nocadmin, Author at NEIGHBORHOOD OUTREACH CONNECTION

NOC’s Centurion Club Visits Sandbox Museum

September 3, 2013 By nocadmin

Several NOC student tutors – Emma Stanton, Katy Hinton, Kristin Trusz, Hannah Brink, and, Keelin Sanz – organized a field trip to the Sandbox Museum for younger members of NOC’s Centurion Club.

The Sandbox is an “interactive” children’s museum that offers many hands-on experiences. The student tutors presented their idea to Roberta Foss, NOC volunteer and Learning Coordinator in HHI. They then approached the management of the museum and worked out a program for the NOC children, including a waiver of the entrance fees. They developed a detailed plan of activities at the museum, including a picnic lunch for the children. Roberta Foss and the student tutors led the group and the Boys and Girls Club provided a bus to transport the children to and from the museum, bringing them back to NOC’s Program Center at Oaks.

The end result was that children in Kindergarten to Grade 3 spent more than three hours at the museum where they had a great time. They participated enthusiastically in several activities, enjoying every moment that they spent there. They acquired new knowledge and enjoyed each other’s company in an environment with which they were not familiar. For many of the children, it was their first visit to the museum. On their return home, they were cheerful and anxious to recount their experiences with parents and friends.

NOC Receives National Coverage

September 3, 2013 By nocadmin

NOC has recently received significant national attention regarding its flagship education program, development model, and success to date in low-income neighborhoods in Hilton Head Island and Bluffton. Three articles were written by Diana Furchtgott-Roth, a former chief economist of the U.S. Department of Labor and a senior fellow with the Manhattan Institute. Ms. Furchtgott-Roth visited Hilton Head Island and interviewed Dr. Narendra Sharma, founder and Chair, following a site visit to NOC’s program Center at Oaks in Hilton Head Island.

In her first article (“Unlearning World Bank Lessons To Fix Local Poverty”) in Real Clear Markets, Diana Furchtgott-Roth said “Almost everyone knows that Hilton Head Island is home to some of the most beautiful shoreline and golf courses on the eastern seaboard. Few know that the island also boasts a remarkable anti-poverty program for low-income families, one that needs to be considered for replication in poor neighborhoods from New York to Detroit to Oakland.” To understand why she has come to this conclusion, please click the link below.

www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2013/08/20/unlearning_world_bank_lessons_to_fix_local_poverty_100561.html

In a second article (“Hilton Head offers a better way out of poverty than minimum wage hikes”) in Washington Examiner, Diana Furchtgott-Roth makes the case that poverty can be tackled through education, which empowers people. She uses NOC’s approach to validate her assertion. Click below to read this article.

washingtonexaminer.com/article/2534504

The third online article (“Making an investment in at-risk kids: Education is crucial to future success,”) in Wall Street’s Market Watch. Ms. Furchtgott-Roth discusses NOC’s successful development approach to educate at-risk children in the broader context of linking educational achievement to earnings and employment.” The article adds that “Students are in school 180 days a year, for 6 hours a day. Imagine how much more they could learn if educators could capture the remaining 185 days, or another six hours in a day, or both. That’s the philosophy behind … the Neighborhood Outreach Connection (NOC), based in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. It provides low-income families with after-school and summer tutoring to stem the academic loss from empty summers and drab afternoons in low-income housing complexes…” To read more, click on the following link.

www.marketwatch.com/story/making-an-investment-in-at-risk-kids-2013-08-23

All Saints Continues to Support NOC Outreach Programs

August 3, 2013 By nocadmin

On August 18, NOC Vice Chair Ally McNair (third from left) accepted a check from the All Saints Garden Tour to fund NOC’s education programs to help children excel in school.

Fred Gebler, Chair of the 2013 Garden Tour, remarked that “I was so inspired with how well Father Lindsey’s sermon today focused upon the fine work being done each day by your group to respond to the challenges being faced by some of our brothers and sisters in need. As Father Rick pointed out this morning, all of us at All Saints are glad to have had the opportunity to support your work by providing a funding grant.” As noted by Ally McNair, it is because of groups such as All Saints Church that we are able to implement our mission to help empower people so that they can get ahead in life.

Disney Visits NOC’s Program Center

August 3, 2013 By nocadmin

As in the past, children at NOC’s Program Center at Oaks enjoyed the visit by Kristin Lindsay, General Manager, Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort, and April Ford, Cast Support Manager.

Kristin and April were at the Oaks to present NOC with a check to support NOC’s Pre-K and K-Level Program. They mingled with the children during their class time and later during recess. The children asked questions and several children talked about their past visits to the Resort, which they enjoyed immensely, fondly remembering the good time they had there. Disney has been generous in helping NOC over the past three years and it remains actively involved in the local community, giving back to children and families in HHI.

End of 2013 Summer Virtual Learning Program

August 3, 2013 By nocadmin

After finishing an eight-week summer virtual learning program, August 7 was a special day for the children in Hilton Head Island and Bluffton. They had worked hard for two hours Monday through Thursday, using Compass Learning to reinforce their skills in math and language arts. When they could have slept longer, they gave up part of their mornings to sit in NOC’s Program Center to work with teachers, high school tutors, and adult volunteers to meet their goals.

The children arrived at the program centers in Bluffton and Hilton Head on this final morning dressed in clothing normally reserved for special occasions. They came with siblings, parents (mostly mothers), and relatives. They were happy and eager, radiating a feeling of joy and accomplishment. They received certificates and awards for various achievements, including attendance and behavior. It was a proud moment for everyone present, including the leaders of the program, Kelly Lamb (Bluffton) and Emily Blackshire (HHI) and their team members (Andreza De Jesus and Jennifer Santos). Finally, the children enjoyed treats supplied by Starbucks at Pineland Station, Atlanta Bread, Volunteers of Medicine, Ellen Taylor, and Michael Ciavolino.