Dr. Narendra Sharma, founder and board chair of Neighborhood Outreach Connection (NOC), has received national recognition with a “Daily Point of Light Award.”  The Daily Point of Light Award (DPLA) is a national presidential honor given to volunteers who go above and beyond in their efforts to help others. A DPLA spokesperson said that “awarding the Daily Point of Light to Dr. Sharma allows us to share NOC’s inspiring work with others.”

The Daily Point of Light Award was created more than 20 years ago by President George H. W. Bush, who said, “By giving so generously of themselves, these remarkable individuals show us not only what is best in our heritage but what all of us are called to become.”

Dr. Sharma said that “he is honored and humbled by this national award.”  He noted that “it is a testimony to NOC’s outstanding accomplishments over the past seven years, achieved with the help of NOC’s team, partners, and generous donors.  NOC’s model is unique and effective in combating poverty and lowering the achievement gap experienced by children living in underserved neighborhoods in Beaufort County. The NOC model can be replicated throughout the country.”

NOC is a 501(c)3 organization that currently serves 380 children through its preschool, after school, and virtual summer learning programs in four Beaufort County NOC Program Centers, all of which are located in underserved neighborhoods. Another 100 children will soon be served in the city of Beaufort thanks to a $163,500 innovation grant award given to NOC in partnership with the Beaufort County School District.

NOC also provides health screenings in collaboration with partners including Beaufort Memorial Hospital, VIM, and DEHEC.  The screenings serve families in underserved neighborhoods. Last year, over 300 people took advantage of these health screenings.

Daily Point of Light announcement: http://www.pointsoflight.org/programs/recognition/dpol/awards/5460​

NOC is featured in the 2015-2016 capital campaign kick-off video of the United Way of the Lowcountry.  The campaign is targeting $2.5 million over the coming year.  Last year, 48 agencies, including NOC, benefited from United Way contributions for basic needs and community development.

To view the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g54rp-sEJ-U

On Tuesday, March 31, 2015, BCSD and NOC received a one-year award of $163,500 from the 2015 South Carolina Community Block Grants for Education for innovation in public-private partnership. The grant will fund two new NOC Program Centers to provide learning opportunities outside the school day to at-risk students in downtown Beaufort.

 About 100 children, mainly African Americans, from high-poverty neighborhoods (Parkview and Marsh Point Apartments, both public housing complexes) in downtown Beaufort will receive after-school tutoring support, computer-based learning, and summer learning to improve academic achievement in math, reading, and language arts. This program is expected to begin in early May.

The Beaufort Initiative has raised $22,000 in funds to sustain the project. A $50,000 matching grant has been offered by an anonymous out-of-state donor if the Initiative raises $50,000 locally.

Key Quotes:

BCSD Superintendent Jeff Moss:  “NOC’s track record at HHI and Bluffton is a strong one.  The focus in Beaufort will be to increase student achievement and family engagement while reducing the achievement gap.  Our data indicate the NOC is successful at doing that.”

Board of Education Chairman Bill Evans: “This truly was a collaborative, community-wide effort. Our challenge now is to build momentum for continued funding so we can sustain the project.”

Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling: “The project fills an important gap in the downtown Beaufort area left by the closing of the Boys and Girls Club. The data from existing NOC programs clearly demonstrate that young people who get extra attention and help – and receive that help in a safe place – improve not only academically but socially, too. And that helps to build a stronger sense of community in our neighborhoods.  I can’t think of a better investment.”

The Education Oversight Committee noted that the proposed downtown Beaufort program, “which operates outside of regular school hours during the afternoons, weekends and during the summer, includes evidence-based practices aimed at improving achievement, attendance, family engagement and behavior.  An innovative part of the program is that it takes place in the neighborhoods where the children and families live, alleviating the need for additional transportation costs.”

For more information, see:

Island Packet: http://www.islandpacket.com/2015/03/31/3675797/tutoring-program-for-at-risk-kids.html

Beaufort County School District: http://www.beaufort.k12.sc.us/pages/BCSD/News/District_awarded_tutoring_gran

WTOC-TV: http://www.wtoc.com/story/28673458/lowcountry-schools-receive-grant-money-for-after-school-programs

In a recent announcement, Red Cedar was named a Palmetto’s Finest School by the SC Association of School Administrators, the state’s professional organization for school leaders.  According to the announcement: “More than half of the school’s population is still learning English and 70 percent of the students qualify for free and reduced-price lunch.” The five-year-old school has improved its state academic rating from average to excellent.”

More than 80% of the students in NOC’s after school program at the Bluffton House and Simmons Cay Program Centers attend Red Cedar Elementary School.  NOC has served nearly 100 children annually from Red Cedar over the past four years.  Dr. Kathleen Corley, Principal of Red Cedar Elementary School, commented to Joan Deery, NOC Board member, “…our partnership with NOC is a big part of our success…”

NOC is making a difference!

Read news release: Red Cedar Elementary captures top South Carolina honor

Headlines:
• Successful meeting In Beaufort on Friday, February 27, to launch NOC’s new program center to benefit 100 children, mainly African Americans, in 2 low-income neighborhoods in Beaufort city.
• Anonymous Donor pledges $50,000 in Matching Dollars to mobilize funds in Beaufort (North of the Broad)
• High Praise for NOC from BCSD and BCBOE and Administration that NOC model is relevant and generates results at low unit cost.
• State Sen. Tom Davis supports NOC Model and wants to explore funding sources at State Capital to help launch the Beaufort project.

Friday, February 27, was a great day for NOC. The Beaufort County School District (BCSD), Bill Evans, Chair of the BC Board of Ed (BCBOE), and Dr. Narendra Sharma, Chair, NOC’s Board, hosted a summit on the urgent need to open an NOC Program Center in Beaufort to address the significant achievement gap experienced by minority children in Beaufort County public schools.   More than 40 persons participated in this meeting.

Despite having a bad case of the flu, Bill Evans joined the meeting via Skype. He and Dr. Dereck Rhoads, BCSD, were effusive in their praise of NOC, noting the uniqueness of the model and the successful outcomes of NOC’s education program in Hilton Head Island and Bluffton.

Former School Board Member and Chair Fred Washington recalled his days on the Beaufort County School Board and the work that was done in order to draft and sign a memorandum of understanding between the school district and NOC. He added that ever since that day, he has been telling people in Beaufort, “Don’t worry, NOC will get here.”  Many representatives from the local African American community, local business sector, Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, and the community at large endorsed NOC, including Fred Leyda of the Alliance for Human Services and Jack Mitchell of AT&T. State Senator Tom Davis said he would investigate sources of funding for NOC at the State House. NOC Board Members Karen Diccianni and George Paletta also attended the meeting and spoke with attendees after the meeting.

After Dr. Sharma made his presentation, he announced that an anonymous donor has come forward to pledge $50,000 in matching funds to jumpstart NOC’s Program Center in Beaufort. He challenged the audience and community to help him raise the needed funds. In the past two days, several thousand dollars have been pledged/donated to support the Beaufort Project.

Dr. Sharma’s presentation – click here: NOC-BCSD Summit, Feb. 27, 2014, Final