The Whatever It Takes Athens Community Plan for Children

family connection-communities in schools of athens presents the whatever it takes

ATHENS COMMUNITY PLAN FOR CHILDREN

Welcome

Have you ever been to one of those kids bowling birthday parties where they set up the bowling bumpers down the sides of the alley? Every child who rolls the ball knocks down some pins. When you think of Whatever It Takes (WIT) think of those bowling bumpers.

WIT seeks to take all of the institutions and resources that serve Athens’ children and create a seamless longitudinal network of support so that every child in Athens is healthy, safe, engaged in the community and successful in school and life.

This initiative chooses to focus on education as the ultimate measure of a child’s success. We feel strongly that a post-secondary education is needed for today’s young adults. While not every young adult needs to graduate with an astrophysics degree from a four year university, they each need a marketable skill that can be taken into the workplace. As such our goal is that at 1 p.m. on Wednesday July 1st, 2020 every child in Athens will be on course to graduate from a post-secondary education, be it vocational school, military service, technical school, or four year university.

Is this even possible?

Yes. In fact it is a logical extrapolation from many great successes over the last fifteen years. This community has seen remarkable improvement in areas such as school truancy, substantiated cases of abuse and neglect, and high school graduation rates among others. This progress has been possible because the institutions serving Athens’ children now work collaboratively.

When you’re able to get everyone rowing together, in the same direction, at the same time some really impressive things can happen.

WIT is not a program; it is collaborative process. WIT is a collection of over seventy institutional partners, youth, and the families we serve. WIT is the Clarke County School District, neighborhood leaders, Habitat for Humanity, the UGA College of Education and many more. WIT is you.

During this last year over five hundred people have worked thousands of hours to put together the Athens Community Plan for Children to create a seamless longitudinal network of support from preconception to postsecondary graduation. This work has developed into seventy-seven evidence based solutions addressing the needs and leveraging the strengths unique to our community. Frankly, we’re incredibly proud that our town has produced such an amazing plan. Together these solutions represent one of the most strategic and aggressive efforts ever undertaken to ensure the success of every child in a community.

Take a second and think about a young adult you know who defied the statistics and succeeded. Think of all the good that has come from that success. Now think of a young adult who failed as has come to be expected and all the consequences that have come from that failure. As James Baldwin said, “These are all our children, and we will benefit by or pay for what they become.”

Successful children create successful communities.

Lewis D. Earnest M.D. President, Board of Directors Family Connection-Communities In Schools of Athens

Tim Johnson Executive Director Family Connection-Communities In Schools of Athens

Athens Community Plan For Children Early Care & Learning Pages 3-4

K-12

Pages 5-8

Post-Secondary & Career Pages 9-10

Health & Wellness Pages 11-12

Safety & Community Stability Pages 13-14

Neighborhood Engagement Pages 15-18

Whatever It Takes Collaboration Pages 19-20

Get Involved Pages 21-22

ACPC Book Designed & Built by Ryan Lewis, WIT Communications Director • Content Produced with Erica Gilbertson, WIT Program Director

In your hands is an overview of the 77 solutions for childhood success that were created by strategic action teams made up of Athens experts including parents, teachers, students, doctors, nurses, business owners, law enforcement officials, social workers, the creative community, the faith community and more.

The complete document with all 77 solutions is available online at www.witathens.org/acpc.

Whatever It Takes is an initiative of Family Connection-Communities In Schools of Athens P.O. Box 1904 Athens, GA 30603 • 706-369-9732 • info@witathens.org

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When you are finished reading this book please consider passing it on to a friend. If you must dispose of it, please recycle. Thanks!

EARLY CARE & LEARNING Laying the Foundation for Life Success

Mary Hood

Featured Solution

Healthy Families Program, PCAA

Parent Education & Family Support ACPC Solution 1.1

School Readiness Academy:

Designed by the WIT Early Learning Network, the School Readiness Academy will provide on-going training and support to help parents be the first and best teacher of their own children while preparing them for kindergarten success. WIT Neighborhood Leaders (pages 15-18) will train, support and mentor parents to extend the impact of the Academy.

