We believe it takes a village to help youth from at-risk communities break the cycle of poverty….

Schools and tutoring programs already exist to empower youth with an educational foundation to support their future, but oftentimes with limited resources and personnel. In St. Louis Public Schools only 5% of elementary students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 14% for math. 13% of middle school students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 10% tested at or above that level for math. 40% of high school students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and only 28% for math. Schools where students do not meet state standards are struggling to prepare students to succeed in life and they need help. We desire to be a part of the solution by targeting schools and tutoring programs that serve majority economically-disadvantaged students whose academic proficiency standards are well below that of the state and national average.

Through this program, we are LINKING ARMS with these schools, tutoring programs, and youth-based non-profit corporations in Saint Louis City and County by sending trained and approved volunteers to support students and teachers. Our volunteers are trained to work with students 1:1 or in small groups who have deficits in Math and ELA or who are impacted by trauma. We believe that by providing one on one support, students will not only grow closer to state tested proficiency levels but their confidence that they can be successful and achieve their full potential will increase.

We are currently linking arms and deploying volunteers to….