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utility! |
Tenacity: Hitting the Books and the Courts for a Summer of Fun
by Kelsey Oates
The pop off the strings, the skid on the concrete,
the cry of exultation when the green fuzz catches the white line.
This symphony of summer is being played right now at
over twenty-four locations, performed by the youth of inner-city
Boston and conducted by the non-profit Tenacity.
In 1999, Ned Eames decided to combine his talent and
love of the sport with his passion for service, creating Tenacity.
94% of students who complete Tenacity’s three year after-school
program have graduated or remain enrolled in high school and many
have continued on to top colleges, including Tufts, Amherst, and
Howard University.
Free to all who apply, Tenacity gives kids a
constructive outlet both after-school and throughout the summer.
Just eleven years after being founded, the commitment that became
Tenacity has served over 20,000 kids and teens and continues to
transform communities.
Tenacity works year round to enhance the lives of its students, but
in the summer this work is especially pertinent.
Most students experience the “summer slide”, when
two to three months out of the classroom erases some of the previous
year’s learning. In wealthy and middle-class communities, parents
enroll their children in camps, classes, and other extra-curricular
activities that reinforce the skills developed during the academic
year.
Low income students, however, experience the
greatest setbacks due to this lapse in educational access.
Researchers at the University of Tennessee found
that “by sixth grade, [the summer slide] accounts for as much as 80%
of the achievement gap...low income students lose about three months
of ground each summer to middle-class peers.”
This damage, though, is not irreversible.
Researchers have tapped into an easy solution that can help put less
fortunate students back on the path of progress. Simply, give them
books. “Children growing up in homes with many books get three years
more schooling than children from bookless homes, independent of
their parents’ education, occupation, and class. This is as great an
advantage of having a professional rather than an unskilled father.”
Tenacity’s focus on literacy aids students in their
quests for success.
Today’s students want to go out into the world and
help. We can harness that passion and direct it towards our kids
here in Massachusetts. Take just a five minute ride on the T or a
short train ride into the city and you can change a young person’s
life. This nation’s infrastructure allows a child to pursue his
dreams and untangle himself from his socioeconomic background.
Public schools, charter schools, scholarships, state
universities, student loans, and a still flexible economy are just
some of the resources our kids have.
Volunteer with Tenacity and you can help children
discover the literary world, spark their lifelong love of learning,
and guide them toward a future that extends beyond just high school.
Visit http://www.tenacity.org to learn more. In addition to their
summer sessions, Tenacity operates the After School Excellence
Program.
You can get your own children involved by signing
them up through the website. If you would like to volunteer,
positions are open for literacy tutors, tennis instructors, or event
volunteers. Explore the website and see the difference that you
could make today.
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