriculum and tutor training course have been developed using “best practices” research and feedback from teachers, parents, students, and coaches.

Activity/Task Projects Students participating in Flower City Academy™ will take a diagnostic exam at the beginning of the season which will determine where the individual should be placed for tutoring. The diagnostic will allow Flower City Academy™ to track each youth’s progress throughout the season. At the conclusion of the 12th week, students will be reevaluated and take the New York State age-appropriate Exam. New books, activity workbooks, and tutoring materials will be purchased in order to aid in the success of the tutoring sessions.

Implementation Plan At each of the Flower City Academy™ sites, tutoring will occur in age-appropriate sessions at least three days a week for three hour sessions. Tutors will identify the struggling students and work with them individually.Youth who attend tutoring sessions will receive PASS points.

Outcome Measures 90% of students who have an attendance of at least 80% will increase their math and ELA scores from the diagnostic test to the final scores they receive. 50% of students who regularly attend tutoring classes will pass the final exam for their age-group.

Goal 2 Empower youth to gain self-esteem and the ability to set meaningful goals.

Objective 2 Flower City Academy™ intends to hire/recruit the most competent and effective coaches, tutors, and teachers to mentor the students who participate in FCSL. Every volunteer/employee will share a personal motivation story with their students at least once during the season.

Status Over 50 coaches, tutors, and ethics mentors have been screened and identified as positive leaders for Flower City Academy™. Youth development specialists have been contacted at area universities and colleges, as well as various athletic teams.

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Activity/Task projects All Flower City Academy™ participants will participate in the UR Tours, Jr. program at the University of Rochester, in which they will explore a college campus and learn what skills and behaviors are needed to reach the goal of attending college. Youth will be given asked to identify their goals at the start and conclusion of the season. Through the tutoring sessions, tutors will help youth develop positive attitudes about school.

Implementation Plan All Flower City Academy™ participants will participate in UR Tours, Jr. at the University of Rochester. All youth will participate in mock-interviews, either for jobs or for college admission. Volunteers from local businesses and colleges will come in to conduct these interviews.

Outcome Measures At the end of the 12 week season, youth will be able to write down ten long-term goals, five attributes of the job they seek, have two alternate routes to their future goals, understand what the steps are to reach these goals, and know where to find colleges that can help them achieve these goals.

Goal 3 Establish positive adult relationships with youth.Objective 3 To hire/recruit the most capable volunteers possible, who are

invested in the entire child and not just athletics.

To create an atmosphere of trust and dependability. Status Over 30 tutors have been screened and identified as positive leaders

for the Flower City Academy™. Youth development specialists have been contacted at area universities and colleges, as well as the varsity soccer teams.

Activity/Task Project All tutors will attend a 4 hour “new volunteer” orientation session in which they will be taught the importance of the relationship they will establish with the youth as well as strategies for improving this relationship and making the most of it.

Implementation Plan Tutors will evaluate each of their players/students and reflect about their relationship and report to FCSL.

Outcome Measures Players will see an increase in the positive adult relationships available in their lives. They will be able to identify who these adults are and what traits they admire about them.

Goal 4 Provide a safe alternative during the afterschool hours for all Rochester youth.

Objective 4 To obtain safe sites for youth to go to during the afterschool hours that are within walking distance of a school or home.

Status We have secured locations at the Unity Gym at the Bulls Head Plaza as well as several schools and recreational centers throughout the city.

Activity/Task Project Staff and volunteers will be trained to take attendance at all functions and monitor who attends sessions as well as those who display disruptive behavior.

Implementation Plan Opportunities will be available for RAYS students every day, providing a stable and safe environment Outside consultants will evaluate the safety measures and procedures at each of the locations.

Outcome Measures Youth will be able to identify seven attributes of a safe place and

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describe how participating in Flower City Academy™ and FCSL affected their safety and choices during the afterschool hours.

8)

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10) Timeline for Achieving Project Outcomes

NOTE: I cannot fill out most of this information until after the pilot programs are complete.

The Flower City Academy™ will run from November through March, following FCSL’s indoor soccer season schedule. The requested grant will cover FCSL indoor season 2009-2010.

Estimated Timeline:

August-October 2009 Recruitment of tutorsEarly November 2009 Tutor training sessions heldNovember 16, 2009-March 12, 2010 Flower City Academy™ twelve-week programMid-January 2010 Refresher tutor-training sessionsMarch 2010 Project Outcomes metMarch 2010-May 2010 Program Evaluation and data analysisJune 2010 Recommendations completed for Parks and Recreation

Department and program enhancement

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11) How You Will Monitor Your Progress

A number of steps are in place to monitor the progress and evaluate the effectiveness of the Flower City Academy™.