Family Literacy:

Adult education and family literacy programs will be expanded at Athens Technical College (H.T. Edwards Campus), Athens-Clarke Literacy Council, Office of Early Learning and in neighborhood settings. GED, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), and parent and child activities will be used to help parents improve their own educational achievement while reinforcing their children’s early learning.

Home Visitation:

Prevent Child Abuse Athens will expand evidence-based home visitation through the Healthy Families Program. Home visits focus on positive parenting, child health, improved school readiness and family economics.

Sonya Freeman

WIT Neighborhood Leader Mother of Three

“Children in quality early learning programs earn $20,000 more per year as adults and save the state $19,000 per year in remediation and criminal justice costs.”

(Reynolds 2004)

Scan this QR code with a smartphone QR reader app or type: www.witathens.org/ecl into your internet browser to read the full text of all WIT Early Care and Learning solutions for childhood success.

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EARLY CARE & LEARNING Expand & Improve Quality Child Care Providers ACPC Solution 1.2.a

Featured Solution

In order to build on the Office of Early Learning’s outstanding programs, coaching and professional development on standards-based instruction will be provided to private centers and family child care providers to align instruction to Georgia Early Learning Standards (GELS) and Pre-K standards.

WIT Early Care & Learning Solutions 1.0 Establish WIT Early Learning Network 1.1 Parent Education & Family Support 1.1.a Family Engagement 1.1.b Neighborhood Parent Leadership 1.1.c Family Literacy/GED/ESOL 1.1.d Evidence-Based Home Visitation & Parent Support 1.1.e Job Readiness & Training 1.2 Early Care & Education 1.2.a Expand/Improve Quality Child Care 1.2.b Family Child Care / Friend & Neighbor Care 1.2.c Home Visitation 1.2.d PreK-3rd Grade Alignment 1.3 Health, Nutrition & Wellness 1.3.a Universal Screening & Assessment 1.3.b Medical Home & Access to Health Insurance 1.3.c Nutrition Education 1.3.d Health Services for High Risk Mothers & Children 1.3.e Social Emotional Behavioral Support 1.4 Child Care Workforce Development 1.4.a Professional Development for All Providers 1.4.b Quality Incentives for Centers & Homes

Professional learning will be increased beyond the normal state required hours. Professional learning will be provided to agencies that provide child care programs to support development through adult/ child interactions.

“WIT is committed to doing Whatever It Takes so all children arrive in kindergarten as confident, cooperative, eager young scholars” Dr. Jean Gowen

WIT Early Care & Learning Strategic Action Team Chair

Rock Springs Day Care Center ACPC Solution 1.2.a in action In 2011 the non-profit Rocksprings Day Care Center earned national accreditation as a high quality early care and learning center. By demonstrating that they have achieved high standards of care and education of infants, toddlers and preschoolers, the Rocksprings Center has become National Association for the Education of Young Children accredited.

Rocksprings Child Day Care Center has been serving the children of Rocksprings and surrounding areas of Athens for 35 years in partnership with the Athens Housing Authority.

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K-12

Succeeding in School and in Life

Lauren Medina CIS Site Coordinator Clarke Middle School

Featured Solution

Communities In Schools (CIS) Site Coordinators ACPC Solution 2.8

Communities In Schools (CIS) Site Coordinators work in schools to identify students who are at risk of dropping out, evaluate school and student needs, and gather resources to address those needs.

Needs can range from academic assistance, to health care, counseling, transportation, mentoring and much more. Collaborating with principals, teachers, graduation coaches and other school support staff, CIS Site Coordinators forge community partnerships that bring resources into schools to help remove barriers to learning.

Funded in part by a grant from AT&T, CIS Site Coordinators work at Alps Rd Elementary, Clarke Middle School and Clarke Central High School with plans to expand the program in future years.

