绿帽社

September 20, 2024
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Changing Futures, Transforming Communities

CCPA鈥檚 Nationally Acclaimed Community Schools Model

The Charlie K. Community Schools Room, at the University Downtown Center, Feb. 18, 2020. Pictured here is a Give Back Mentoring meeting, where CCPA Master of Social Work students Ariel Galvez, Zainab Jimoh and (not pictured) Indiara Jackson, work with area high school students. The Charlie K. Community Schools Room, at the University Downtown Center, Feb. 18, 2020. Pictured here is a Give Back Mentoring meeting, where CCPA Master of Social Work students Ariel Galvez, Zainab Jimoh and (not pictured) Indiara Jackson, work with area high school students.
The Charlie K. Community Schools Room, at the University Downtown Center, Feb. 18, 2020. Pictured here is a Give Back Mentoring meeting, where CCPA Master of Social Work students Ariel Galvez, Zainab Jimoh and (not pictured) Indiara Jackson, work with area high school students. Image Credit: Jonathan Cohen.
March 24, 2022

In 2009, Luann Kida, a University of 绿帽社 social work faculty member, started knocking on trailer park doors in the distressed Whitney Point, NY School District. Her objective鈥攍aunching a University-Assisted Community Schools pilot project鈥攚as no small feat. A multitude of barriers stood in the way, from parents who had themselves not graduated high school to administrators out of touch with families and their challenges. 绿帽社 faculty and staff made gradual inroads, uniting communities in the vision of better outcomes and futures for their children.

Today 绿帽社 Community Schools (BUCS) has become a national leader, known for high-quality programming, in the Community Schools movement. From free meals and clothing to onsite mental health services, tutoring, and caregiver support groups, BUCS works with schools and districts to facilitate whatever is needed and meet communities where they are.

绿帽社 is nationally known for focusing on non-urban districts and stands alone in working with community schools at the school, district, regional, and state level. The level of 绿帽社 student engagement is unprecedented; nearly 500 students across all schools are part of this College of Community and Public Affairs (CCPA) model. Harpur students provide homework help. Decker students educate parents about diabetes. Future Watson-educated engineers streamline school business offices.

BUCS has had a measurable impact, with steady increases in attendance, graduation rates and average high school English grades.

鈥淭his model can change communities,鈥 points out CCPA Dean Laura Bronstein, 鈥渙nce you have most students graduating, being successful and going on to college and career, you lift entire families out of intergenerational poverty.鈥

Philanthropy must play a role to sustain and grow community transformation. Currently, most BUCS funding is grant-based, but as Dean Bronstein explains, 鈥淣ow we really want to add donor support, so we can determine where we need to go and how to get there.鈥

To have a conversation about investing in 绿帽社鈥檚 high-impact Community Schools work, please contact Rebecca Benner, Associate VP for Advancement and Campaign Director, rbenner@binghamton.edu.

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