Open Doors Inc

OPEN DOORS ACADEMY (ODA) PROVIDES YEAR-ROUND OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME ACADEMIC AND ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS TO YOUTH LIVING IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. ODA IS BASED IN CLEVELAND, OHIO AND OPERATES PROGRAMS IN NORTHEAST, NORTHWEST, AND CENTRAL OHIO. ODA WORKS TO PROTECT, INSPIRE, NURTURE AND CHALLENGE YOUTH TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION, THE ODA TEAM ENGAGES YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES, BUILDS PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, PROVIDES A CONTINUUM OF PROGRAMMING STARTING IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH A FULL YEAR AFTER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, AND FORGES TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS.

THE K-8 PROGRAM (655 SERVED IN FY22) - THIS PROGRAM INCLUDES MENTORING, HOMEWORK HELP, SERVICE-LEARNING PROJECTS, AND ENRICHMENT PROGRAMMING DELIVERED MOSTLY IN THE AFTERSCHOOL SETTING. THIS PROGRAM ADDRESSES DEVELOPMENTAL BARRIERS THAT INHIBIT THE LEARNING PROCESS, PROVIDES YOUTH WITH A SAFE ENVIRONMENT TO EXPLORE NEW INTERESTS, AND OPENS DOORS TO OPPORTUNITIES THAT OTHERWISE MIGHT NOT BE AVAILABLE. YOUTH IN THIS PROGRAM DEVELOP ACADEMIC SKILLS, RECEIVE TUTORING, COMPLETE HOMEWORK, AND BUILD FRIENDSHIPS. THE PROGRAM ALSO INCORPORATES PROJECT-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES, TEAM-BUILDING EXERCISES, MINDFULNESS PRACTICE, SERVICE LEARNING, AND FIELD TRIPS. PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROGRAM LEADS TO IMPROVED MATH GRADES. IN THE 2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR, THE MORE TIME A SCHOLAR SPENT IN OUR PROGRAM, THE GREATER THE IMPROVEMENT IN HIS OR HER MATH GRADE FROM THE FALL TO THE SPRING. A STUDY WITH ONE OF OUR DISTRICT PARTNERS WHERE ODA OPERATES FOUR PROGRAMS SHOWED THAT OUR PROGRAM KEEPS KIDS IN SCHOOL. THE STUDY FOUND THAT ENROLLMENT IN ODA'S AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING REDUCED THE LIKELIHOOD OF IN-YEAR ATTRITION BY 57%.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS INCLUDE:THE SUMMER PROGRAM (620 SERVED IN FY22) - THIS PROGRAM IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF OUR CONTINUUM OF PROGRAMMING. THE PROGRAM CONSISTS OF SUMMER CAMPS, PAID INTERNSHIPS FOR HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARS, FAMILY PROGRAMMING, SERVICE-LEARNING, AND TRAVEL. ODA OPERATES A K-8 SUMMER CAMP AND A HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER CAMP, EACH FOR APPROXIMATELY EIGHT WEEKS AT NO COST TO FAMILIES. SUMMER CAMP INCORPORATES LITERACY AND MATH ENRICHMENT, ARTS AND CULTURE, STEM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH), HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. SCHOLARS ENGAGE IN SERVICE-LEARNING TO BUILD THE CONNECTION BETWEEN CLASSROOM AND REAL-LIFE AND TO CULTIVATE EMPATHY, COLLABORATION, AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS. OUR SERVICE-LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES VARY ANNUALLY, AND HAVE INCLUDED A WEEK-LONG TRIP TO DETROIT, MICHIGAN, WHERE SCHOLARS ENGAGED WITH DETROIT'S COMMUNITY LEADERS AND ADVOCATES OF FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND WATER SAFETY. UPON RETURNING HOME, THEY SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH GREATER CLEVELAND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. 100% OF STUDENTS FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNER SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN ODA'S 2021 SUMMER PROGRAM ACADEMICALLY OUTPERFORMED THEIR PEERS WHO DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN ODA'S SUMMER PROGRAM. FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM (1,850 SERVED IN FY22) - THIS PROGRAM HELPS PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS NAVIGATE BOTH (1) THE DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES OF CHILDREN AGES FIVE THROUGH ADOLESCENCE AND HOW THEY CAN PROVIDE SUPPORT ALONG THAT CONTINUUM, AND (2) WAYS IN WHICH PARENTS CAN SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE K-16 EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND BEYOND. THIS TWO-GENERATION APPROACH IS CENTRAL TO ODA'S WORK BECAUSE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT IS VITAL TO THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF CHILDREN. ODA OFFERS MONTHLY WORKSHOPS AS PART OF ITS "FAMILY PARTNERSHIP SERIES" TO HELP PARENTS DEVELOP SKILLS AND ACCESS RESOURCES WHICH ALLOW THEM TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY AND STABLE HOME LIFE. WORKSHOPS PROVIDE STRATEGIES ON HOW PARENTS CAN HELP THEIR CHILDREN DEVELOP SOCIALLY AND ACADEMICALLY TO ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS. THERE ARE ALSO FINANCIAL LITERACY WORKSHOPS WHICH TEACH FAMILIES STRATEGIES THEY CAN USE TO PLAN FOR THE COST OF THEIR CHILDREN'S POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION. ODA ALSO HOSTS AT LEAST FOUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND NETWORK FAMILIES TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL RESOURCES. ODA'S FAMILY ADVISORY COUNCIL (FAC) IS THE VEHICLE ODA USES TO DESIGN AND CREATE ITS FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMMING. FAC MEETS MONTHLY TO DESIGN FAMILY EDUCATION WORKSHOPS, COLLEGE TRIPS, AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES. FAC ALSO PROVIDES OUR PROGRAMMING TEAM WITH FEEDBACK AND IDEAS ON HOW TO IMPROVE PROGRAMMING AND SUPPORT FOR SCHOLARS AND FAMILIES. FAC IS COMPRISED OF MEMBERS OF ODA'S LEADERSHIP TEAM AND TWO PARENT REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH ODA SITE. IN FY22, 97% OF FAMILIES REPORTED THEY WERE SATISFIED WITH THESE SERVICES, AND 91% REPORTED THE PROGRAM POSITIVELY IMPACTED THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR CHILDREN.

