Wellspring’s Academic & Recreation Program is a year round after school program for youth in Brightmoor and the surrounding areas. The program has been running since 1993 and uses the Kumon curriculum to assist these youth in developing their math and reading skills. This complements their school-based education and prepares them for further study.

The Kumon curriculum is highly structured and has been proven to not only help young people catch up to grade level but in many cases advance to levels beyond their school grade. Kumon centers are normally for-profit businesses that target moderate and upper income families and communities.

As the only non-profit Kumon center in Michigan, Wellspring offers the Kumon curriculum to predominately low income families through the use of grants and other philanthropic contributions to run the program and pay the royalty fees. Kumon is not designed to fix a problem and “graduate” a student. The program strives to do more than fill gaps, aiming instead to develop critical skills and study habits that help children learn to succeed on their own. This provides them the opportunity to achieve beyond expectations, to build and reinforce confidence, and bolster self-esteem. With a Kumon background, the student is more likely to have the academic skills required to pass competitive high school placement exams. Completion of daily Kumon worksheets trains a student to develop dedication and persistence, and behavior is influenced by the protective factors in the child’s life. A child surrounded by goal-oriented, aspirational support is likely to follow that model of behavior.

This project subsidizes 6 months of the program for one low-income Brightmoor youth. Each family pays only $15 per month, while the total cost of the program is $1340 for 6 months, or $1250 after family contributions. Wellspring anticipates serving 90 students in 2012, with available slots filled from an existing wait list of 150 youth. Support 6 months of programming for a Brightmoor youth and help them overcome their challenges, exceed expectations, and give them the chance at lifetime success that all children deserve.

Youth in the Brightmoor neighborhood of Northwest Detroit face challenges of poverty and under-performing schools. Eighty-four percent of public school students have family incomes that qualify for free lunches. Their standardized test scores lag 27% behind those of their statewide peers, and fewer than forty percent of students graduate from high school.

Homes in their neighborhood have been left vacant, crime has crept in, and some neighborhood schools have closed. Caught in the middle are youth, whose parents, like most parents, want their children to have the best chance of success.

Community member details not available yet.

Direct Impact of Your Project

This program allows one youth to attend 6 months of the Academic and Recreation program. By the end of one year, this youth is projected to have improved 1.8 grade levels in reading proficiency.

Extended Impact on Your Partner Community

Assuming an average household size of 5 family members, 4 additional people will benefit for each child that attends the program. Wellspring offers a strong community bond through its directors’ and staff’s commitment to the neighborhood and to the children it serves.

Children surrounded by adults and peers who value education, encourage community engagement, celebrate success, and provide support through difficult times increases the likelihood that they will grow to be successful productive adults.