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GEAR UP Partners with Starbucks Foundation to Improve Literacy at Memorial Middle School

Tuesday, October 5, 2004

A partnership between the GEAR UP program and The Starbucks Foundation is putting the spotlight on some teens during poetry readings at local Starbucks coffee shops. This school year marks the second year of a partnership between GEAR UP, the Starbucks Foundation’s Power of Literacy Program, and the Institute for Community Leadership’s (ICL) Leadership Poetry Workshops training program. This program specifically targets youth from underserved Tampa Bay communities.

GEAR UP, a program funded through the US Department of Education and the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County, works to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. Approximately, 750 students and many of their families from Memorial Middle School were served during the 2003-2004 academic year through case management services, in class-tutoring, after school programming, college visits, family Saturdays, and special events.

Over the past year, Memorial Middle School staff has implemented the Institute of Community Leadership (ICL) program in their school. ICL represents a literacy-based workshop curriculum that “successfully engages students in a vision-setting process designed to create a photo in the mind's eye of how the world – and nation, community and school – ought to be. Students then develop the capacity to change themselves and change others to bring about that vision.”

Part of this change has occurred by developing students’ understanding of literature, and expanding their communication skills through reading, writing poetry and public speaking.

“ The poetry workshop allows the students to use creative expression to voice their opinions on how they see world today,”said Patra Cooks, Project Manager for the Memorial and Hillsborough High School GEAR UP programs. “What better way to pave the road to a child’s future than to be expressive through poetry.”

The collaborative relationship between GEAR UP and Starbucks began a year ago following an ICL workshop training of GEAR UP staff and teachers from Memorial Middle School and Hillsborough High School. After the training in Seattle, Washington, a number of staff implemented the literary workshops upon their return through the after school and summer programs. Trained staff included the following: GEAR UP case managers Julie Reed, and Michele Alvarez-Hardin; Hillsborough School Psychologist Dr. Evelyn Hernandez, Reading Teacher Michelle Warner, Math Teacher Ayana Lucas and Memorial Middle School Assistant Principal, Darryl Givens.

“ The students read poetry by published poets, shared their thoughts and ideas, and used the poetry to inspire their own words,” said Julie Reed. “Students also coached each other to become better speakers and stronger individuals in their communities.”

As a result of these workshops students recited their poems and writings at four local Starbuck’s cafes and at the Blake High School GEAR UP Spring Awards Ceremony. Blake High School, the first GEAR UP program will graduate its first set of students this year. In addition, ICL students also participated in community service activities such as serving as general ambassadors on parent conference nights, and assisted in providing bi-lingual support for families in need. Additionally, some students attended a Spoken Word Homage at the Salvador Dali Museum in June. Students listened to works by the Irritable Tribe of Poets and were able to speak with Dr. James Tokley, Tampa’s Poet Laureate.

This year GEAR UP is strengthening its relationship with Starbucks after receiving an $8,000.00 grant from the Starbuck’s Foundation. The Foundation’s Literacy Efforts are aimed at "stimulating personal development and a commitment to social equity, justice and environmental awareness through writing, literacy and expression in public forums.” With a mission to create hope, discovery, and opportunity in communities where Starbucks partners live and work, the Starbucks Foundation funds programs that promote youth leadership through the power of literacy and respect for diversity.

Last year’s student participants were 7th and 8th graders from Memorial Middle School. Returning students are currently 8th and 9th graders at Memorial Middle School, and Hillsborough High School respectively. All 8th and 9th graders at either school are invited to participate in the workshops which will be held through the after school program. The additional funding will allow GEAR UP to expand its literacy and leadership program in five different ways:

“Intervention at this point in their school career can make a major difference in developing student’s expectations about the future,” said Ruby Joseph, Principal Investigator of USF’s GEAR UP programs. “The Poetry Workshop is a challenging environment that produces very moving and powerful presentations by students, who, in some cases, barely showed up for classes.”

“ We have some students who really “get” that they are a part of something much larger,” added Julie Reed. Ruby Joseph agrees: “The ICL/Starbucks Foundation partnership provides a unique framework where students are encouraged to express their feelings and interests and get recognition for that expression. Ultimately, I believe this program helps develop powerful tools needed for social development – self expression and public speaking skills.”

For additional information, contact Julie Reed at 813-356-1753, or email at jreed@fmhi.usf.edu. Additional information on GEAR UP can be found at http://gearup.fmhi.usf.edu

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The Department of Child and Family Studies (CFS) is a department of the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida. The faculty and staff of CFS are committed to enhancing the development, mental health and well-being of children and families through leadership in integrating research, theory & practice.