Our Services
This proposal will motivate and prepare high school students for academic achievement. Through the Fill the Lane Pilot Program future studetents will be tract to pursue advanced education and/or gainful employment. This program takes a four-tiered approach to academic development: developmental advice, mentoring, tutoring, and senior year programming. At the end of this program, the students from the selected high school will see an increase in test scores and GPA’s, and there will be a rise in at-risk graduation rates. Below are details of each program element offered and a description of how it positively contributes to the success of Fill the Lane.
Academic Road Mapping (Advising)
The developmental advice infused in this program will ‘fill the lane’ between the traditional guidance counselors and the quagmire of college admissions. Developmental academic advising evolved out of this process; faculty advising took on importance as an experience that contributes to a student's personal growth. At the end of the academic school year, students will create a road map toward the goal of college acceptance. Each journey will be as different as the student’s unique academic standing. The goals for developmental academic advising are: developing competence, developing autonomy, and developing purpose in the student.
Mentoring Program
Filling the Lane will tap the Polk County University alumni to foster mentoring relationships with the students participating in this pilot program. Partnering our students with active members of the Polk County University Alumni Association will allow for a holistic introduction to the university experience. Mentors sign an annual contract to interact with their assigned mentee at least weekly in a school or extracurricular setting (example: study hall, sports event, science fair, etc.). Studies show that school-based mentoring programs tend to be about half as costly per youth even when adding the value of in-kind school contributions. These programs are able to capitalize on the knowledge, referrals, supervision, and support of the many adults who are already in the school setting. This simplifies the program staff's task of forming and monitoring relationships. (Dr. Jean Rhodes, 2002)
Tutoring & Mandatory Study Hall
The school-based study hour is scheduled immediately after school, four days per week. In addition to assisting with daily study needs and improving test scores, students will learn the most important skill needed for success in college: time management. Students with failing grades must meet during this time with their teachers. However, other students have the choice between studying in groups, working on homework, studying, or working with a teacher on challenging subjects.
Senior Year Programming
The staff at Filling the Lane is committed to preparing each one of our students for the challenges of higher education. A student in our program will be exposed to information from a variety of sources, all of which are designed to give a glimpse of what to expect from college. During the workshops, we cover, in detail, every topic dealing with the college admissions process. Seniors are required to meet several deadlines and maintain regular attendance at these workshops. Some of the topics that are addressed are:
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Scholarships
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Essay Writing
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Choosing a College
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Completing College Applications
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Myths and Expectations of College
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Financial Aid
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Budgeting
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SAT/ACT Registration
Identification:
Filling the Lane will use the direction and recommendations of the public school’s administration to identify at-risk students who would serve as good candidates for participation. Students and parents will be informed of the program through an introductory meeting. Criteria for identification may include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Minimum GPA: 1.75
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Struggles with standardized testing
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Students unsuccessful at FCAT who may qualify for 2+2 placement with appropriate ACT/SAT scoring
Fill the Lane will include the following elements: academic road mapping, mentoring programs, tutoring and test preparation, and comprehensive senior-year programming. The ‘At-risk’ staff will provide direct services, inform and involve parents, and coordinate the implementation of Fill the Lane. Staff members will focus on holistic social competence.
Program Goals:
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Provide opportunities for all students to feel a sense of achievement.
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To reduce student failure and potential dropouts.
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To provide supplemental curriculum and instruction to meet the academic needs in reading, mathematics, science, and social studies of at-risk students for school success.
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To involve parents and community resources in meeting the needs of at-risk students.
Mentor Project
Basketball and life coaching
Knowledge and insight on life beyond the playing field thread the customized curriculum. The B.Rich Project, Inc. has provided developmental basketball and life coaching since its formal incorporation in 2009. Today, we provide the foregoing services to boys and girls at the Citrus Center Boys and Girls Club, Inc. in Winter Haven, FL.
Development and Tutoring
Executive members of The B.Rich Project, Inc. devote multiple hours weekly to spending time with area youth. Beginning the 2011–2012 school year, we were petitioned to participate as mentors in the Adopt-a-Hallway program at Winter Haven High School. This program designates flex time for adult participants to interact with at-risk youth.
Filling The Lane
This supplemental program was initiated to help qualifying youth and/or grassroots athletic programs offset the activity costs associated with athletic participation and team travel. Funding for Filling the Lane began in 2011 with a member of the Haines City Hornets Boys JV Basketball Team as the inaugural recipient. In addition to the athletic development programming, The B.Rich Project, Inc. has established a commitment to the residents of Polk County, Florida, for holistic development, enrichment, educational and training programs, and community support services to reinvest success. To honor this pledge, the founders of The B.Rich Project, Inc. developed a pilot program, Fill the Lane Pilot Program, which will allow high school-aged students to obtain assistance in the completion of their high school studies and prepare them for the pursuit of advanced education and/or gainful employment.
Reasons for the Program
The educational attainment level is considered one of the key factors affecting one’s earning potential and also plays a major role in the recruitment and expansion of high-wage and high-skilled jobs. Post-secondary education is viewed very highly by society and is one of the main determinants of economic class and status. One of the key factors in educational attainment can be measured through the annual high school graduation rate. Polk County’s high school graduation rate has improved over the last few years but remains slightly below the state average. As the Polk population expands, trends show that it is also becoming more educationally diverse. However, there remains an educational attainment gap in Polk County, not only on a state and national level but regionally as well (Commissioners, 2010).
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For the 2010–2011 school year, the Polk County Public School System earned a “C” rating on the State of Florida’s School Accountability Reports. While the overall graduation rates for Polk County are fairly close when compared to the State of Florida’s graduation rates, the rates for those students marked at-risk are not as positive. The county’s current graduation rate is approximately 79%. The students identified as at-risk are graduating at a rate of 62%. There is a need for a program that will bridge the graduation gap for these students.
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The mission of Filling the Lane is to bridge the gaps between lessons and comprehensive education and to turn education into achievement. We believe we have cultivated a viable program to attain this objective with the Fill the Lane Pilot Program.
Fill the Lane’s target population is middle- and high-school youth from low-performing schools in Polk County. If funded, Fill the Lane would create a breeding ground of prepared high school students who meet the toughened admissions requirements to Florida’s public universities and who are ready for college admission directly to Florida University or through 2+2 programs with the state and community colleges.