Well over one hundred people participated in the first annual Parkview Experience: Back to School 2016, co-sponsored by Neighborhood Outreach Connection (NOC) and the Atlantic Housing Foundation. Rev. Antwan Milledge and his wife Sabrina, the United Community Group, and other local sponsors contributed food and donations to support the event.

Twenty- five students received free haircuts, compliments of Rev. Milledge and Unique Cuts of Beaufort.

Also attending were Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling; Dr. Narendra Sharma, NOC Founder and Chair; NOC Board Members Will Achurch and Bill Evans, and John Leadem, NOC Program Manager for Parkview; Chief Matthew Clancy of the Beaufort Police Department, as well as several other members of the police and fire departments; Beaufort Elementary School Principal Melissa Holland and Assistant Principal Vicki Goude; and Yanet Claxton and Tashya Norman of Atlantic Housing.

In addition to grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, the children and their families were treated to a variety of desserts and beverages. Guest speaker Caleb Brown from Committed to Excellence encouraged students to do well in school and he praised NOC for its efforts and success in Beaufort. The young people (and even some adults) enjoyed jumping in the bounce castle and running in the sack race competition. Each student left with a generous supply of back-to-school supplies donated by Atlantic Housing, The Greenery, and Unique Cuts.

Despite a few moments of rain, nothing dampened the enthusiasm of all in attendance.

Neighborhood Outreach Connection (NOC) focuses on creating opportunities within distressed neighborhoods on Hilton Head Island, in Greater Bluffton, and in Beaufort by connecting resources, services, and technology to the people who need them most.

 NOC’s flagship program is an after-school tutoring program that brings teachers and volunteers into neighborhood “learning centers” to provide homework help during the school year, as well as a Virtual Summer Learning Program during the schools’ summer vacation.

Employing teachers for NOC’s education programs is critical to the academic success of participating students.

Your participation in the “Fore the Teachers” Golf Tournament — Friday, September 30, at Port Royal Golf Club — will support the teachers who make it possible for NOC to continue its excellent work with students in the after-school program.

For complete details see the registration forms attached below or call Sue Todd at 843-815-5636 or Bill Burger at 843- 681-8815.

Not a golfer? You can still participate. Your donation of $1200.00 will support one student for an entire year! Call Liz Merrill in the NOC Office (843-681-4100) for details.

2016 NOC GOLF TOURNAMENT

2016 TOURNAMENT REGISTRATION

2016 TOURNAMENT SPONSOR

Find out what is happening at NOC.

Click here to read the Spring Newsletter: Spring 2016 Newsletter

 

During the Hilton Head Island Town Council meeting on April 5, the Council voted 5 to 1 not to sell the Cordillo Tennis Courts to the Home Owners Associations. For the past two years, NOC has opposed this sale, arguing that these courts provide an open-space play area for the 180 children and their families who live in the surrounding apartments. Eight children who are enrolled in NOC’s after school program attended the meeting, and one student made a presentation (see below), imploring Town Council members not to sell the facility.  NOC’s position was presented by Ally Cook, NOC Vice Chair and Gary Tauscher,  NOC Board Director

Lucy’s statement:

View NOC Vice Chair Ally Cook’s presentation: TOWN COUNCIL , presentation, april 5, 2016

For additional coverage, click on the following link:

http://www.islandpacket.com/news/politics-government/article70005397.html

 

In a recent opinion article, Diana Furchtgott-Roth, director of Economics21 at the Manhattan Institute, noted that “What improves pay is productivity, and better education leads to higher productivity.” She then cited NOC as an effective model for providing the education foundation that ultimately leads to higher productivity.

Read her full article, which has also been picked up by Real Clear Markets (http://www.realclearmarkets.com) and CapX (Centre for Policy Studies, London, http://capx.co/), by clicking on the following link:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/a-higher-minimum-wage-is-no-way-to-solve-the-problem-of-poverty-2016-03-30