According to a recent article in the Beaufort Gazette, composite 2016 ACT scores, which indicate college readiness of high school seniors, declined in both South Carolina and Beaufort County.  The article (linked below) provides details on this shift in performance.  NOC must sustain its mission to help children living in poverty to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to excel academically.

Read more:  http://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/community/beaufort-news/article97636757.html

According to a recent New York Times Op-Ed article, ” The make-or-break factor for prekindergarten is quality, …. What makes for quality? A full-day program, staffed by well-trained teachers, supported by experienced coaches and social workers, who know how to talk with, not at, youngsters; a teacher for every 10 or fewer children; a challenging curriculum backed by evidence; and parental involvement.” For several years now, NOC has been working hard to provide a quality Pre-K program for children in the low-income neighborhoods that it serves — a program that offers many of these “quality” ingredients.

Read the complete article here: How To Make Pre-K A Success

Last week, there was much excitement at NOC’s six Learning Centers ( 2 in HHI, 2 in Bluffton, and 2 in downtown Beaufort) as more than 280 children successfully completed the After-School Fall Session. The children radiated an air of confidence because they knew that they had accomplished their goals. They came to the Learning Centers regularly to complete their homework and spend time on laptops connected to school-approved internet learning software, mastering skills in math, reading, and English language, while receiving support from teachers from their schools and friendly volunteers. The Leaning Centers have become a safe learning environment for the children, who can walk to the centers without having to worry about transportation. They regularly receive healthy snacks provided at the centers. The children are challenged by NOC’s incentive programs that recognize them for academic performance, attendance, and personal behavior.

Parents, guardians, and friends were proud to see the children celebrate the end of a successful session as they received certificates of achievement and report cards.  The celebration was extra special with outside visitors, including principals, teachers, NOC staff, and Board members in attendance.  Lastly, special treats and gifts provided by many supporters of the program gave the children reason to be happy and excited.  They knew that people in the community care about them and want them to be successful.

The children are already looking forward to the winter/spring session, which will begin in early January 2016.