THE HIGH SCHOOL PLUS PROGRAM (136 SERVED IN FY22) - THIS PROGRAM BEGINS IN THE FRESHMAN YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL AND CONTINUES THROUGH ONE FULL YEAR AFTER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. IT PREPARES SCHOLARS FOR POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND CAREER EXPLORATION. PROGRAMMING CONSISTS OF WORK-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES (E.G., JOB SHADOWING AND CAREER PANELS), OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOLUNTEERING IN THE COMMUNITY, PAID SUMMER INTERNSHIPS, WEEKLY AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING WORK SKILLS, COLLEGE TOURS, NATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING TRIPS, AND INDIVIDUAL MENTORING AND SUPPORT. EACH ONE OF OUR SCHOLARS MEETS WITH HIS OR HER MENTOR AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH TO ESTABLISH AND REVIEW BOTH SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM GOALS FOCUSED ON HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, POSTSECONDARY OPPORTUNITIES AND CAREER PLANNING. ODA PROVIDES CAREER-READINESS SERVICES FOR SCHOLARS THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES UNLIMITED, A COMMUNITY-BASED NONPROFIT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS IN UNDER-RESOURCED AREAS IN NORTHEAST OHIO. SINCE 2018, 100% OF OUR SCHOLARS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN AT LEAST TWO YEARS OF THE PROGRAM HAVE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND 85% OF SCHOLARS HAVE ENGAGED IN A POSTSECONDARY COLLEGE OR CAREER PATHWAY.

THE CENTER FOR OUT-OF-SCHOOL ADVANCEMENT (COSA) PROGRAM (SERVED 200 OTHER OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME PROVIDERS THROUGHOUT OHIO, INDIRECTLY SERVING 40,000 KIDS) - THIS PROGRAM PREPARES TEAMS OF OST PROFESSIONALS THROUGHOUT OHIO TO DELIVER HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAMS THROUGH CONFERENCES, TRAININGS, AND CONSULTATIONS. COSA SUPPORTS OVER 200 RECIPIENTS OF OHIO'S NITA M. LOWERY 21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER (21ST CCLC) PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, COSA HOSTS A TWO-DAY STATEWIDE CONFERENCE FOR 21ST CCLC GRANTEES. 100% OF PROGRAMS HAVE MADE IMPROVEMENTS IN THEIR SERVICES BECAUSE OF COSA TRAININGS, AND 90% OF PARTICIPANTS IN COSA'S TRAININGS HAVE INDICATED SATISFACTION WITH THEM.