Knowledge Quest – Memphis, TN

Hello friends!

We here at Knowledge Quest trust that this exciting new year has found favor with you. We embark upon it with gratitude, for on New Year’s Day Knowledge Quest turned 15 years young! The build-up to this milestone anniversary has been rewarding and even exhilarating at times. We began 2012 in Washington D.C. at the White House being honored as ‘Champions of Change,’ one among six organizations nationally, for our “exemplary” work in youth development. We ended the year with the initiation of our most ambitious growth strategy to date—Knowledge Quest Kids Zone.

Many of you have often encouraged us to expand our efforts to reach more children. Well…we listened. But in addition to an attentive ear, we engaged in an 18-month long strategizing effort. Growth in these economic times is a risky endeavor, so we wanted this venture to be a most calculated one. Our methodology toward vigorously equipping youth to maximize their potential involves competent leaders, sound experiential learning strategies and an intentional student cluster environment whereby we surround a fewer number of children with a vast amount of resources aligned with their strengths and passions.

Our Knowledge Quest Kids Zone growth initiative will allow us to triple the number of students we serve while maintaining the scale and integrity of our proven program model. This concept involves a concentrated presence of our program offerings within a 10-block corridor along Walker Avenue in South Memphis. We now have an opportunity to establish three sites, serving up to 500 students along this corridor with out-of-school- time programming and the capacity to serve up to 150 high school students (for the first time!) through innovative in-school, academic support programming.

With new growth arises new responsibilities and a need for enhanced stewardship and investment. This is where you have an opportunity to come alongside these efforts. As our student population increases so must investments of time, talent and treasure. We need both intellectual and economic capital. If you haven’t hung out with our students in a while, come make a new friend and get involved. If you haven’t invested in Knowledge Quest in a while or have now obtained greater clarity as to why your donation has so much meaning, pause now and give your best gift. Come see for yourself—investment in a KQ Kid is a most sound one!

Thanks for all you do in support of our efforts…Happy 2013!

MARLON

Knowledge Quest students enjoy the first annual, Winter Ball

Teens aged 12 – 18 enjoyed a night of music and dancing at Knowledge Quest’s Winter Ball on December 20, 2010.  Students donned formal apparal and had pictures made with friends to celebrate the occasion.

National Aids Fund, [Choice] and Caritas Village’s Hope Gallery came together to sponsor a screening of the film, Love Choice on December 1, 2010 at Malco’s Studio on the Square in Overton Park.

“Love Choice”, is a short film (50 minutes) and love story written and directed by Memphis Director Phil Darius Wallace, explores one man’s struggle to answer that question.

For more information about CHOICE Life Over Aids and the “Love Choice’ Film visit http://mychoicelifeoveraids.org/

The project, [choice] LIFE OVER AIDS, is funded by a grant by the Mid-South AIDS Fund.

Recently Knowledge Quest’s 1st and 2nd graders put on a  production of The Wiz.  Decked out in full costumes and makeup, the kids sang, danced and entertained the crowd.  

The Scarecrow

The performance was excellent! Everyone involved had a lot of fun and we appreciate the hard work of the students and teachers who prepared this great performance!

The Munchkins!

Glenda the Good Witch

The Cowardly Lion

Marlon Foster thanks a group of volunteers from United Way's Bountiful Baskets program

Several students from United Way’s Youth Leadership Program visited Knowledge Quest recently to distribute food in accordance with their Bountiful Baskets Thanksgiving initiative. The collected food items were distributed to families in the community.

Thank you to all who collected supplies for this initiative and the members of the Youth United Way leadership program for their time and service.

Updated below – with pictures

On Friday, September 17, Knowledge Quest hosted some awesome volunteers from the Valero, Memphis Refinery as part of United Way’s Day of Caring.

For those of you who are not familiar with the United Way of the Mid South, let me say a few words to express our gratitude for this organization. United Way of the Mid South serves over 100 organizations in 8 counties, including Memphis and Shelby County. They use the money that comes in from local businesses to make a huge difference in our local community. Knowledge Quest is proud to be a United Way Agency.

Every September, the United Way conducts what they call the United Way Day of Caring. It is a chance for local businesses to go to an agency and do volunteer work. It is the largest day of service in the Mid-South area.

Here, at Knowledge Quest, we have the privilege of partnering with Valero. Early Friday morning, we had an army of Valero volunteers show up and start to work. They painted classrooms, added base boards and chair rails, fixed and painted the decking around our classrooms. We even had two volunteers go out and buy a new electric guitar for the program and they held an impromptu concert as the kids came in from school.

Words cannot adequately express our thanks and appreciation for everything Valero does for Knowledge Quest. Y’all are welcome to come and hang out with us any time!

Valero Employees hard at work

Valero Employees painting one of the classrooms at Knowledge Quest

Making some repairs to the door frame

Valero Employees are the best!

The KQ kids sent a big thank you to Valero for everything they did.

Fun for all ages in the KQ Garden

Intergeneration Education

Intergeneration Education is an experienced treasure taking place at Knowledge Quest. This learning concept is all about tapping the intellectual and social capital of the elders within our community and engaging them in meaningful exchanges with our students. This process offers an easy and convenient way for these statespersons to be involved in our efforts and for our youngsters to draw from their wisdom. 

The Community Garden is a perfect example of this. Mr. and Mrs. Downey were a tremendous asset in teaching the kids about the garden and they both continue to help make sure the garden thrives.

Mr. Downey and his friend watching over the garden

Mrs. Downey and Ozzie discuss the garden

Can you believe September is here and school has already been in session for a couple of weeks? 

Here are some of the fun things that will be happening at Knowledge Quest in September:

• A group of volunteers will come and participate in the United Way day of Caring
• Parents’ Night, featuring a Step Show by the Teenage Girls
• A Grandparents Day Breakfast

And that is just the beginning of what is to come this month. It is going to be a great month at Knowledge Quest.