Clarke Middle School Afterschool program

Leo Cotlar

CIS Site Coordinator Clarke Central High School

Clarke Central High School UGA College Visit Field Trip

Scan this QR code with a smartphone QR reader app or type: www.witathens.org/k12 into your internet browser to read the full text of all WIT K-12 solutions for childhood success.

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Robert Guy

K-12

ACPC Solution 2.11 in action

One of ten children whose family had been homeless for years. He recalls hiding in the bushes when his stepfather was able to afford a one-person room at a hotel, with all the kids and mom sneaking in once he had the room. They arrived in Athens and, as in his previous high schools, he felt alienated and lost.

He transferred to Classic City High School / Performance Learning Center where he thrived, receiving individualized support and instruction, going on to attend Morehouse College on a full scholarship with plans to attend law school.

He has testified before a joint Education Committee of the House and Senate (see photo) about his experience.

When we cite data we are talking about Robert Guy and thousands of successes like him. Such successes must be the expectation for all our children, not the exception.

WIT K-12 Solutions 2.1 Professional Development Schools 2.2 International Baccalaureate Program 2.3 UGA Elementary Strings Project 2.4 Project FOCUS (Fostering Our Community’s Understanding of Science) 2.5 Field Trips to UGA 2.6 School Social Workers 2.7 School Behavior Specialists 2.8 Communities In Schools (CIS) Site Coordinators 2.9 Mentor Recruitment & Evaluation Project 2.10 K-12 Mindful Awareness Practices 2.11 Performance Learning Center 2.12 CCSD Summer Program 2.13 Books for Keeps 2.14 YWCO Girls Club Summer Program Expansion 2.15 K-12 Liaison Advocate (AmeriCorps VISTA position) 2.16 CCSD Afterschool Program 2.17 Expand Service-Learning Opportunities 2.18 Elementary Art Mentoring 8.1 Information Literacy Initiative 8.2 Expand Internet Access

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K-12

Featured Solution

Professional Development Schools ACPC Solution 2.1

Key personnel from the Clarke County School District and the UGA College of Education (UGA COE) have developed a Professional Development School (PDS) model in Athens as a strategy for improving classroom instruction, teacher retention, and student academic performance.

In 2011, Clarke Middle School and the Athens Community Career Academy (see page 10) began to function as PDSs, which include a UGA Professor-in-Residence who spends 2-3 days a week at the school. Half-time devoted to UGA COE instruction (supervising student interns or teaching a class on-site) and half-time devoted to service to the school.

At Clarke Middle School the PDS model supports implementation of the International Baccalaureate Program (see Solution 2.2) and at the Athens Community Career Academy the PDS model is supporting an emphasis on workplace ethics. “We believe what we have developed in Clarke County [professional development schools] is a national model for universities and public school districts across the country.�

Dr Phil Lanoue Superintendent, Clarke County School District & Dr Andy Horne Dean, UGA College of Education

The odds of completing high school rise by 36% for children exposed to preschool.

(Heckman 2004)

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K-12

Books for Keeps

UGA WIT UGA WIT seeks to harness the power of 34,000 University of Georgia students to improve the lives of children in Athens.

UGA WIT has specific goals: a network of 1000 volunteers such that when local agencies identify a student that needs a tutor, a coach, a mentor, or even just a pair of socks someone will be there; 400 tutors to work at after school programs such that every child in the neighborhood who needs a tutor gets one; and collection of 83,000 books for the nonprofit, Books for Keeps, to prevent summer learning loss. UGA WIT is already well on its way to achieving these lofty goals.

ACPC Solution 2.13 Books for Keeps started as one woman’s effort to help a child who loved to read but had no books at home. It grew into a grassroots movement to end summer slide in Athens by ensuring children have access to books of their own during summer.

Books for Keeps distributes books to Clarke County School District students ranging from Pre-K through 12th grade. The elementary school program is based on research that found giving economicallydisadvantaged elementary school children 12 highinterest books each at the beginning of summer had an impact on reading achievement statistically similar to attending summer school.

In 2011 Books for Keeps provided 12,000 books to 1,000 elementary school students in Athens.

