Open Doors Of Asheville Inc

OPENDOORS OF ASHEVILLE'S MISSION IS TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY BY ELIMINATING THE RACE-BASED OPPORTUNITY AND ACHIEVEMENT GAPS FOR STUDENTS THROUGH EDUCATION.

EDUCATION: OPENDOORS INCORPORATED IN 2009 TO ENSURE EVERY CHILD HAD THE INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT NEEDED TO THRIVE IN SCHOOL, PRIORITIZING STUDENTS WHO LIVED IN SUBSIDIZED HOUSING OR WHO WERE IDENTIFIED AS HOMELESS. BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF FAMILIES LIVING IN ASHEVILLE'S PUBLIC HOUSING NEIGHBORHOODS ARE BLACK OR PEOPLE OF COLOR, OPENDOORS WORKS WITH NEARLY 100% STUDENTS OF COLOR. ASHEVILLE IS HOME TO THE FIFTH LARGEST ACHIEVEMENT GAP IN THE COUNTRY; OPENDOORS' PROGRAMMING NARROWS THIS GAP, OFFERING COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT THAT INCLUDE TUTORING, PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL EVALUATION, TARGETED ACADEMIC SUPPORT, BEST FIT SCHOOL PLACEMENT, COLLEGE PREP AND ENROLLMENT GUIDANCE. 100% OF OUR HIGHSCHOOL STUDENTS ARE ON TRACK TO GRADUATE ON TIME. OPENDOORS IS PROUD THAT SEVEN OF OUR 67 STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY MATRICULATING THROUGH COLLEGE, FIVE OF WHOM HAVE LEARNING DIFFERENCES SUCH AS DYSLEXIA AND ALL OF WHOM ARE FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS. LAST SPRING, OUR FIRST COLLEGE GRADUATE ENROLLED IN GRADUATE SCHOOL AND OUR TWO RISING COLLEGE SENIORS INTEND TO ENTER GRADUATE PROGRAMS; 68% OF OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS WILL GRADUATE WITHIN FOUR YEARS OF ENROLLMENT.

AVL RISE: IN 2021, OPENDOORS LAUNCHED AN INNOVATIVE PEER-TO-PEER LITERACY AND TUTORING PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ASHEVILLE CITY SCHOOLS. THE PROGRAM RECRUITS, TRAINS, AND HIRES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AT A LIVING WAGE TO SERVE AS TUTORS FOR A MATCHED NUMBER OF STRUGGLING EARLY ELEMENTARY READERS, RESULTING IN IMPROVED LITERACY OUTCOMES FOR BOTH TUTORS AND STUDENTS. TUTORS GAIN LEADERSHIP SKILLS, BUILD MENTOR RELATIONSHIPS, AND GROW THEIR RESUMES. BY THE CLOSE OF 2021, EIGHT TUTORS HAD SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE ORIENTATION PROGRAM. AVL RISE NEGOTIATED MOUS WITH ASHEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AND HALL FLETCHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR TUTORS TO TRAIN TWICE WEEKLY AND THEN MEET WITH YOUNGER STUDENTS TWICE WEEKLY AT PARTNERING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

ENRICHMENT: WE BELIEVE THAT OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM HELP STUDENTS DISCOVER THEIR SPARK, ALLOWING THEM TO ACQUIRE THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, COGNITIVE AND PHYSICAL SKILLS THEY NEED FOR CLASSROOM, CAREER, AND COMMUNITY GROWTH. IN 2021, ODA COORDINATED 43 CAMP SESSIONS FOR STUDENTS, PROVIDING 2,800 HOURS OF DAY CAMP AND 17 WEEKS OF SLEEPAWAY CAMP. DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, OPENDOORS PARTNERED WITH PIVOTPOINT TO OFFER OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING, WITH LIFESTYLE MEDICINE TO HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP HEALTHY CARE HABITS, VISUAL ARTISTS FOR CREATIVE EXPERIENCES, AND FINANCIAL EXPERTS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL LITERACY TRAINING. WE ALSO PROVIDED 2,200 HOURS OF TRANSPORTATION TO ACCESS SCHOOL, WORK, AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES.