O.K. (Our Kids) Program Summer 2010The O.K. Program is an African-American male leadership development program that involves partnerships between police agencies, school districts, students in Pulaski County, community members, the business community, and faith-based organizations. This year’s summer component will take students who have demonstrated the required academic proficiency to Atlanta, Georgia to visit the King Center and to meet with other chapters of the O.K. program to discuss the importance of appropriate conduct and the role of citizenship.

Get Fit Therapy and Fitness Equipment Care Adult Daycare Center, Inc. provides a means for primary caregivers to leave elderly loved ones for a few hours in a caring, safe environment. Exercise equipment designed specifically for the elderly will be purchased to help reduce cardio-vascular, muscular skeletal and other health problems.

Reconnecting Families Through History and Quilting Reconnecting Families will use family history and the craft of quilting to help dysfunctional families reconnect, or strengthen functional families. The quilts will depict family members of their choice. Children will use the internet to find additional information about their families while teaching the parents computer skills. Adults will teach the children skills needed to make quilts. Each generation will have something to offer and create a stronger bond.

Implementation of Girls Circle in Rural Arkansas (Dallas County) Simone’s Home, Inc. will implement a research based, highly valued program call Girls Circle to 20 girls ages 11 – 18 in Dallas County (Carthage, Arkansas). The Girls Circle model views a girl’s connection with others as a central organizing feature in her psychological makeup. The goal of Simone’s Home is to teach a ten week session of the Girls Circle curriculum reaching twenty young girls within the Dallas County region during the summer months and three booster sessions in the fall.

Improving Academic Success for African-American Male Students at Pulaski Technical College Pulaski Technical College’s Center for Student Success staff are recruiting up to 300 African-American male students to participate in “The Network for Student Success”’ with a goal of improving retention and graduation rates for this at-risk population. Incentives will be provided to reward students who are involved in The Network for Student Success and realize academic improvement. Business professionals will also be recruited to serve as mentors.

The Our House Learning Center develops homeless individuals’ educational and personal resources to enable participants to gain and succeed at meaningful employment. Services include basic literacy courses, a GED preparation course, college preparation program, computer training, and communication for the workplace, human relations and operation of business machines. Life skills courses include parenting and financial literacy. The Learning Center also provides child care and pre-school for the children of the program participants

African Rhythms will be a three day heritage event partnering the Museum of Discovery with the African Drum Ballet and KIPP Delta College Preparatory School. Funding will provide field trips for fifty students from the KIPP School, grades 5 to 8, as well as help offset the expense of bringing in the Drum Ballet, an after school program for at-risk youth grades 5 to 12. The Drum Ballet and KIPP programs both focus on character development

Multi-Social Entrepreneur Service Center---The Center will offer multi-social entrepreneur service that will aid individuals in becoming productive members of their community through workforce training and gainful employment. The educational programs will be both mainstream and alternative which will include a hands-on and on-the-job training thereby affording the Center the opportunity to not only create jobs and conduct job education but also expand into job retention.

Gould Area CDF Freedom Summer Schools Program---Kearney Consulting, Inc will operate Gould Area, Children Defense Fund Summer Freedom Schools at Gould where schools have been closed and there is a need for after school education. The CDF Freedom School Model will be used to provide enrichment using a curriculum which supports children and families around five essential components including high quality academic enrichment; parent and family involvement; social action and civic engagement; intergenerational servant leadership development; and nutrition, health and mental health.

The House of Vision provides facility space for individuals and groups who offer individual and small group counseling in life-coping skills to underprivileged and underserved youth and adults. Additionally, classes and instruction are offered on starting and marketing a business as well as licensure, and assistance is offered with organizing and financing a business and taxes and financial reporting.

Buddy Ball Sports for Children with Disabilities---Hope Landing, Inc. in partnership with the El Dorado Boys and Girls Club offers adaptive sports, after-school and summer programs to children with cognitive and physical disabilities. The sports programs provide youth with varying disabilities the opportunities to participate in modified athletic programs that provide meaningful social experiences as well as a skill of a favorite sport. All programs are geared toward player development.

Food for the Pantry---Helping Hands of Winchester provides food for over 350 families monthly. With a growing number of families in need due to food shortages more food than ever is needed. Helping Hands will advertise their services in the Dumas Clarion and Monticellonian in Monticello, Arkansas.

Gloryland Choir Camp---Eighty African-American children, members of the Gloryland Pastor’s Choir, from North Little Rock, Wynne and Eudora will attend a week-long summer camp where they will enjoy the outdoors, learn new skills, build self-esteem and continue to develop their musical talents.

Turning Green into Giving Project---The Turning Green into Giving Project will allow Boys and Girls Club members to grow flowers to be given to local retirement home residents at maturity. The project will increase the members science, art and literary skills and introduce them to different vocations for future exploration and will offer character building and youth development as they gain an appreciation for giving something back to those in need.

Wellness Wednesdays---The Arts and Science Center will deliver an outreach science program, primarily health and wellness, to youth enrolled in local after-school programs. Eight different topics will be presented over a 24-week period to youth participating in the two locations of the Jefferson County Boys and Girls Club and The Salvation Army “After School” program.

The O.K.Our Kids)Program is an African-American male leadership development program. This year’s summer component will include a series of strategic team building sessions designed to teach young men how to work together to address issues that are germane to their community and everyday life situations