UTM Year-End Letter 2020
Dear Friends of UTM,
The educational fallout from the COVID19 pandemic exacerbated an already dire situation among the urban youth who are part of UTM programs. Riverside, the school that all of our middle-schoolers attend, was previously struggling before COVID-19 hit. It ranks 769th out of 791st among all of the Middle Schools in Michigan based on M-Step and PSAT English test scores released by the Michigan Department of Education. In 2019:
- Only 9% of its students achieved proficiency in Math.
- Only 23% of its students achieved proficiency in Reading/Language Arts.
- 54% of its students were suspended (compared to a statewide average of 8%)
- 72% of its students were absent 15 days or more (compared to a statewide average of 20%)
- 86.5% of its students receive free or discounted lunch; it also ranks in the lowest 3.9% of family income in comparison to other Michigan Middle Schools.
This school year, the GRPS district facilitated learning through a 100% virtual model (adding a possible hybrid model on January 19th, 2021). For students from under-resourced and disadvantaged families, online learning from home is an impossible task without wraparound support from the community. Over the semester, many students missed school over half the time while failing to complete over fifty assignments per quarter. What’s more, almost all of our students come from single-parent families. These single mothers (and two single fathers) face a daily uphill grind to meet their families’ basic needs, especially with the continued threat of COVID. Therefore, they cannot put the necessary energy into assisting their kids’ online virtual learning. In partnership with New City Church and Navigators I:58, UTM created an online learning pod center (OLPC) for students that attend Palmer Elementary, Riverside Middle School, and Union High School. In the beginning, UTM experimented with a few different models that emphasized online zoom support or academic tutoring. However, students continued to struggle because they weren’t completing assignments or they failed to attend their virtual classes. We connected with other nonprofits. GRPS teachers and administrators, and neighborhood parents to learn how to create a better OLPC that would meet its neighborhood students’ needs. After much listening, prayer, and reflection, we developed a full-service OLPC that can accommodate between 20-40 students. Goals for the OLPC include:
- Every student passing every class
- Every student demonstrating improvement in every class
- life-on-life discipleship/mentoring connection points from UTM in the lives of every student
But this means hiring two youth development academic coordinators on a short-term basis. They will be responsible for: (1) oversight, coaching, and evaluation of academic tutor volunteers and zoom support volunteers of the OLPC, (2) supervision, safety, and education of students utilizing the virtual learning curriculum approved by Grand Rapids Public Schools (3) providing daily academic and technical support for youth participating in virtual learning.
Several of UTM’s partners are getting behind the full-service OLPC. UTM received a grant of $10,900 from Berean Baptist Church towards staffing needs along with a Christmas offering which will be used towards incentives for learning. Calvary Church contributed $4,000 to purchase air purifiers, plexiglass shield dividers, and misc. items such as face masks, cleaning supplies, and storage containers. New City Church provided snacks, half of UTM’s current volunteers, and free use of its building. Also, HexArmor donated 25 clear face shields, for academic tutor volunteers, as an extra safety precaution. Navigators I:58 staff serves as a liaison between the OLPC and parents, teachers, and students.
Even with the support of our current partners, we need more help. To realistically meet our goals, we need a minimum of twenty people (ages 16 and over) per day for the next six months, to volunteer once a week in the afternoons from 1:00 to 2:30 (Monday through Thursdays) for one-to-one tutoring along with two volunteers (Mondays through Thursdays) each morning from 8:45-11:45 to help with online zoom support. At this moment, we only have ten volunteers. We appeal to all available churches, civic groups, and individuals in West Michigan to sacrifice part of an afternoon once-a-week. Volunteering as a tutor is a practical way to love your neighbor as yourself and will significantly impact our students’ lives. Please text or call at 616-206-8666 or email me at shafferutm@gmail.com if you are interested.
Altogether we need $30,000 to sufficiently fund the OLPC through June of 2021. Although UTM has already raised $16,600 for the OLPC program, we still need $13,400. We also need another $9,000 by the end of the year to keep UTM out of the red for 2020. Will you consider sending a generous gift today to help us continue UTM’s life-transforming work? Your donation will help give hope to under-resourced and disadvantaged youth that might otherwise fall through the cracks that COVID has widened. You can donate online by clicking UTM’s Network For Good donate button at https://utmgr.networkforgood.com/ or send a check to UTM’s mailing address at 214 Spencer St. NE Grand Rapids, MI. 49505.
We also need your prayers. Not only for the personal safety of UTM’s staff, volunteers, and students, but also that the OLPC will help fulfill our mission to break the fatherless cycle through the gospel of Christ!
We are so grateful that many of you have already partnered with us through volunteering, financial support, and prayers.
Because of God’s grace,
Joel Shaffer, Executive Director
Urban Transformation Ministries
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