Celebrations

May Day found us celebrating a school year full of wonderful accomplishments. About 100 children, parents, volunteers, staff, and friends filled Patchwork’s meeting room to receive recognition of their success in school and at Patchwork, to review the year in photos, to say thank you to our volunteers, and to watch video projects we’ve created this year. There were awards for memorizing multiplication tables and reading and Patchwork attendance and improving grades in school, and there was a picnic meal together.

everyone's here!

The week after our Celebration, our Arts & Smarts staff met to review the year, and there is a lot to celebrate. Some noteworthy items include:

  • 68 children participated in at least one day of activities during the 2013-2014 school year. 17 participated only in art, 15 participated only in tutoring, and 36 participated in both art and tutoring. Average daily attendance was 17 children.
  • 111 days of activities were offered. When combined with daily attendance numbers, that meant that there were 1800 individual afternoons spent in Patchwork’s Arts & Smarts Program this year.
  • 26 different schools (including home school) were represented.
  • 106 volunteers generously gave 1989 hours of their time to make the program a success. We’re very grateful to all of our volunteers, but during our Celebration Dixie took a moment to give some extra recognition to three tutors for their years of volunteer service, dedication and commitment: Robette Adams, Phyllis Donahue and Dr. Phil Kinsey.tutors
  • Our program evaluation results show that children feel that there are adults at Patchwork who care about them and who encourage them to do better. Children felt that Patchwork helped them do better in school. They improved their art skills and they improved in areas that predict future success.
  • 100% of parents who responded to our survey would recommend the Arts & Smarts Program to other parents. They shared comments such as:
    • “Everyone here is very nice & always helpful. My children always enjoy working with the tutors and coming here each week. There couldn’t be a better place for kids to come.”
    • “Grades are up!”
    • “Gave my daughter confidence in herself at school & at home. Opened her interest in art.”
    • “Patchwork has been a positive influence in my child’s life–a good self-esteem builder.”
    • “We love all of our tutors we have had this year and the past two years–& what patience they have. It has really helped my children understand homework.”

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