Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Remarks at kick off event

Remarks from the Educational Main Street 20th anniversary kick off event.

The University of Hartford recognized in the late 1980’s that the future of the University was closely linked to the success of its adjacent neighborhood communities: Blue Hills and Upper Albany. These are two of the most challenging neighborhoods in the City with high percentage of families living at or below the poverty level, functioning at low literacy levels, and children achieving below city and state standards on mastery tests. In order to meet these challenges, the University, along with leaders from the Hartford School System, City Hall, and corporations, met to discuss solutions to the growing needs of its urban neighbors. The outcome of these meetings resulted in a dedication to community service with activities for both students and faculty including a 20-year relationship through Educational Main Street and the Hartford Public Schools. Today, we serve youth in Hartford and Bloomfield. in grades Pre-K through 12th. EMS works with children, their families, and their teachers.

Over these past 20 years, Ed Main Street has also provided the University of Hartford students, staff, and faculty members a unique opportunity to share their gifts and expertise with the students of the partner schools. However, Ed Main STREET runs in both directions. The University of Hartford community has been enriched by the experiences and gifts shared by the youth, families and teachers from its Greater Hartford neighbors. It has been a wonderful experience for us to be a part of Ed Main Street and its every expanding community of learners.


EMS Facts: over 20 years:
6146 tutors totaling 148,536 hours of service
145 tutor coordinators in leadership roles
Funding: $3,686,265.
Six Executive Directors
Five Directors
15 staff members

Fun facts
Average Cost of new house $123,000.00 /$270,000Average Income per year $28,960.00 /68,000
Average Monthly Rent $465.00 /$1400/mo Cost of a gallon of Gas $1.34 / $2.87Price for a new Jeep $12,4900.00 ;/ 31,000IBM PS1 Computer From -/$2,000.00-labp top $800-1200.00
Uof Hartford tuition: $11,920
Room & Board 5,178
2010
Tuition: 427,750
Rom& Board 11,762
Not so fun facts
1990
Majority of children live below the poverty level
Illiteracy at an all time high.
Gang violence at an all time high in city.
Of the 1853 Hartford youth entering 9th grade in 1986 only 900 graduated in 1990—48% completed high school.
2010
86% of all fourth graders still score below state goals in reading. In some Hartford schools, no fourth graders met the state goal in reading or math. Statistics about the Hartford population 60% of parents are on welfare, nearly
50% of students come from non-English-speaking homes, approximately
20% of students require special education
40% of children attend pre-school, less than
50% of starting ninth graders graduate with their class,
40% of adults are literate
100% of children are on free or reduced lunches.
Encouraging Facts
Each child EMS tutors works with has a greater chance at improving his/her reading and have success in school than a child who has never had a tutor. We Make a Difference One Child at a Time. One Family at at time. EMS staff and and tutors will continue to work until we can close our doors knowing that every child in greater Hartford who wants to learn can succeed, and any child who wants to go to college will have the skills to do so.