Books for Keeps is an inspiring home grown example of a person seeing a problem and dedicating herself to solving it. Founder Melaney Smith asked herself: “Why doesn’t somebody do something? It’s my typical question when I encounter an upsetting problem. But this time, I got an answer: I am somebody. I can do something.”

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Post-Secondary & Career Achieving the Dream Featured Solution

College & Career Success Office ACPC Solution 3.7

The College & Career Success Office will consist of a College Success Unit, focused on helping students enter and excel in college then transition to successful careers and a Career Education Unit to help students enter and complete training programs that teach job and career skills.

Beginning in elementary school, the College Success Unit will “talk up” and raise public awareness to promote college enrollment, particularly among under-represented groups.

Staff and volunteers will encourage more students to pursue college and assist them along the way, with the challenges they will face – from the financial aid and admission processes to time management and navigating the social and cultural environment. Key components will include: outreach, academic support, admissions and financial aid, workshops and training, scholarship information, internships/jobs, data collection and tracking and supporting those who are enrolled in college to increase retention.

Students and families will receive targeted support through “College 101” workshops. Admissions and financial aid professionals from higher education institutions, including UGA, Athens Technical College, and Gainesville College-Oconee campus will prepare and deliver neighborhood and school based workshops to families, middle and high school counselors, and student support staff.

Workshops will help families develop a resource network with the staff of area colleges and follow-up will come from WIT Neighborhood Leader “College 101” Specialists who will work one-on-one with students and families.

Scan this QR code with a smartphone QR reader app or type: www.witathens.org/psac into your internet browser to read the full text of all WIT PostSecondary & Career solutions for childhood success.

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“People With a College Degree Will Make

One Million Dollars More Over Their Lifetime Than Those Without a Degree” (US Census Bureau)

Post-secondary & Career Athens Community Featured Solutions Career Academy & Increase Dual Enrollment ACPC Solutions 3.1 & 3.2

The Athens Community Career Academy is a collaborative venture among the Clarke County School District, UGA College of Education, Athens Technical College, and OneAthens. Courses are specifically designed to meet the needs of local business, industry and workforce; to change with labor market and local economic needs; and to provide opportunities for students to participate in pre-college and dual/joint enrollment.

Career pathways offered include Health Occupations, Law & Justice, Broadcast/Music Video Production, Business Information Technology, “WIT represents possibility; sadly, climbing Marketing, and Engineering/Drafting/Design. All 10th-12th grade high from poverty to the mainstream is proving school students in CCSD are eligible. much too elusive for far too many youth in our community. For kids in the neighborhood, Dual enrollment programs - which provide high school students the WIT is the best hope for addressing this opportunity to enroll in college courses while still in high school - are enormous community failure and helping a key strategy for increasing high school graduation rates and easing the them to realize their potential.” transition into post-secondary education.

The Athens Community Career Academy supports dual enrollment expansion with on-site college courses provided by Athens Technical College. Area colleges will deliver information on dual enrollment opportunities available at their institutions through Neighborhood Leader “College 101” Specialists who will share the information with residents throughout the community.

Fred Smith

Co-Chair WIT Post-Secondary & Career Strategic Action Team • District 4-North Director, Georgia Department of Labor • Former Jack R. Wells Public Housing Resident

WIT Post-Secondary & Career Solutions

3.1 Athens Community Career Academy 3.2 Increase Dual Enrollment 3.3 College & Career Going Culture: Adopt-A-Class 3.4 College & Career Going Culture: Teachers as Advisors 3.5 College & Career Going Culture: Internships 3.6 Career Based Learning Opportunities 3.7 College & Career Success Office 3.8 Achieving the Dream Network 3.9 Expand Scholarship Opportunities 3.10 Junior Achievement

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Health & Wellness

Growing Up Healthy: nutrition and exercise!

Featured Solution

Lay Health Educators ACPC Solution 4.6

Neighborhood Leaders will serve as Lay Health Educators, receiving training in health and wellness education and bringing that knowledge into their community to share with neighboring families.

