NOC – Page 18

NOC Kicks off 2019 Summer Virtual School throughout Beaufort County

May 31, 2019 By NOC

NOC’s Summer Virtual School will begin on Monday, June 3, 2019 at five Neighborhood Learning Centers located throughout Beaufort County. Locations include Hilton Head Island (The Oaks), Bluffton (Avalon Shores and The Onyx Apartments), and Beaufort (Marsh Pointe and Parkview Apartments). The Summer Virtual School at the NOC Cordillo Courts Neighborhood Learning Center (located in St. Luke’s Church) will begin on Monday, June 10, 2019 .

NOC’s Summer Virtual School provides students in Kindergarten through 8^th grade opportunities to bridge their learning between the end of the Spring semester and the start of the next school year. Each Neighborhood Learning Center focuses on providing academically engaging activities for eight weeks during students’ summer break.

Students can expect to use online learning software that is approved by the Beaufort County School District. Reading and math tutoring will also be provided during the program. Enrichment activities will be provided during the course of the program to promote student interest in STEM, Art, Music, Dance, and many other areas of learning.

NOC invites community members to volunteer at their closest Neighborhood Learning Center or come by to see the rich learning environment. The Summer Virtual School operates Monday through Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Students participating in the program must be registered by a parent or legal guardian. Transportation is not provided to students living outside of the Learning Center neighborhoods. Parents and families are encouraged to volunteer or donate supplies.

If you would like to have more information, please contact the NOC office at (843) 681-4100 or email at [email protected]. Volunteers are required to complete a registration form and background check during the onboarding process.

Special Day of Connection at St Luke’s

May 13, 2019 By NOC

Saturday, May 4, was a special day of celebration at St Luke’s Church in HHI. We gathered to celebrate the Sisters of Charity Foundation and other funders (St Luke’s Church, Bargain Box, Long Cove Foundation, and Wexford Charity Foundation) who support NOC’s outreach programs to benefit the children and families of Cordillo, Hedges, and Woodhaven Apartments. The children were joined by many friends of NOC and caring neighbors from surrounding areas. Music and delicious food (some provided by parents) were enjoyed by everyone. Featured speakers, Mr. Tom Keith (President & CEO of Sisters of Charity) and Rev. Greg Kronz (Pastor, St Luke’s) offered inspiring remarks of love, compassion, and faith. Susan, a student volunteer, spoke about the thrill and happiness she receives from her volunteer work at NOC’s learning center at St. Luke’s Church. Additional remarks were made by Dr. Narendra Sharma, NOC Founder & Chair and Cynthia Jenkins, NOC Executive Director. Finally, entertainment was provided by some of the Cordillo Learning Center students.

It was truly an afternoon that connected people and caring neighbors.

REGISTER NOW !

April 24, 2019 By NOC

NOC HOSTING ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT, FOLLOWED BY 10th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION DINNER!

Please mark your calendars for NOC’s Annual “Fore the Teachers and Students Golf Tournament” on Friday, September 13, 2019, at the Colleton River Golf Club. There will be a dinner following the tournament to celebrate NOC’s 10th Anniversary!

This tournament, NOC’s Signature Fundraising Event each year, supports:

Bringing BCSD teachers into our Neighborhood Learning Centers (NLC) to provide tutoring and homework assistance
Achieving the goal of 4 new Neighborhood Learning Centers (NLC) in Beaufort County by 2020
Sustaining the existing 6 Neighborhood Learning Centers in Beaufort, Bluffton, and Hilton Head Island, serving over 650 students

Online registration is open at the following link: http://give.classy.org/NOCgolf

Or you can call the NOC Office at 843-681-4100 for more information.

NOC Calls for Reduction in Achievement Gap

April 19, 2019 By NOC

Neighborhood Outreach Connection (NOC) calls for a Reduction in the Student Achievement Gap in the Beaufort County School District

NOC Founder and Chair, Dr. Narendra Sharma, addressed the Beaufort County Board of Education on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 Also attending the meeting were NOC Executive Director, Cynthia Jackson-Jenkins, NOC Field Director, Corbin Stripling, and NOC Director of Development and Marketing, Daniel McKeown. Dr. Sharma emphasized NOC’s business model and how NOC is addressing the needs of Beaufort County children and families through education, health, and workforce development programs. He enumerated NOC’s accomplishments over the past 10 years and stated NOC’s goals and priorities over the next 10 years. Dr. Sharma’s presentation highlighted the following:

NOC successfully serves 650 high-risk students in six Neighborhood Learning Centers by going directly into underserved neighborhoods
NOC invests in BCSD teachers and works with them to provide tutoring and homework assistance in each Neighborhood Learning Center.
NOC brings technology and BCSD’s curriculum into the neighborhood in a cost-effective way.
NOC plans to strategically expand and open 4 new learning centers in Beaufort County, targeting 1,000 students
BCSD can be an active partner in NOC’s expansion, including recognition of teachers working in NOC’s programs.

Dr. Sharma concluded that we must address the achievement gap issue with a sense of urgency since 35% to 45% of minority students (African American and Hispanic) are not at grade level in either reading, math, or language arts.

View Dr. Sharma’s presentation: bcsd prestation, april 2019, final

Gary Tauscher Recognized for Distinguished Service to NOC

March 22, 2019 By NOC

Gary Tauscher was recognized on March 20, 2019 by NOC’s Board of Directors and senior staff for his distinguished service to the organization. Gary served as an NOC Board Director for 5 years. During this time, he served as Chair of NOC’s Grants Committee, writing grants and providing leadership in raising significant capital to support NOC’s mission and outreach programs in Beaufort County. Gary also chaired NOC’s highly successful Special Golf event for two years, and was actively involved in frontline activities at NOC’s learning centers in Beaufort County. Dr. Narendra Sharma, Founder and Chair, praised Gary’s dedication, and outstanding work and commitment in helping NOC grow and expand its outreach programs in Beaufort County. He also recognized Gary’s compassion for the poor, especially children, who carry the burden of poverty.

In response to the above, Gary Tauscher made the following remarks:

In the “light of day” I would like to acknowledge last night’s Board Meeting. First of all, I want to thank Dr. Sharma for convincing me to join the NOC Board some 5 years ago. Like you, I am amazed that the organization is ten years old and that so much has been accomplished. More importantly, I am proud to have been a member of the “Sharma Team” and part of the evolution of the organization for the last 5 years.

There is still much to be done, and I’m convinced you will succeed in accomplishing the various goals discussed during the Board meeting. Having worked with Dr. Sharma and the NOC program managers, teachers, and host of volunteers for five years, I think I have developed an appreciation for the challenges facing the community the Neighborhood Outreach Connection serves. There are a number of reasons that the greater Hilton Head Community doesn’t know about NOC and what it does. In my opinion, one of the major reasons for that lack of awareness is that our clients are not only underserved; they are also ignored by that Community. In spite of this, the potential that they represent is worthy of the commitment the NOC organization is making on their behalf.

While I am leaving the Board, my wife, Judy and I remain committed to the mission of NOC and you can count on us as “disciples”, volunteers, and financial supporters of the Neighborhood Outreach Connection as you work towards accomplishing the NOC Mission.