1) Site managers will provide weekly reports on the overall maintenance of the program to FCSL.

2) Tutors will fill out evaluations at the conclusion of each session, providing enormous feedback on both the students and also the structure of the program and curriculum.

3) Youth will conduct mid-season evaluations to allow for program modifications and to give youth the opportunity to alter and design a program that fits their specific needs.

4) Final test results will indicate whether tutoring affected performance. Long-term, these will show increased performance over several years.

5) PASS program points will be analyzed to see how many youth gained points through athletics versus Flower City Academy™

To achieve these measurements, data collection will include a combination of:

Observations of the practices, tutoring sessions, and parent meetings by an outside evaluator (yet to be determined) who will take field notes.

Content analysis of the students’ written work by the surveys that will be conducted at the beginning and conclusion of the 12-week season. (to capture evidence of learning)

Content analysis of tutor, coach, and volunteer evaluations of the overall program, daily sessions, and each youth.

Semi-structured focus group interviews with tutors, youth, coaches and parents Data analysis of each youth’s PASS points records

The evaluation analyses will be able to inform FCSL the extent to which:

When participating in the Flower City Academy™, tutors:o Developed a greater appreciation of youths’ abilities and potential

contributions to the sessions and societyo Obtained a greater understanding of the needs of Rochester youth, both in

terms of education as well as social needs. o Were better able to connect with and teach their students

When participating in RAYS, youth:o Demonstrated their learning and ability to teacher and other students more

than usualo Increased literacy and math skills, academic achievement and test scoreso Gained self-esteem and the ability to set meaningful goalso Establish more positive adult relationships

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12) Area to be Served

The majority of athletes participating in FCSL reside in the 14611, 14621, 14605, and 14609 zip codes. However, players from every Rochester city zip code participate in the league.

The Bulls Head Plaza is located on Genesee St. and Main St., servicing Sector 4 and the Southwest area of the city. This provides the central location for the Flower City Academy™, however sites are scattered throughout the city to ensure all FCSL youth are able to participate in the program regardless of their residence.

Profile of 14605 10 : The 14621 neighborhood is located in the northeast quadrant of Rochester. The average family income is $17,877. The population is comprised of 35% Hispanic, 57% African American, and 18% Caucasian. In 2007, 7 out of 48 homicides in Rochester occurred in this zip-code. 53% of the population holds high-school degrees and only 10% have any high-education.

Profile of 14621: The 14605 zip-code is located in the northeast quadrant of Rochester. The average family income is $23,173. 61% of the population holds a high school diploma and 6% received a 4-year degree. In 2007, 12 of 48 homicides occurred in this zip code. The demographic is 46% African American, 29% Hispanic, and 28% Caucasian.

Profile of 14611: The 14611 zip-code is located in the southwest area of Rochester. The median household income is $23,282. In 2007, 5 homicides occurred in this zip code. 66% of the population has a high school diploma. The population is 72% African American, 20% Caucasian, and 8% Hispanic.

Profile of 14609: The 14609 zip code is located in the northeast quadrant of Rochester. The median family income is $37,622. In 2007, 4 homicides occurred in this area. The population is 58% Caucasian, 31% African American, and 12% Hispanic. 77% of the population are high-school graduates and 12% hold a 4-year degree.

10 All statistics taken from AOL Neighborhood Real Estate Index: http://realestate.aol.com/Rochester-NY-neighborhood

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13) Other Partners to work with

The Flower City Academy™ would not be able to run without the support of numerous partnerships.

Flower City Soccer League is the most significant partner of the program as it provides the participants for the program and acts as a fiduciary.

The Rochester Department of Parks and Recreation allows the use of the buildings for the tutoring program, and facilitates several of the sites. SWAN, Baden St. Settlement, VOA, Monroe YMCA and Maplewood YMCA also donate the use of their building facilities for programs at those locations.

Monroe Transportation, in conjunction with the Rochester Transportation Foundation, provides busses for athletes whose teams are not connected with a specific center.

New York State West Youth Soccer Association provides background checks on each volunteer and grants insurance to each participant.

The United Way of Greater Rochester awarded the Flower City Academy™ $1,200 for tutor transportation in 2008-2009 for the pilot programs.