Lay Health Educators enhance provider-patient communication, preventive care, adherence to treatment, follow-up, and referral, disease self-management, and navigation of the health care system.

Lay Health Educators promote and build individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy in the community.

The Dalton, Georgia Lay Health Educators program prevented $2,379,061 worth of medical costs and had a 16:1 return on investment.

Scan this QR code with a smartphone QR reader app or type: www.witathens.org/hw into your internet browser to read the full text of all WIT Health & Wellness solutions for childhood success.

“We will change the culture in every neighborhood throughout Athens such that excellence in educational achievement is highly valued, celebrated, and expected.�

Tim Johnson

FC-CIS-WIT Executive Director

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health & wellness Featured Solution

“It’s tempting to put problems in silos and assign them to different agencies and institutions like schools, courts, DFCS, police, etc. What’s so special about Whatever It Takes is that the partnership is so wide ranging and cuts across all barriers of professional disciplines and institutions.

That collaboration has resulted in a plan that is comprehensive, with a goal that is entirely reachable.”

Judge Robin Shearer

WIT Safety & Community Stability Strategic Action Team Chair Presiding Juvenile Court Judge, Western Judicial Circuit

WIT Health & Wellness Solutions

Mindful Awareness ACPC Solution 4.11

Mindful Awareness has global effects on the brain and behavior. Designed to enhance stress resilience and improve social-emotional learning for children, adolescents, and educators, Mindful Awareness is a solution that will have positive effects in all areas of the cradle to career continuum.

Neighborhood Leaders have begun Mindful Awareness training and have incorporated the practice into their meetings with great results.

The ultimate goal of the solution is to create a mindful culture within CCSD so that peaceful classrooms, attentive students and calm, resourceful parents and neighbors can work together for the success of all students.

4.1 Physical Activity in Elementary Classrooms 4.2 Active After-School Programs 4.3 Nutrition Education 4.4 Increase Access, Availability & Awareness of Fresh Local Produce (School/Community Gardens) 4.5 Women, Infant & Children (WIC) Satellite Office 4.6 Health System Navigator/Train Lay Health Educators 4.7 Provide School-Based Nurses 4.8 Dental Services 4.9 Family Counseling Services in Early Learning, Elementary & Middle School 4.10 Expand Mental Health Services in High School 4.11 Health & Wellness Mindful Awareness Practices 4.12 Teen Pregnancy Prevention 4.13 Children’s Asthma Clinic 4.14 Substance Abuse Support

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Safety & Community Stability Providing Opportunities for Success Featured Solution

Affordable Housing ACPC Solution 6.3

Community stability is enhanced by affordable housing options.

A WIT Neighborhood Leader will serve as a Housing Advocate Specialist who will advocate for affordable housing, collaborate with Athens Housing Authority (AHA) to address resident concerns, serve on the AHA Inter-Community Council, serve on OneAthens Housing Team, and address neighborhood housing concerns.

Habitat for Humanity:

Habitat for Humanity of Athens has procured the land and is moving forward to build 5 new homes with families to provide affordable housing in addition to a number of beautification and structural repair projects.

Athens Housing Authority (AHA):

A “HOPE VI like” strategy is currently planned to begin in 2012 for the Jack R. Wells community. The present 125 public housing dwelling units will be demolished and replaced with a mixedincome, potentially mixed-use complex.

The current number of public housing units will be maintained with several hundred additional tax-credit and market-rate units being added to the existing site. The end product will be market-rate quality for all units and include amenities and resident services not currently possible under the low-rent public housing program.

Scan this QR code with a smartphone QR reader app or type: www.witathens.org/scs into your internet browser to read the full text of all WIT Safety & Community Stability solutions for childhood success.

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Jack R. Wells Neighborhood

“The most effective crime prevention initiative in Athens has been Family Connection’s work to reduce teen pregnancy.”

Jack Lumpkin

Athens-Clarke County Police Chief

Safety & Community Stability Featured Solution

Citizens Police Academy ACPC Solution 5.2

The 13 week Citizens Police Academy (CPA) program introduces community members to police operations, philosophy, procedures, laws, and rules.

