Our Education Development Initiatives
We ensure that adults and children are well educated and prepared for economic self-reliance in the 21st century through college credit courses and pre-college preparation.
EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT LAYS THE FOUNDATION
And we're here for the duration, committed to the long-term with you with as many ways to help as possible. But let's start with what an education is - and what it isn't. Education is a process that never ends, not something that stops with a grade or age or piece of paper. Education is for everyone and happens anywhere, not something only certain people get that's confined inside the walls of a class room. Mostly, an education is a rocket ship that can take you wherever you want, not an anchor that holds you down because you don't have enough of it.
Much more than classes, and more like a lifetime friendship.
This is your Urban League. The Greater Stark County Urban League has been part of the community for more than 100 years. We've formed a deep understanding of the needs and concerns for the community's culture. We speak your language and never speak down to you. That's because we're here to elevate your life, to build you up like the friends that we are.
EQUITY (equitable opportunity)
Equality and equity are not the same thing, though both are essential to establishing true fairness. Equality guarantees that all individuals in a given system have equal rights, liberties and status. Equality helps different people have the same access to resources. However, without equity, equal access doesn’t take into account how the people themselves differ. If you look at the illustration below, you’ll see how all the people shown have equal access to wooden boxes that help them see the ballgame over the fence. Equity rearranges the boxes so that those who need none allow those who need some (or more) to use what they need to reach over the top of the fence — and reach equity. While we seek and celebrate equality in access to education, such as the ability to attend the same public school, more is needed. We help your young students attain equity in education, which is making sure that every child has what they need to succeed. These needs are different based upon the school and based upon the child.
Your Urban League customizes support for each child, considering the needs of that individual. We don’t provide the education or educational support, but collaborate with other organizations to get students what they need, all done with tremendous consideration for the cultural and economic situations facing all children.
ENGAGEMENT (community conversations)
Education can only be its best and most fulfilling if the community comes together. Educators and administrators and parents need to understand one another to bolster the mission of helping our youth succeed.
This is why the Greater Stark County Urban League partnered with the Urban League of Greater Cleveland and other Northeast Ohio affiliate chapters to hold Equity & Excellence in Education Summits beginning in 2019.
These events keep residents informed about what’s happening with education in their community. Your community Urban League hosts events within the community where the superintendent of Canton City Schools presents plans for the district at which parents can ask questions in an easy environment, while the superintendent gets direct input about the specific needs of the community.
EMPOWERMENT (parental positivity)
Parents must be able to play an active role in the quality of their children’s education. They should play a part in the process, rather than merely serving as a recipient of what everyone else wants to do. We help empower parents and encourage their involvement by providing forums with the goal to help parents build relationships with teachers and principals at their local schools.
This initiative, which began in November of 2019, works in tandem with Community Conversations to solidify the effective combination of conversation and collaboration (though the effort has been slowed due to necessary precautions for COVID).
ENERGY (third grade reading)
There is a tremendous energy that exists when a young person learns. They come alive as they discover new ideas and experiences. They travel to places and times they can only imagine, even those that only exist on pages and in their own minds.
That energy of learning, particularly for the youngest students, is most often sparked by reading. Additionally, reading connects the students to other forms of learning, making the ability to read a young student’s most crucial capability.
The 3rd grade is critical toward the goal of positive learning for young students, because it is the last year that those students focus on learning to read. In the 4th grade, students begin to learn through reading rather than learning to read. Consequently, if those 4th graders aren’t yet good readers, they’ll have difficulty learning new material. Too often, this results in students who have reading challenges getting held back. Repeating a grade then sets the stage for a host of issues such as bullying, lack of confidence and a diminished interest in learning.
To keep the positive energy flowing, and help 3rd graders succeed as they read, your Greater Stark County Urban League tutors students to improve their reading skills throughout the 3rd grade to help maximize each student’s strength and to keep their education on track.
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