MELISSA WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY
M U LT N O M A H AT H L E T I C F O U N D AT I O N
Elevate Oregon students
MAF Commends Elevate Oregon with 2020 Impact Award
T
he Multnomah Athletic Foundation annually awards more than $100,000 in grants to nonprofit community partners that support youth athletic participation. Each fall, the foundation recognizes one of those partners with the Impact Award, which goes to the organization that best exemplified community collaboration over the last 12 months. The 2020 winner, Elevate Oregon, serves Parkrose, Oregon’s second-most diverse school district. Elevate’s Deputy Director Paul Morris shares how the nonprofit is building relationships and changing lives:
Parkrose staff to get academic support in English and math, future planning, peer bonding and field trips in and around Portland. We know kids need to be healthy to be at their best academically. In our summer and after-school programs, students don’t just get a leg up on their academic and professional lives, they get outside for some fun healthy activities, time in nature and playing sports! Last year, the Multnomah
Athletic Foundation’s partnership funded Elevate’s free summer program, including a basketball camp, which helped kids learn resiliency, bond with their peers, develop or continue healthy habits, prepare for the school year and build community. Our focus on self-sufficiency, resilience and integrity instills a positive work ethic and a career-minded attitude in students who often lack the role models who can Continued on page 25
“Here at Elevate Oregon, we address historical disparities experienced by underserved, at-risk Parkrose youth through a community-driven approach of daily connection, wraparound services and innovative teaching strategies. We’re here to give youth, who face a myriad of obstacles to success, a fighting chance to reach their dreams. We work toward those solutions every day with in-school classes as well as after-school and summer programming.
Elevate Focuses on Five Key Areas to Create Lasting Solutions
Our Ninth Grade Counts program offers incoming ninth graders a fun and engaging experience getting a jump on their high school career, and includes a 0.5 credit upon completion. Students meet with Elevate Teacher Mentors and
Adventure: year-round activities for a range of ages; fun that builds on in-class and mentorship; exposure to new experiences
In School: daily classes from sixth to twelfth grade; a dedicated space at Parkrose for Elevate; age/grade-appropriate accredited curriculum; school-based interventions Mentorship: build trust and connection for students fourth to twelfth grade; support personal growth; development and success; year-round activities Leadership: cross-age, peer-to-peer mentoring; gender-specific peer-focused networks; community involvement
Beyond Graduation: post-high school planning and goal setting; support for youth and family on college applications and forms; college and career exposure
NOVEMBER 2020
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