As a student-run umbrella organization with the Community Service Network, the Alliance strives to build cohesive partnership between groups working with urban education and youth, to promote activism, and create cross boundary projects in the city of Rochester. Students discuss shared issues, problems, interests, future training or lectures, sharing resources, and ultimately coordinating projects to make a larger impact. Student representatives from Jumpstart, Project CARE, Urban Choice, Grassroots, Baden Street, Cameron Community Ministries, St. Boniface, and Partners in Reading are represented in the Alliance.
One of the Alliance’s coordinating projects is UR Tours. The UR Tours is an introductory program for local high school students to college life. The Center For Youth partners with the Alliance to arrange the high school tours. UR Tours Jr., a spin off the original Tours, provides an opportunity for Rochester city fourth thru sixth graders to visit the University of Rochester River Campus. The purpose of the Tours is for Rochester city students to encounter college as a “real” experience and to understand that doing well in school can have authentic, tangible outcomes.
Baden Street is a non-profit community organization that holds after school enrichment programs. UR undergraduates work with 8-17 year olds, usually athletes, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings (5:00 – 7:00pm). The volunteers work for an hour on homework and then in the second hour gather for a group project or game. Students carpool with their own vehicles and use the CSN van.
Cameron is a community organization that offers youth from the neighborhood surrounding Public School No. 30 tutoring services. UR undergraduates volunteer a minimum of three hours a week Monday- Thursday either 2:30-5:30 or 3:30-5:30. The volunteers act as tutors, listeners, guides and role-models for youth in grades 1-5. Students carpool, take their own personal vehicles or use the CSN van.
Jumpstart is a national non-profit, early education organization, with a mission to increase school success in young children, family involvement and future teachers, one child at a time. Jumpstart Rochester, located at the University of Rochester, joined the Jumpstart network in 2003. Undergraduate students participate in the high commitment program, serving 300 hours a year. Supported by national partners such as AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve the corps members receive work-study pay and an end of the year stipend. Students take public transportation or carpool.
Partners in Reading is dedicated to aiding elementary school children in the process of learning to read. The student managed tutoring program has been running for over 10 years. Partners in Reading’s long standing partnership with Public School 33 has allowed for their growth and success. UR undergraduates work with children in grades K-3, in English-speaking or Spanish-speaking classrooms, every Friday from 1:00-3:30 PM. Students carpool, take their own personal vehicles or use the CSN van to drive to the facility.
Project CARE
Project CARE (Coaches Are Role Models for Empowerment) is a new initiative of the College at the University of Rochester, the Rochester City School District, and EnCompass. The comprehensive tutoring and role modeling program focuses on K-6 graders in need of academic and social support combines numerous educational and developmental models to encourage excellence from both students and volunteers. With a time commitment of one hour per day two days a week coaches go into schools 2, 14, 19, and 58. Undergraduate determine what hours they go in to coach. Transportation is provided by bus and the CSN van.
The St. Boniface group meets every other Tuesday from 2:30 - 4:30. The goal is to spend an hour with homework/reading help, and the second hour is sports/games/activities. They also teach fun creative lessons throughout the year based on undergraduate’s specialty interests in college. The purpose of the group is to provide role models and positive leaders for the children. Transportation is provided by CSN van.
Urban Choice Charter School is a new elementary school committed to proving that urban schools can achieve high academic standards. Established this year, three UR undergraduates volunteer at Urban Choice. Volunteers are generally given a small group of students to help with a specific assignment or project. Students carpool, take their own personal vehicles or use the CSN van.
The purpose of the CLC is to provide an environment that promotes social awareness and political involvement at the University of Rochester and in the surrounding community.
Circle K is the collegiate level of the Kiwanis family, an international organization dedicated to service. Circle K is involved in weekly tutoring at OATKA (halfway house for teens). Volunteer numbers vary.
UR Habitat for Humanity shares Habitat for Humanity International’s mission of eliminating poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and making decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. The campus chapter seeks to strengthen the University, Rochester, and larger communities through building quality, safe, affordable housing for people in need, raising funds to support building efforts, and learning and teaching about housing issues.
As part of the Martin Luther King celebration this year several student performance groups from the University of Rochester performed for third through sixth grade children at the Charles T. Lunsford School (#19). The assembly featured the College’s Afro-Expressions, the Ballet Performance Group, UR Hip Hop, Bhangra, and Yosakoi. The objective is for each group to share their particular style and form of expression to city school youth and to discuss their differences as well as talk about the power of art in working across differences and in their own educational pursuits. The Power of Dance groups continue to stay involved with the Centers partnering schools 2, 14, and 19 and its children through a series of demonstrations, workshops and exchanges between the campus and the school throughout the school year.