The University of Rochester is active in several capacities: Rochester Center for Community Leadership promotes the program and helps obtain

qualified tutor candidates. The Warner School of Education was instrumental in helping to develop the

curriculum used in the Flower City Academy™. The Office of Residential Life provides snacks at each of the sessions and also helps

in the acquiring of qualified tutors by advertising the program in their buildings. The Center for Entrepreneurship is a partner in marketing the program to potential

tutors on campus.

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14) Project Budget

See attached excel spreadsheet

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15) Recent Organization Budget and Audited Financial Statement

Get information from Allen Nisbeth.

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Appendix A: Locations and Hours

Baden Street Settlement485 N. Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY 14605Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday—4:30-6:00pm

Volunteers of America214 Lake Ave. Rochester, NY 14608Monday, Thursday, Friday—3:30-4:30pm

Flint Street Recreation Center271 Flint St, Rochester, NY 14608Monday, Wednesday, Thursday—3:30-5:00pm

SWAN275 Dr Samuel Mccree Way, Rochester, NY 14611Tuesday, Thursday, Friday—4:30-6:00pm

Carter Street Recreation Center500 Carter St, Rochester, NY 14621Monday, Thursday, Saturday—4:00-5:30pm

North Street Recreation Center700 North Street, Rochester, NY 14605Monday, Wednesday, Thursday—4:00-5:30pm

Monroe YMCA797 Monroe Ave, Rochester, NY 14607Tuesday, Thursday, Friday—3:30-5:00pm

Maplewood YMCA25 Driving Park Ave., Rochester, NY 14613Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday—3:30-5:00pm

Bulls Head Plaza30 Genesee St., Rochester, NY 14611Saturdays—9:30am-12:30pm

Campbell Street Community Center524 Campbell Street, Rochester, NY 14611Monday, Thursday, Saturday—4:30-6:00pm

Webster Avenue Recreation Center530 Webster Ave, Rochester, NY 14609Monday, Wednesday, Friday—4:00-5:30pm

#42 School Recreation Center3330 Lake Ave, Rochester, NY 14612Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday—3:30-5:00pm

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Appendix B: Location Agreements

We, __________________________, agree to host the Flower City Academy™ in our location

at _________________________________________________________________, every

____________________, ___________________, and ____________________ between the

hours of ______________________ from the months of November through March for youth

ages 11-12 who are registered in the Flower City Soccer League.

We also agree to provide a site manager who will be present at each of the meeting times to

supervise the tutoring program.

Facility Name:__________________________________________________

Facility Director: ____________________________ Signature: __________________________

Site Director: ____________________________ Signature: ____________________________

Site Director Contact Information: _______________________________________________

Date: _____________________

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Appendix C: Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets

40 Developmental Assets for Middle Childhood (ages 8–12)

EXTERNAL ASSETS

SUPPORT

Family Support | Family life provides high levels of love and support. Positive Family Communication | Parent(s) and child communicate positively. Child

feels comfortable seeking advice and counsel from parent(s). Other Adult Relationships | Child receives support from adults other than her or his

parent(s). Caring Neighborhood | Child person experiences caring neighbors. Caring School Climate | Relationships with teachers and peers provide a caring,

encouraging environment. Parent Involvement in Schooling | Parent(s) are actively involved in helping the child

succeed in school.

EMPOWERMENT

Community Values Youth | Child feels valued and appreciated by adults in the community.

Children as Resources | Child is included in decisions at home and in the community. Service to Others | Child has opportunities to help others in the community. Safety | Child feels safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood.

BOUNDARIES AND EXPECTATIONS

Family Boundaries | Family has clear rules and consequences and monitors the child ’s whereabouts.

School Boundaries | School provides clear rules and consequences. Neighborhood Boundaries | Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring the child ’s

behavior. Adult Role Models | Parent(s) and other adults in the child’s family, as well as

nonfamily adults, model positive, responsible behavior. Positive Peer Influence | Child’s closest friends model positive, responsible behavior. High Expectations | Parent(s) and teachers expect the child to do her or his best at school

and in other activities

CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF TIME

Creative Activities | Child participates in music, art, drama, or creative writing two or more times per week.

Child Programs |Child participates two or more times per week in cocurricular school activities or structured community programs for children.

Religious Community | Child attends religious programs or services one or more times per week.

Time at Home | Child spends some time most days both in high-quality interaction with

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parents anddoing things at home other than watching TV or playing video games.

