Programs
Jan 20th, 2010 by Administrator
Equipping Youth to Maximize their Potential
Through the collaborative efforts of families, schools and the community, Knowledge Quest, offers after-school programming that advances intellectual and character development, coupled with the cultivation of artistic talents. Knowledge Quest currently serves students grades Pre-K-8th under the banners of two program components, our School-Age and Teenage Academies.
Through innovative hands-on, relational and practical approaches to experiential learning, our students increase interests in academic subjects and make behavior adjustments where necessary. The utilization of existing research, best-practices, current theory and literature, and support offered by professional wisdom from practitioners enable programming that takes our youth beyond the boundaries of perceived limitations. Purposeful techniques and methods advance the fulfillment of our mission, “To Vigorously Equip Youth to Maximize Their Potential through Intellectual and Character Development”.
School-Age Academy
The Knowledge Quest School-Age Academy is an after-school program promoting academic excellence using “adventure education” methodology to promote positive social behavior and healthy lifestyles in high-risk youth. The program offers daily tutoring, academic and cultural enrichment activities for 2 hours and 45 minutes daily, 40 weeks of the year.
The program is an open enrollment, non-fee-based program, as our programs have always been. Between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008, the program offered 188 individual and group sessions, 28 home visits, 10 field trips and 6 parent meetings to 110 Pre-K through 5th grade youth. The School-Age Academy has a daily capacity of 80 youth in grades Pre-K through 5th.
Ultimately, the School-Age program builds the foundation for holistic success that transitions the student into his or her adolescent years. Each student is made to feel special and understand that their life has meaning and purpose.
The School-Age Academy promotes academic excellence, positive social behavior and healthy lifestyles in an after-school setting. Through an innovative, hands-on approach, students develop genuine interest in academic subjects and make behavior adjustments where necessary. In 2008, our students showed increase of 134 letter grades in 7 core academic subject areas.
Indicators of success are:
• Improved academic performance
• Improved school attendance
• Positive social behavior
• Active participation and involvement in community service
• Increased high school graduation rates
Teen-Age Academy
The Teenage Academy is a membership organization that offers an awesome experience of intellectual advancement and character development through an innovative, hands-on learning strategy plus artistic and sports activities. We hosts 40-50 participants in daily after-school activities.
Our program model is designed to confront head-on the major challenges within the lives of our community’s teens; any opportunity “off the streets” decreases their chances of being involved in negative social behaviors.
By design our School-Age Academy naturally feeds the Teenage Academy as students “graduate” from our foundational program. This effort fills a void of service and ensures positive, out-of-school time activities for our students beyond the 5th grade.
Like all KQ programs the Teen Academy is an open enrollment, non-fee-based program. The Knowledge Quest Teenage Academy program model incorporates gender-based programming where the young men and young ladies are separated for most activities.
The Knowledge Quest Teenage Academy benefits youth in 6th through 8th grade. Programming takes place from 3-6 pm and offers a tried and true remedy against delinquent behavior. Statistics show that the majority of anti-social behavior on the part of adolescents takes place during these hours.
Through positive adult influence, positive peer influence, and a creative, engaging program model, we maximize our effectiveness by thoroughly integrating the talents and interests of our participants into our program model.
Extra-curricular activities include: visual and expressive art programming; Book Club; Spanish Club; Club Chess Quest (chess team); Piano; Choir; sports teams; cheerleading; and majorettes.
Indicators of success will be:
• Improved academic performance
• Improved school attendance
• More personal responsibility for making positive choices
• Active participation and involvement in community service
• Increasing graduation rates and post-secondary enrollment
Green Leaf Learning Farm
Started in early 2011, Green Leaf Learning Farm is a new educational agriculture program at Knowledge Quest. After months of best-practice research, KQ has used its experience in community gardening and its “Health Quest” program to creatively develop a 2/3 acre urban farm that is used as an instrument for student education, community development and food security.
Student Education
Green Leaf features both an after-school component and a summer camp. These programs introduce students to issues of health, justice, community and the environment through innovative, “action-reflection” curriculum. Students assume roles of real responsibility on the farm, and learn about plant biology; sustainable agriculture; teamwork; small business skills; the food system; racial reconciliation; and South Memphis.
Community Development
At the same time, GLLF belongs to the community in which it exists. Raised growing beds allow neighbors to grow vegetables for themselves; an advisory committee of community members helps steer the strategic direction of the Farm; several community members are employed to manage it; and the community as a whole is actively welcomed to participate in its daily activities.
Food Security
The vegetables we grow increase food access in several ways. First, they contribute to the 125 meals we serve every day to our youth, both in our after-school programs and during our summer camp. Second, we sell a portion of this produce at the nearby South Memphis Farmers’ Market. Third, we distribute this food to needy households and individuals through our in-house food pantry. Green Leaf is currently in the final stages of receiving organic certification from the USDA.
Indicators of success are:
• By the end of our program cycle, a 50% knowledge gain among our students in the principles of good health and nutrition, as measured
by pre- and post-testing
• By the end of our program cycle, a 50% increase in fruit and vegetable consumption as measured by self-report
• Annual production of 3,000-5,000 lbs. of USDA certified organic produce
• Annual installation of 25-50 backyard raised bed gardens within our community