Curriculum includes: Criminal Investigations, Patrol, District Attorney/Criminal Investigations, K-9/Traffic, and Drug and Vice.

Graduates learn to better protect their neighborhoods by working with police and other local government agencies to solve community problems.

Neighborhood Leaders will serve as Safety Specialists and use their CPA training to develop Neighborhood Watch groups, as well as serve as neighborhood liaisons to the police department on safety issues. A youth Citizens Police Academy is currently being planned.

WIT Safety & Community Stability Solutions 5.1 Athens-Clarke County Peer Court 5.2 Citizens Police Academy 5.3 Family Team Meetings 5.4 Safety-related Mindful Awareness Practices 5.5 ACC Juvenile Court Restorative Justice Training 5.6 Rites of Passage Youth Development Program 5.7 Clarke County Attendance Panel 5.8 Clarke County Truancy Court 5.9 Safe Dates Program 5.10 Anti-Bullying Interventions 5.11 Youth Police Academy 6.1 Increase Adult Literacy 6.2 Goodwill Jumpstart 6.3 Affordable Housing

WIT Neighborhood Leader Sonya Freeman Graduated from the ACCPD Citizens Police Academy in November 2011

Rites of Passage ACPC Solution 5.6

To prevent African-American youth ages 10-19 from entering the juvenile justice system by addressing risk factors such as teen pregnancy, youth violence, and school failure, the Rites of Passage after school program utilizes an Afro-cultural approach to combat social problems facing youth in Athens.

The focus is on children identified as “at risk” by Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of Family & Children Services, CCSD, or Athens Housing Authority. This solution aims to expand the number of children served by Rites of Passage.

All services of Rites of Passage are designed to meet WIT’s programmatic goals to improve child health, improve child development; improve school performance, improve family functioning, and improve family economic capacity.

All youth:

should know how to plan ahead, make choices, resolve conflict nonviolently, have interpersonal skills, have something to contribute, have a sense of purpose, have integrity, value themselves and others, have family support that includes high levels of love and support, be given positive roles in the community and freedom of expression through the arts.

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Neighborhood Engagement Whatever It Takes: It’s a Mindset and a Motivation!

The Neighborhood Leadership Model ACPC Solution 7.1 The Neighborhood Leadership model is a crucial component of the Whatever It Takes initiative. By identifying natural leaders within the neighborhood and providing them with the education and training needed to develop their natural talents, Whatever It Takes is building a sustainable network of on-the-ground experts to guide the process and implement solutions for childhood success.

This is how real change happens.

On the ground.

In the Neighborhood.

Door-to-door.

Face-to-face.

Person-to-person.

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The first group of Neighborhood Leaders were identified and recruited in December 2010 and spent 2011 training, participating in WIT Strategic Action Teams to inform and guide the planning work of the initiative, hosting intimate ‘Living Room Conversation’ focus groups in their homes, organizing monthly ‘Community Conversation’ events to seek public involvement in the process, planning and carrying out a door-to-door Community Assessment Survey and much more.

As if all of that weren’t impressive enough, the majority of WIT Neighborhood Leaders also began pursuing post-secondary educations themselves in order to be better teachers and examples for their own children.

Neighborhood Engagement Neighborhood Leadership Academy

Featured Solution

ACPC Solution 7.1

WIT Neighborhood Leaders will participate in the Neighborhood Leadership Academy to receive training and education in areas such as conflict resolution, mediation, public speaking, cultural competency, inter-personal communication skills, and community advocacy, among others.

The Academy will connect training, skills and resources from various community programs and organizations to citizens interested in becoming parent leaders, community advocates and those interesting in creating a successful culture in the neighborhoods.

After completing core training, Neighborhood Leaders will become “specialists� with additional sets of trainings and resources to assist with delivering solutions identified by WIT as having positive outcomes on student educational achievement.