INTERNAL ASSETS

COMMITMENT TO LEARNING

Achievement Motivation | Child is motivated and strives to do well in school. Learning Engagement | Child is responsive, attentive, and actively engaged in learning

at school and enjoys participating in learning activities outside of school. Homework | Child usually hands in homework on time. Bonding to School | Child cares about teachers and other adults at school. Reading for Pleasure | Child enjoys and engages in reading for fun most days of the

week

POSITIVE VALUES

Caring | Parent(s) tell the child it is important to help other people. Equality and Social Justice | Parent(s) tell the child it is important to speak up for equal

rights for all people. Integrity | Parent(s) tell the child it is important to stand up for one’s beliefs. Honesty | Parent(s) tell the child it is important to tell the truth. Responsibility | Parent(s) tell the child it is important to accept personal responsibility

for behavior. Healthy Lifestyle | Parent(s) tell the child it is important to have good health habits and

an understanding of healthy sexuality.

SOCIAL COMPETENCIES

Planning and Decision Making | Child thinks about decisions and is usually happy with results of her or his decisions.

Interpersonal Competence | Child cares about and is affected by other people’s feelings, enjoys making friends, and, when frustrated or angry, tries to calm her- or himself.

Interpersonal Competence | Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills.

Cultural Competence | Child knows and is comfortable with people of different racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds and with her or his own cultural identity.

Resistance Skills | Child can stay away from people who are likely to get her or him in trouble and is able to say no to doing wrong or dangerous things.

Peaceful Conflict Resolution | Child seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently.

POSITIVE IDENTITY

Personal Power | Child feels he or she has some influence over things that happen in her or his life.

Self-Esteem | Child likes and is proud to be the person that he or she is. Sense of Purpose | Child sometimes thinks about what life means and whether there is a

purpose for her or his life.

Positive View of Personal Future | Child is optimistic about her or his personal future.

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Appendix D: NAA Standards for Quality School-Aged Care

o Human Relationships

o Staff relate to all children and youth in positive ways.o Staff respond appropriately to the individual needs of children and youth. o Staff encourage children and youth to make choices and to become more

responsible.o Staff interact with children and youth to help them learn. o Staff use positive techniques to guide the behavior of children and youth.o Children and youth generally interact with each other in positive ways. o Staff and families interact with each other in positive ways.o Staff work well together to meet the needs of children and youth.

o Indoor Environments

o The program’s indoor space meets the needs of children and youth.o The indoor space allows children and youth to take initiative and explore their

interests.

o Outdoor Environments

o The outdoor play area meets the needs of children and youth, and equipment allows

o Activities

o The daily schedule is flexible, and it offers enough security, independence, and stimulation to meet the needs of all children and youth.

o Children and youth can choose from a wide variety of activities.o Activities reflect the mission of the program and promote the development of all

the children and youth in the programs.o There are sufficient materials to support program activities.

o Safety, Health & Nutrition

o The safety and security of children and youth are protected.o The program provides an environment that protects and enhances the health of

children and youth.o The program staff try to protect and enhance the health of children and youth.o Children and youth are carefully supervised to maintain safety.o The program serves foods and drinks that meet the needs of children and youth.

o Administration

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o Staff/child ratios and group sizes permit the staff to meet the needs of children and youth.

o Children and youth are supervised at all times.o Staff support families’ involvement in the program.o Staff, families, and schools share important information to support the well being

of children and youth.o The program builds links to the community.o The indoor space meets the needs of the staff.o The outdoor space is large enough to meet the needs of children, youth, and staff.o Staff, children, and youth work together to plan and implement suitable activates

which are consistent with the program’s philosophy.o Program policies and procedures are in place to protect the safety of the children

and youth.o Program policies exist to protect and enhance the health of all children and youth.o All staff are professionally qualified to work with children and youth.o Staff (paid, volunteer and substitute) are given orientation to the job before

working with children and youth.o The training needs of the staff are assessed, and training is relevant to the

responsibilities of each job. o Staff receive appropriate support to make their work experience positive.o The administration provides sound management of the program.o Program policies and procedures are responsive to the needs of the children,

youth, and families in the community

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Tutor Preparation:Make sure you have markers, paper, confidence

Overarching Points:Respect, Rules

Materials Needed:Butcher paperCrayonsCopies of Diagnostic Test

Appendix E: Sample Lesson-Plan

Topic: Respect

Level: U12

Introduction

The purpose of this unit is to introduce youth to the course, identify the expectations and develop ground rules for the season, and to help youth understand three levels of respect: yourself, those around you, and the world/environment.

MuralTime: 15 minutesQuestion or phrase of day: Who Am I?The mural will occur at the beginning of each session and is an activity to get kids focused on the topic of the day. They will read the phrase or question and answer it in any way they want: words, pictures, sculpture, dance, skit, song, etc.

