05/05/11 The Providence Children's Initiative Launches Partnership to Support Student Success at Mary E. Fogarty Elementary      The Providence Children’s Initiative, a program of Family Service of Rhode Island, announced today that it has formed a partnership with Mary E. Fogarty Elementary School and The College Crusade of Rhode Island to help improve educational achievement for students at the school. The partnership ensures that every eligible fifth-grade student at Fogarty Elementary School will be enrolled into The College Crusade’s seven-year college access and readiness program when they enter sixth grade in fall 2011. The partnership also ensures that students in kindergarten through grade 4 who are most in need of academic support will participate in a summer enrichment program held at the school through July and August. “We have been working diligently for several months with the leadership of Fogarty Elementary School to find the most effective ways of supporting students, staff, and families,” said Swan Capris, Director of the Providence Children’s Initiative. “We are delighted to have The College Crusade partnering with us so that Fogarty fifth graders who are moving on to middle school next year will be able to benefit from a successful college readiness program and have the community support they need to succeed. We are also partnering with Fogarty to develop an enrichment program that is designed to prevent summer learning loss for students in the earlier grades.” “We are so appreciative of this support from the Providence Children’s Initiative,” said Carolyn Johnston, principal of Mary E. Fogarty Elementary School. “We are thrilled to know that our current fifth graders will have The College Crusade to inspire and motivate them as students and provide them with a safety net as they begin sixth grade next year. In addition, we are excited about the academic enrichment curriculum we are developing for our K-4 students and look forward to welcoming them to participate this summer.” “The Providence Children’s Initiative and The College Crusade have partnered at Fogarty Elementary to provide exactly the sort of comprehensive, community-driven support that will help our students and our schools to succeed,” said Providence School Superintendent Thomas M. Brady. “Their direct support of this group of students is a model for how we can more broadly leverage community resources to benefit every child in Providence.” About the Providence Children’s Initiative The Providence Children’s Initiative, created in 2010, inspired by the Harlem Children’s Zone, works to improve educational and social development outcomes for children and families in Providence. The initiative’s goal is to connect existing social service providers to each other and to the children and families they serve. Children and families will receive educational support services as well as wrap-around services to address the needs of the family. The initiative, a program of Family Service of Rhode Island, also coordinates education and social service providers in a way that builds strong collaborative partnerships within the community. About The College Crusade of Rhode Island The College Crusade of Rhode Island is the state’s most comprehensive college-readiness and scholarship program for middle school and high school students in low-income urban school districts. It serves approximately 3,500 students per year and rewards their efforts and achievements with up to four years of college scholarships. From grade 6 through grade 12, Crusaders experience the steady, nurturing presence of caring adults and participate year-round in activities that focus on academic enrichment, social and personal development, career awareness and exploration, and readiness for college. Since 2001, The College Crusade has awarded over $22 million in college scholarships to more than 2,800 graduates from Rhode Island high schools. The College Crusade is a nonprofit organization funded by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s GEAR UP program, by the State of Rhode Island, and by private corporations, foundations, and individuals. For more information, please visit www.thecollegecrusade.org.   (end)