SBCO Education Program
Tutoring
Kid’s Closet provides children with clothing so they can go to school. The Education Program is designed to make sure that these students are successful in school, up to and including college or a vocational school.
SaddleBrooke Community Outreach’s Education Program was started in 1999 at San Manuel High School. At that time, approximately 50% of the high school students were getting D’s or F’s in their math classes. In addition, only 8% of the students were passing the AIMS Math exam. This test is a graduation requirement.
A computer tool called Accelerated Math was introduced, allowing each tutor to work with about 7 students at a time. AccMath is a rapid testing tool that prints multiple choice questions for selected math concepts. It also grades the answers, which are penciled into a series of “bubbles” printed on an optical scan card. A small optical reader grades the student’s work which tells the tutor if the student needs help with a specific concept. The tutor will review that concept with the student, and a new test is taken. This process repeats until the student has mastered that area. This method of tutoring was called Project Catapult.
The use of this computer-aided tutoring quickly resulted in substantial gains in all areas of math. A special class was developed for all students who did not pass the AIMS Math test. In its first year, about 80% of the students who failed that test were able to pass it after taking this AIMS class. Project Catapult was quickly expanded.
Schools in Oracle, Catalina, and 2 Amphitheater School District high schools joined Project Catapult. Currently 125 volunteers are tutoring in these schools, helping with reading skills in addition to the math projects. Test scores are up, and most youngsters are learning at or above their grade levels.
We Need Tutors! We are always looking for additional tutors in math and reading. You can devote as little as 2 hours per week.
Scholarships
The SaddleBrooke Community Outreach Scholarship Program provides scholarships to college and technical school students in their first and second years of school who reside in the SBCO service area (eastern Pinal County from Catalina along Highway 77 and 177 corridors to and including the San Carlos Indian Reservation). To date, many scholarships have been awarded to students attending the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Central Arizona College and Pima Community College. Interested students should review the SBCO Scholarship Qualifications and Criteria and, if qualified, submit a completed SBCO scholarship application 2013-2014.
Educational Enrichment Programs
SBCO provides grants to support “educational enrichment programs” sponsored by local school systems and community organizations. These include preschool enrichment programs, educational programs in the arts and sciences, and such educational opportunities as free swimming and life saving lessons.
Community organizations or schools wishing to apply for an SBCO Educational Enrichment Program Grant should carefully review the Guidelines, Criteria and Funding Cycle prior to completing and submitting the Educational Enrichment Program Application.
If you are interested in joining the education team contact Michael Moore at m.moore@moreheadstate.edu or Julie Goodman at jsgoodman111@yahoo.com.
