On June 21, when the children at the Oaks Apartments woke up, they were excited and looking forward to spending time with people from the Hilton Head Fire Department, who have the reputation for entertaining kids while teaching them about safety in riding bikes and crossing streets. 

The day was delightful and the weather was fine, not too hot for about 30  kids to be outside having a good time on a special day. They had heard from their friends that the Fire Department is very generous, giving children gifts and colorful bicycle helmets.
 
The children were correct.  Cinda Seaman and her team from the Hilton Head Fire Department were extra special. They told the kids about safety and gave them a tour of a fire truck and ambulance. The children found the tour exciting.   They asked questions and were intrigued by all the equipment. Some of these children aspire to become firemen; others hold great admiration for this important profession. Children received gifts, including helmets, which made them look like aliens from an unknown planet.
 

This event was highly successful. As in the past, the Hilton Head Fire Fighter’s Association has given a small grant to NOC to support its Neighborhood Soccer League, which is popular among children and parents in low-income neighborhoods.

Thank You VanLandingham for Your Generosity

“We are excited about our new Virtual Learning Center,” Laura and Kimberly remarked on behalf of the NOC children. “This is a great opportunity for us … we will have access to computers and internet which will allow us to finish our homework in a timely way; we can now complete our research projects; and we will use learning tools on the internet. We are happy … the Virtual Learning Center will help our parents too. Thank you again.”

The Virtual Learning Center will be an innovative pathway to continuous learning outside the schools and it will help to overcome the digital divide between those who have access to internet and those who do not, especially children who come from poor households and neighborhoods. As Thomas Friedman, author and columnist for New York Times, recently stated, technology vis a vis the internet will pave the way for all of us to find opportunities to enhance our education and acquire new knowledge.  Technology-based learning will be a cornerstone of NOC’s flagship education program.

NOC is already witnessing the impact of using learning tools on the internet. NOC students who are participating in internet-based learning through afternoon school and summer programs are already showing significant gains in learning and avoidance of loss of knowledge and learning from the previous 6 to 12 months. Having access to the internet for learning reduces the overall cost, since it requires fewer on-site teachers and paid staff. Establishing learning centers in target neighborhoods resolves the issue of transportation which often hampers children and women from accessing the internet in places beyond a safe walking distance.

NOC has introduced music to the pre-school program in HHI and Bluffton.
This program started off on a small scale and has grown in popularity among pre-schoolers, as well as moms. Children get totally mesmerized by the music and dance without any inhibitions. Music brings the best out of these children, changing their mood as well as fine-tuning their motor skills. This component makes NOC’s pre-school program extra special for children and mothers who often lack the opportunity to engage in educational activities.

Teachers are working diligently with NOC’s field team to making learning more effective and results-oriented in NOC’s Program Centers. 
 

Recently, teachers met at NOC’s Program Center in Bluffton to develop an action plan to strengthen NOC’s after school learning program, and to create a stronger culture of continuous learning. Special emphasis was placed on time management, better utilization of NOC’s facilities, student responsibility, quality of tutoring, homework support, and use of technology. The teachers recognize that students are improving academic performance, but more can be done to raise results. 
 
Teachers applaud the involvement of parents and the dedication of children in putting in extra effort so that they can excel in school. Teachers, together with NOC’s high school tutors and adult volunteers, have become important frontline education warriors for pre-school and after school programs in low-income neighborhoods served by NOC.