Terris Thomas

WIT Neighborhood Engagement Facilitator

Latasha Gentry WIT Neighborhood Leader Mother of Three

Specialization areas include early childhood parent education, K-12 school system navigation/connecting to school resources, post-secondary assistance, health education, nutrition/exercise, community safety, information, referral, housing/transportation advocacy and others.

Dr. Geraldine Clarke Athens Housing Authority Resident Support Director

Scan this QR code with a smartphone QR reader app or type: www.witathens.org/ne into your internet browser to read the full text of all WIT Neighborhood Engagement solutions for childhood success.

WIT Neighborhood Leaders are instrumental in implementing all 77 WIT Solutions in their neighborhoods.

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Neighborhood Engagement Tamika Williams WIT Neighborhood Leader Mother of Two

The Park on West Broad Community Center Neighborhood Leaders Put Training in Action to Open Community Center ACPC Solution 7.1 in action

Loreal Vinson and Tamika Williams, two rising stars in the WIT Neighborhood Leadership Academy saw an opportunity when their apartment complex came under new management. Looking to provide the dozens of children who call the Park on West Broad home a safe place to play and study, Vinson and Williams persuaded new management to provide space for a community center. They are currently finalizing details to build a playground for the children.

With the location secured, the Neighborhood Leaders convinced the CCSD to donate furnishings and they now have a space for tutoring (formerly done in the laundromat) and other activities.

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Loreal Vinson

WIT Neighborhood Leader CIS AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer at Alps Rd Elementary Mother of Two

Neighborhood Engagement Community Conversations, Living Room Conversations & Door-to-Door Community Survey Neighborhood Leaders have driven WIT’s Neighborhood Engagement work from the beginning.

Neighborhood Leaders work in 2011 included planning monthly Community Conversation events, facilitating public involvement in the WIT planning process, hosting small Living Room Conversation focus groups in their own homes and carrying out a door-to-door community survey.

WIT Neighborhood Leaders are the heart and soul of the initiative.

Mark Brown WIT Neighborhood Leader Athens Technical College Student Single Father of Two Daughters

Being shot in the head would have slowed most single parents down but to Mark Brown it was the wakeup call he needed to rededicate himself to his education and to building a better future for his two daughters.

As a WIT Neighborhood Leader Mark is learning the skills he needs to help others focus on the success of all Athens’ children.

WIT Volunteer Appreciation Celebration Planned and hosted by WIT Neighborhood Leaders Clarke Middle School • July 1st, 2011

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Whatever It Takes Collaboration

Together We Are Strong

Family Connection-Communities in Schools of Athens is a partnership of non-profits, businesses, the public sector, and most importantly – families.

When the public and private sectors come together great things can be accomplished!

Children exposed to a culture of learning at an early age with continuing support through post-secondary graduation have a far greater chance of life success and have less need for expensive and less effective intervention(s) later in life. We must make sure that every child is taught the skill set needed to be successful in life.

By initially concentrating our efforts in a single neighborhood - the Alps Road Elementary School Attendance Zone (see map) - and subsequently expanding outward, Whatever It Takes will achieve a domino effect bringing this ‘cradle to career’ continuum to the entirety of Athens-Clarke County over the next ten years.

Starting with a manageable area allows us to reach the tipping point of 65% neighborhood involvement that is necessary to create a genuine culture of success. This concentration of resources creates a compounding effect, changing the odds for all children rather than helping just a few to beat the odds.

MLK Day of Service

WIT Staff and Volunteers Built Raised Gardens for Students at Clarke Middle School

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The Alps Road Elementary School Attendance Zone is the Initial Geographic Focus of the WIT Initiative. Efforts Will Expand Countywide Over the Next 10 Years.

Dr. Noris Price (CCSD), Geoffrey Canada (Harlem Children’s Zone), Terris Thomas (WIT), Tim Johnson (WIT)

Whatever It Takes collaboration

Board of Directors: Family Representatives from Athens-Clarke County Youth from the Clarke County School District Superintendent of the Clarke County School District Mayor of AthensClarke County CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Members of the Community-at-Large Manager of the Clarke County Health Department CEO of Advantage Behavioral Health Dean of the University of Georgia College of Education Public Safety Representative Local Director of Department of Family & Children Services Manager of the Department of Juvenile Justice

“What is different about the WIT approach to using data and information is that it is designed to make the responsibility for child development a joint one and it is designed to follow children through to their successful entry into a productive economic and civic life.”

