SPARTANBURG, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – The Spartanburg Academic Movement received an early Christmas gift from the Department of Education Monday—a grant for nearly $1 million going towards their work of improving education opportunities.
“I think if communities can come together with a vision and a plan, that’s where it starts,” said Dr. Russell Booker, the CEO of Spartanburg Academic Movement or SAM.
Over the last year, SAM has been working on Movement 2030. A $100 million initiative to increase educational opportunities and cut barriers in Spartanburg’s Northside and Highland neighborhoods.
“Essentially meaning that they’re hitting all of those academic benchmarks that have been proven to really help a child’s trajectory,” Booker said.
While their work continues with 7,000 students in those neighborhoods, $945,308 over two years through the Promise Neighborhoods program will start similar work in the Southside.
Part of the Southside initiative is collaborating with not only schools, but other aspects of the community, including 3 neighborhood associations and Mount Moriah Baptist Church.
They’ll target students at District 7 schools; Mary H. Wright Elementary, E.P. Todd Elementary, Carver Middle School, and Spartanburg High School. By providing early education before kids start school, making sure kids can read by the end of 3rd grade, helping kids transition from middle to high, creating internship options, and also helping parents along the way.
“We’ve got a full time person that’s going to be embedded in the Southside community that will serve as a convener to pull together parents, students and the community,” said Dr. Booker.
Booker says this grant is only a start—next they’ll create a strategy to achieve those goals and seek out more funding to keep the initiative going.
SAM was one of seven organizations nationwide selected to receive this grant funding. To learn more click here.
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