Circle TimeTime: 5 minutesWelcome youth and explain agenda of the day and introduce the topic

ActivityTime: 30 minutes

o Make expectations/rules for session Explain that this is a special 12 week

program they were chosen for. Ask what types of rules they thing should be abided by during the twelve weeks. Things that should definitely be included are: trust, respect, confidentiality, fun, no put-downs, etc. Have a volunteer write these on a large

piece of paper.

LESSON

1

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At the end, have each youth trace their hand and write their name on the inside, showing that they will abide by these rules. Post these on the wall for all to see.

o Play a fun energizer game such as Electric Pulseo Trace each child on large pieces of butcher paper. Have them

write or draw the things about themselves that they respect.

Discussion/ReflectionTime: 15 minutesDiscuss their definition of respect. Do they feel they are respected at home? At school? By teachers? By friends? What can they do to show respect to others? How do they feel when they are respected? Use the murals and bodies to illustrate that everyone deserves respect. Reiterate the ideas of respecting the game (of soccer), respecting property, respecting ideas, etc. This means no lying, stealing, inappropriate behavior.

JournalTime: 15 minutesHave students begin their journals. Reassure them that you will not be reading them and they can put anything they want in them: words, pictures, stories, ideas. However, give them sample questions to answer if they get stuck. These can include: What was the best thing that happened to me today? What would I want to change about today?

Spills and ThrillsTime: 10 minutesSit in a circle and have each student tell the lowest point of their week or day (spills) and the highest point of their day or week (thrills). You may need to limit these to one minute each if they get to long.

AffirmationTime: 5 minutesEach session will end with an affirmation that students will repeat after you. You can make them up and they should be relevant to the things you discussed today. Have students stand up and close their eyes. Say each of these statements loudly:

I am (I am)An awesome person (an awesome person)I will (I will)Achieve great things (achieve great things)I can (I can)Be anything (be anything)Do anything (do anything)Accomplish everything (accomplish everything)

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I will (I will)Respect myself (respect myself)Respect my body (respect my body)This means (this means)Not putting anything in my body (not putting anything in my body) That can do harm to myself (that can do harm to myself)That can do harm to my mind (that can do harm to my mind)That can do harm to my friends (that can do harm to my friends)

I will (I will)Respect my family (respect my family)Respect my friends (respect my friends)And I expect others (and I expect others)To respect me (to respect me)

This is the beginning (this is the beginning)Of a new change (of a new change)And I vow right now (and I vow right now)To be the best I can be (to be the best I can be)And never settle for anything less (and never settle for anything less)

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Budget JustificationFlower City Academy

SENIOR PERSONNELDirector of Youth Development: Yearly salary of $18,000 to recruit and manage tutors, facilitate training, establish and maintain partnerships, and institute curriculum. Post-program activities will involve data analysis, writing, and planning for subsequent data collection and project activities.

OTHER PERSONNELTutors: 60- Tutors are necessary for the functioning of the program. The large number of sites allows for a large quantity of tutors and we are averaging five tutors per site to allow for the 3:1 youth to tutor ration to be maintained. Although tutors are volunteers, a small thank-you compensation of a $20 gift-certificate will allow tutors feel appreciated and help the retention rate throughout the years.

Speakers for Tutor Training: 4—The Flower City Academy™ training sessions will occur twice during the season—two hours before sessions begin and two hours of maintenance training mid-season in January. At each of these sessions, professional speakers will be brought in to conduct these trainings. Although no speakers have been confirmed, prominent scholars and community members such as Dena Swanson, Anthony Jordan, and Chris Cubi have been identified as possibilities. To obtain the most professional and effective trainers, compensation for their time will be $200 each.

Website Developer: 1—Shawn Cummings has been contracted to develop an interactive website for tutors to view available times and sign-up for sessions directly on the website. The cost of this is $500.

EQUIPMENTEducational Materials- Each location will receive a Flower City Academy™ toolkit that includes: marbles, books, stickers, journals, markers, dice, flashcards, construction paper, playdough, the Twin Sister’s Multiplication, Addition, and Subtraction CDs, a ream of butcher paper, and a Tutor Manual that contains feedback forms, attendance sheets, the curriculum guide, and a team-building manual. The total estimated cost of educational materials is $500 per site, or $5,000 total for ten sites.

TRAVELTutor Transportation: The United Way of Greater Rochester has agreed to cover the cost of tutor transportation up to $1,200. The majority of the tutors are college students and as such have limited access to reliable transportation.