Educare Foundation

INSPIRE & EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE TO BECOME RESPONSIBLE, COMPASSIONATE, & TO LIVE THEIR DREAMS.

EDUCARE'S OBJECTIVES INCLUDE EMPOWERING SCHOOLS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, YOUTH-SERVING AGENCIES, TEACHERS, PARENTS AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE THEMSELVES, TO BETTER SERVE YOUTH AND PREPARE THEM TO LEAD HEALTHY, FULFILLING LIVES. EDUCARE OPERATES EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT INTEGRATE LIFE SKILLS AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT; AT-RISK INTERVENTION PROGRAMS; AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM MANAGEMENT; PROFESSIONAL STAFF TEAMBUILDING/COMMUNITY BUILDING; STUDENT PEER MENTORING; COMMUNITY SERVICE; CROSS-AGE MENTORING; PEER MEDIATION AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION; AND PARENT EDUCATION AND INVOLVEMENT.FOUNDED IN JUNE 1990, EDUCARE WORKS WITH COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL BASED EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS TO EMPOWER STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE IN PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC PURSUITS THROUGH INTEGRATED EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH AND ADULTS. EDUCARE PROVIDES HIGH QUALITY, HEART-CENTERED AFTER SCHOOL ACADEMIC, ENRICHMENT AND RECREATION PROGRAMS AS WELL AS YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EDUCATORS, AND PARENT WORKSHOPS. WE EMPOWER AND INSPIRE YOUTH TO BECOME HIGH ACHIEVERS; PROMOTE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS IN THE HOME, AT SCHOOL, AND IN THE COMMUNITY; AND PREVENT DESTRUCTIVE SOCIAL BEHAVIORS SUCH AS SUBSTANCE ABUSE, VIOLENCE AND CRIME.EDUCARE IS DEDICATED TO CREATING AND EXPANDING ITS IMPACT ON STUDENT SUCCESS, BOTH IN SCHOOL AND IN LIFE. THE FRAMEWORK FOR EDUCARE'S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES IS HEARTSET EDUCATION. HEARTSET EDUCATION IS EDUCARE'S SIGNATURE APPROACH TO SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING THAT AWAKENS PEOPLE TO WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEIR LIVES CAN BECOME. IT PROMOTES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GROWTH HEARTSET IN STUDENTS, TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND PARENTS, TO COMPLEMENT AND ENHANCE A POSITIVE "GROWTH MINDSET." FROM AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS TO ACE, FROM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO PARENT WORKSHOPS, HEARTSET EDUCATION ESTABLISHES A POWERFUL AND TRANSFORMATIONAL NEW "WAY OF BEING" THAT GUIDES AND DEFINES "WAYS OF DOING" IN OUR COMMUNITIES.EDUCARE'S CORE PROGRAM AREAS INCLUDE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL (EXPANDED LEARNING) PROGRAMS, ACE (ACHIEVEMENT AND COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE) STUDENT SUCCESS PROGRAMS, ACE INITIATIVE, SPECIALIZED STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAMS INCLUDING CASE MANAGEMENT, PARENT AND FAMILY SKILLS DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS, HEARTSET EDUCATOR INSTITUTE, AND HEARTSET EDUCATION CERTIFICATION COURSE.EXPANDED LEARNING PROGRAMSSINCE 2009, EDUCARE HAS PROVIDED DAILY AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR LOS ANGELES AREA YOUTH, AND CURRENTLY SERVES MORE THAN 30,000 STUDENTS EACH YEAR. EDUCARE'S AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS ARE PRESENTLY CONDUCTED AT 22 HIGH SCHOOLS AND 2 MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN THE LOS ANGELES UNIFIED AND LYNWOOD UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS WELL AS FOR GREEN DOT PUBLIC SCHOOLS LOS ANGELES AND BIRMINGHAM CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL. EDUCARE'S AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS GO BEYOND SIMPLY PROVIDING A SAFE AFTER SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS BY OFFERING NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING, LEADERSHIP AND GROWTH. CONDUCTED WITHIN OUR FRAMEWORK OF SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND HEARTSET EDUCATION, THESE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO GIVE STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP THEIR UNIQUE ABILITIES, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, AND FIND RELEVANCE IN THEIR EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE. OUR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS ARE DISTINCT TO EACH SCHOOL AND INCLUDE HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE, TUTORING, MUSIC AND ARTS ENRICHMENT, MENTORING, SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING ARTS AND MATH (STEAM) ACTIVITIES, PHYSICAL / RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, SERVICE LEARNING, AND COLLEGE / CAREER PATHWAYS SERVICES. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN SIGNIFICANT GAINS FOR STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATE IN EDUCARE'S AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING A DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ABSENCES, HIGHER STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES, AND INCREASED GRADUATION RATES.DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, ONE OF EDUCARE'S MAIN EFFORTS IN 2021-22 WAS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AS THEY RETURNED TO THE PHYSICAL SCHOOL SITES. TARGETED PROGRAMS AND WORKSHOPS AS WELL AS THE CONTINUED USAGE OF EDUCARE'S SOCIAL- EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) CONCEPTS AND PRACTICES HELPED STUDENTS ACCLIMATE TO THE RETURN TO SCHOOL LIFE AS WELL AS TO RE-ENGAGE WITH THEIR PEERS AND TEACHERS. ACE (ACHIEVEMENT AND COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE) WORKSHOPS AND PROGRAMSTHE ACE PROGRAM IS EDUCARE'S NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FLAGSHIP PROGRAM, A COMPREHENSIVE STUDENT SUCCESS AND CHARACTER-BUILDING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO EMPOWER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE IN PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC PURSUITS. ACE UTILIZES EDUCARE'S YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING ("SEL") TO PROVIDE A FOUNDATION FOR SAFE AND POSITIVE LEARNING AND GROWTH. ACE FOCUSES ON THE FOLLOWING SEL ELEMENTS:1. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT CONFIDENCE BUILDING, POSITIVE DECISION MAKING AND CONSTRUCTIVE CHOICES2. PERSONAL MANAGEMENT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY3. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE MANAGING ANGER, FEAR, REJECTION AND PEER PRESSURE4. INTERPERSONAL SKILLS COMMUNICATION, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, PROBLEM-SOLVING AND TEAM BUILDINGIN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO REACH STUDENTS AND PROVIDE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING SUPPORT DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, EDUCARE ADAPTED ITS ACE PROGRAM INTO THE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT BY CREATING ACE HEARTBEATS. ACE HEARTBEATS ARE HIGHLY INTERACTIVE ONE-TWO HOUR SESSIONS THAT FOCUS ON THE FOUR SEL ELEMENTS (CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, PERSONAL MANAGEMENT, EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS). UPON RETURN TO THE PHYSICAL SCHOOL SITES, ACE HEARTBEATS CONTINUED TO BE A POPULAR IN-PERSON PROGRAM, PARTICULARLY AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SITES AND CONTINUATION SCHOOLS.ACE INITIATIVE SERVICESCURRENTLY IN 14 HIGH SCHOOLS, ACE INITIATIVE ("AI"), A PRACTICAL OUTGROWTH OF ACE, WEAVES HEARTSET EDUCATION INTO A SCHOOL'S CULTURE, DEVELOPING LEARNING COMMUNITIES OF KINDNESS. AI PROVIDES SCHOOLS WITH A COMPREHENSIVE YEAR-ROUND PROGRAM OF INTEGRATED STUDENT SERVICES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND PARENT ENGAGEMENT. AI CREATES A SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN AND THRIVE. AI INCORPORATES THE FIVE KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL SEL (SELF-AWARENESS, SELF-MANAGEMENT, SOCIAL AWARENESS, RELATIONSHIP SKILLS, AND RESPONSIBLE DECISION MAKING. AI CREATES A HEALTHY AND POSITIVE SCHOOL CULTURE THAT PROMOTES STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, AND PREPARES THEM TO SUCCEED IN COLLEGE, CAREER AND LIFE. AI PROVIDES STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND EDUCATORS WITH THE SUPPORT, PROGRAMMING, AND RESOURCES TO CREATE SCHOOL AND HOME ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE DEFINED BY CARING, CONNECTIVITY, AND COLLABORATION. SOME OF THE SPECIFIC PROGRAM ELEMENTS THAT AI OFFERS ITS SCHOOLS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAMS TO ASSIST INCOMING 9TH GRADE STUDENTS AS THEY ENTER THE HIGH SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. SUMMER BRIDGE CURRICULUM IS DIRECTLY LINKED TO EACH SCHOOL'S MISSION AND VISION AND OFFERS A GENUINE OPPORTUNITY FOR EACH STUDENT TO DEVELOP THEIR IDENTITY AND SEL SKILLS. SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORT EITHER ONE-ON-ONE OR IN SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS THAT DEVELOP STUDENTS' SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS WHICH ASSIST THEM IN MANAGING THEIR EMOTIONS, BUILD POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS, COMMUNICATE RESPONSIBLY, CONFIDENTLY, AND EFFECTIVELY, AND NAVIGATE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS, ENABLING THEM TO ACHIEVE THEIR ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL GOALS. PEER LEADER / STUDENT MENTOR TRAINING TEACH UPPER-GRADE STUDENTS TO BE ASSISTANTS TO THE SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAM, TO FACILITATE SMALL GROUPS DURING ORIENTATION, AND TO SERVE AS MENTORS WHO NEW STUDENTS CAN TURN TO FOR SUPPORT AND FRIENDSHIP. COLLEGE SUPPORT FOR SENIORS PROVIDES ONE-ON-ONE CASE MANAGEMENT TO STUDENTS AS WELL AS POSTING RESOURCES. WORKSHOPS THAT EMPOWER TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS WITH THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO CREATE CARING SCHOOL CULTURES THAT SUPPORTS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, AND ENGAGES PARENTS. PARENT ORIENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS THAT INTEGRATE PARENTS INTO THE SCHOOL'S CULTURE, AND ENGAGE AND EMPOWER PARENTS TO MORE EFFECTIVELY SUPPORT THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION. ADDITIONALLY, AI SITE ADMINISTRATORS MAKE INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT CALLS TO PARENTS. SUMMER MELT SUPPORTS RECENT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES TO HELP ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION TO COLLEGE. AI STAFF ARE ASSISTING WITH SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, FINANCIAL AID CONCERNS, CLASS SCHEDULING, COMPLETING REQUIRED DOCUMENTS, AND CREATING A RESUME / COVER LETTER.SPECIALIZED STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAMSSPECIALIZED STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAMS INCLUDE LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE LEARNING, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS SUPPORT, STEM, HEALTHY CHOICES, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION.CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICESEDUCARE'S CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES ARE CURRENTLY SUPPORTING TWO HIGH SCHOOLS AND ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT ("LAUSD"). THE CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO SATISFY THE FOLLOWING SEVEN OF LAUSD'S EIGHT OVERARCHING GOALS: ATTENDANCE; PROFICIENCY FOR ALL; PARENT, COMMUNITY, AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT; SCHOOL SAFETY AND POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE; FOCUS ON SIMPLICITY; GRADUATION, COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS; AND WHOLE CHILD WELLNESS SERVICES.