Open Doors Inc

OPEN DOORS ACADEMY (ODA) PROVIDES OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME ENRICHMENT TO YOUTH LIVING IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ACROSS GREATER CLEVELAND. 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 AND CONTINUING THROUGH A FULL YEAR AFTER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, AND FORGES TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE KIDS THAT WE SERVE.

THE K-8 PROGRAM (720 SERVED IN FY21) - 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. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES SCHOLARS WITH A SAFE ENVIRONMENT TO ADDRESS ACADEMIC ISSUES, DEVELOP SOFT SKILLS, AND BUILD HEALTHY PEER RELATIONSHIPS. IN ADDITION TO OUR CORE LEARNING MODEL, WE PROVIDE YOUTH WITH DAILY OPPORTUNITIES TO COMPLETE THEIR HOMEWORK AND RECEIVE ACADEMIC SUPPORT THROUGH SMALL GROUP TUTORING. WE ALSO INCORPORATE PROJECT-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES, TEAM-BUILDING EXERCISES, MINDFULNESS PRACTICE, SERVICE LEARNING, AND FIELD TRIPS. ALSO WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THIS PROGRAM, ODA ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH BREAKTHROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS ("BPS") TO SERVE AS PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR OF REMOTE LEARNING CENTERS IN SIX BPS LOCATIONS DURING THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR.

THE HIGH SCHOOL PLUS PROGRAM (68 SERVED IN FY21) - 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, OR 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 AND POSTSECONDARY 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.

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.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS INCLUDE:THE SUMMER PROGRAM (575 SERVED IN FY21) - THIS PROGRAM IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF OUR CONTINUUM OF PROGRAMMING. THE PROGRAM CONSISTS OF SUMMER CAMPS, PAID INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARS, FAMILY PROGRAMMING, AND SERVICE-LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. ODA OPERATES APPROXIMATELY EIGHT WEEKS OF SUMMER CAMP FOR UP TO 600 SCHOLARS IN GRADES K-8 EACH YEAR AT NO COST TO FAMILIES. EVERY CAMP INCORPORATES LITERACY AND MATH ENRICHMENT, AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES. CAMPS GENERALLY FALL INTO THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES: ARTS AND CULTURE, STEM (SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH), HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. WE ALSO EMBED SERVICE-LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES INTO OUR PROGRAM OFFERINGS TO ENABLE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN CLASSROOM LEARNING WITH REAL-LIFE APPLICATION, WHILE BUILDING EMPATHY, COLLABORATION, AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS. OUR SERVICE-LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES VARY ANNUALLY, AND HAVE INCLUDED A WEEK-LONG TRIP TO HARLAN, KENTUCKY WHERE SCHOLARS AND STAFF BUILD AND REHAB HOUSING FOR LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS OF HARLAN COUNTY. WE ALSO PLAN TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR SCHOLARS TO VISIT THE CITY OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN IN 2022. THROUGH THIS SERVICE-LEARNING TRIP, SCHOLARS WILL ENGAGE WITH DETROIT'S COMMUNITY LEADERS AND ADVOCATES AROUND THE TOPICS OF FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND WATER SAFETY. SCHOLARS WILL LEARN FROM THE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS DETROIT HAS MADE IN THESE AREAS. SCHOLARS WILL THEN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES AND FINDINGS WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND ADVOCATES IN GREATER CLEVELAND. ALSO WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THIS PROGRAM, ODA ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE SUMMER CAMP OPPORTUNITIES TO BREAKTHROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS. FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM (1,766 SERVED IN FY21) - THIS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON HELPING PARENTS NAVIGATE BOTH (1) THE DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES OF CHILDREN AGES FIVE THROUGH ADOLESCENCE AND HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT ALONG THAT CONTINUUM, AND (2) WAYS IN WHICH PARENTS CAN SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE K-16 EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND BEYOND. ALL THROUGH ODA'S MULTI-YEAR CONTINUUM OF PROGRAMMING, OUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM HELPS PARENTS AND OTHER CAREGIVERS INVEST IN AND BECOME THE BEST ADVOCATES FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO HELP FAMILIES ACCESS RESOURCES THAT ALLOW THEM TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY AND STABLE LIFE AT HOME FOR THEIR CHILDREN. OUR CORE PARENTING WORKSHOPS PROVIDE STRATEGIES ON HOW PARENTS CAN HELP THEIR CHILDREN DEVELOP SOCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND PHYSICALLY AND HOW PARENTS CAN TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN CULTIVATING A SAFE AND NURTURING HOME. WORKSHOPS ALSO FOCUS ON THE FINANCIAL WELL-BEING OF THE HOUSEHOLD AND COVER THE COSTS OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION TO ASSIST THE FAMILY IN PREPARING FOR POSTSECONDARY SUCCESS. THIS TWO-GENERATION APPROACH IS CENTRAL TO ODA'S WORK BECAUSE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT IS VITAL TO THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF CHILDREN. ODA PROVIDES A MONTHLY WORKSHOP AS PART OF ITS "FAMILY PARTNERSHIP SERIES" TO HELP PARENTS DEVELOP SKILLS, ACCESS TOOLS, AND DEVELOP THE KNOWLEDGE TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN, AND WE HOST AT LEAST FOUR FAMILY EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO FURTHER ENGAGE PARENTS IN THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT. IN AN EFFORT TO BETTER IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR SCHOLARS AND FAMILIES, WE HAVE CREATED A FAMILY ADVISORY COUNCIL (FAC). 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, AND 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 OF ODA'S PROGRAM SITES.