Dr. John O’Looney

WIT Data & Evaluation Strategic Action Team Chair UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government

WIT Partner Agencies, Organizations & Businesses:

Clarke County School District • Athens Technical College • Gainesville State College - Oconee Branch • University of Georgia • UGA College of Education • UGA Office of Service-Learning • UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government • UGA College of Environment & Design • UGA Department of Horticulture • UGA Masters of Public Administration Program • UGA College of Public Health • UGA Cooperative Extension • UGA Fanning Institute • UGA College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences - Office of Academic Affairs • UGA Cooperative Extension • Clarke County Mentor Program • Books For Keeps • Boys & Girls Club • YWCO • Bright Beginnings Preschool • Community Connection • OneAthens • Athens Area Community Foundation • Free IT Athens • Alston & Bird LLP • Rites of Passage • Girl Scouts • The Cottage Child Advocacy Center • Project Safe • Athens Land Trust • Children First • Junior League of Athens • AthensClarke Literacy Council • Athens Area Habitat for Humanity • Goodwill of North Georgia • Georgia Conflict Center • Confluence • Central Presbyterian Church • Catholic Center at UGA • Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church • Athens Area Chamber of Commerce • Athens Banner-Herald • OnlineAthens.com • Flagpole Magazine • Cox Media • Zebra Magazine • Fairway Outdoor Advertising • Beech Haven Baptist Church • Athens Farmer’s Market • WXAG • AT&T Graduation Project • Connect2Athens • Athens Regional Medical Center • ARMC Mind Body Institute • St. Mary’s Hospital • St. Mary’s Wellness Clinic • Advantage Behavioral Health Systems • Northeast Health District (ACC Health Dept.) • Timothy Baptist Church • Mercy Health Clinic • N.E. Georgia Nurses Foundation Clinic • Athens Neighborhood Health Center • Family Counseling Service • GHSU/UGA Medical Partnership • Junior Achievement • CCSD Office of Early Learning • Early Headstart • Headstart • Quality Care for Children • Little Ones Academy • Prevent Child Abuse Athens • Nancy Travis Hope for Babies • UGA Hodgson School of Music • UGA Lamar Dodd School of Art • Girls Rock Camp Athens • R.E.M. • Widespread Panic • ACC Arts Division Lyndon House Arts Center • AthFest (music & arts organization) • Nuci’s Space • Athens Arts Council • Governor’s Office for Children & Families • Georgia Family Connection Partnership • Communities In Schools (CIS) of GA • CIS National Office • Clinton Global Initiative • AthensClarke County Unified Government • ACC Police Department • Clarke County Department of Family & Children Services • Athens Housing Authority • Georgia Department of Labor • Family Counseling Service • ACC Department of Human & Economic Development • AthensClarke County Juvenile Court • Athens-Clarke County Library • Clarke County Department of Juvenile Justice • Clarke County Department of Family & Children Services •

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Get Involved!

What Can You Do to Help?

Call 706-369-9732 or email info@witathens.org for Volunteer Opportunities

Join a Strategic Action Team!

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Become a Neighborhood Leader!

Become a Mentor or Tutor!

Get Involved!

Donate to

Whatever It Takes!

Family Connection-Communities In Schools of Athens YES! Enclosed find my tax-deductible donation to help all Athens children succeed!

______$1,000 ______$500

______$250 ______$100

______$25 ______$ Other___________

Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone: _____________________________________________ e-mail: ________________________________________________________________________________

Mail your donation to: FC-CIS of Athens, PO Box 1904, Athens, GA 30603-1904

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We will do Whatever It Takes to ensure that every child in Athens is healthy, safe, engaged in the community, and on course to graduate from a post-secondary education.