Rise & Shine is an after school academic enrichment program for Kindergarten through 12th grade students who are of a racial minority or those who come from low-income households. One of our core values is to provide the necessary tools for empowering students to be well prepared to succeed in college. Neighbors In Ministry believes that though statistics show racial minorities are reportedly falling behind in school, the African American students of Transylvania County do not have to fall into that statistic. Rise & Shine provides an excellent way for students to build upon their academic and life skills in a positive and supportive community environment. As an ever improving and evolving program over the last 20 years, the current student needs we address are:
1.Homework Tutoring
2. Students get the opportunity to build lasting relationships with volunteers who come in to act as their “homework coach”. The homework coach is responsible for encouraging students to finish their homework, check the work, and provide assistance when students don’t understand how to do the assignment. Students and homework coaches work one on one together Monday through Friday of each week. The bond that forms between student and coach is crucial because it promotes healthy relationships that move across generational and racial lines. In addition to homework assistance, students are taught literacy strategies that help them become better readers. Areas of focus during “book club” are comprehension, summarizing, fluency, critical thinking and making inferences. Reading tutors are receiving letters from teachers at the school bragging on the huge reading improvements that certain students have made as a result of this program. Finally, students learn about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) through hands-on activities. Students are partnering with the Brevard College Teacher Education Program to learn how to navigate Ipads for science/literacy purposes and to design and create digital movies. They also get to participate in parts of the planning and design of the Rosenwald Community Peace Park. Rise & Shine is providing opportunities for students, especially young women, to explore the fascinating world of STEM through their Sci-Girls partnership, community gardening, rocket building, and outdoor ecological adventures. Rise & Shine exists to help economically underserved children in the community become who they dream of being. Rise & Shine strives to provide the educational assistance and life skills that are needed for these students to become the teachers, doctors, hair stylists, and business owners that they want to become.
