Educational Leadership/EAF Committee

Scholarship

Ivy Reading AKAdemy – Gordon Parks Elementary School
Beta Omega began an academic partnership with Gordon Parks Elementary School in Kansas City, Missouri to carry out its IVY Reading AKAdemy, one of the national programs of Alpha Kappa Alpha. This is one of several educational programs developed by AKA's National Program Committee to support President Bush's goal of "No Child Left Behind." The IVY Reading AKAdemy is a one-to-one or small group after school or Saturday tutorial-mentoring program for primary level "at-risk" students (first-third grades). For the purpose of this intervention, students are considered at-risk if they have poor school attendance, low self-esteem, failures, low levels of parental involvement, lack of access to quality health care, or a lack of basic knowledge and skills when starting school. The goal of the IVY Reading AKAdemy is to provide students with expanded academic enrichment opportunities to address reading deficits. The objectives are as follows:

1. To raise the reading scores of student participants.
2. To provide the opportunities for children to access and socially interact with goal-driven adult role models.
3. To provide students with safe after school and/or weekend learning environments.
4. To help children become independent readers.
5. To provide children with practice in successful reading and writing activies.
6. To provide one-to-one instruction.
7. To supplement daily classroom instruction.

This program has received national acclaim. At the last Boule, the sorority was honored with a visit from First Lady Laura Bush and U.S. Secretary of Education, Ron Paige. The Secretary congratulated the sorority on reaching out to children who are in danger of being left behind.

Beta Omega's desire to work with Gordon Parks Elementary School was inspired by the excellent work being done for students there and by the AKA connection at the school. This connection includes Miss Kajuan Cummings, Principal of Gordon Parks Elementary School; Mrs. Levora Whitmore, President-elect of the Governing Board; Dr. Dorothy Newman, member of the Governing Board and Mrs. Lessie Thompson, member of the Advisory Board.

Dorothy Newman is the current chairperson of the Educational Leadership Committee. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was May 16, 2005 at Gordon Park Elementary School.