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I AM A 21ST CENTURY LEADER PROGRAM
I Am a 21st Century Leader is an academic and leadership community-based program of Empowering The Poor, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit based in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Though the program targets primarily economically disadvantaged students and parents, it is open to all 1st through 12th grade students and parents from all socioeconomic backgrounds living in the Fredericksburg City and the surrounding counties of Spotsylvania, King Georges, Stafford, and Caroline.
MISSION
The mission of Empowering The Poor’s I Am a 21st Century Leader program is to enhance the academic achievement and leadership skills of economically disadvantaged 1stthrough 12th grade students, and to empower parents to become accountable for their child’s learning.
BACKGROUND
I Am a 21st Century Leader Program is the brainchild of Darius Coulibaly, an educator and founder of Empowering The Poor. Darius strongly believes that academic success is built and sustained by what happens in the student’s home and community and not necessarily within the traditional school day. As a special education teacher in a Spotsylvania County public high school (Geometry, Algebra I, and French) and part-time in-home counselor working with disadvantaged youth and families, Darius witnesses firsthand scores of economically disadvantaged students falling through the cracks of each school’s bell ring. Driven by the dismal failure of the economically disadvantaged students in the Fredericksburg, Virginia area (www.doe.virginia.gov), the failure of his own students, and passion for empowering economically disadvantaged communities to self-reliance, Darius created I Am a 21st Century Leader Program in the summer of 2011.                                                                                                                                                            I Am a 21st Century Leader Program is staffed by a team of dedicated ordinary citizens like SJ-Cordell Robinson (English teacher & Writing Workshop Instructional Coordinator) and Sidney Robinson (teacher & Youth Technology Summer program)), Randy Kay and Hazel Williams (Community Outreach Servants) Michelle Tilghman (Program Coordinator) and Darius Coulibaly (Program Director).
WHO DO WE SERVE?
Empowering The Poor’s I Am a 21st Century Leader Program targets primarily economically disadvantaged 1st through 12th grade students and parents/guardians. Economically disadvantaged student or parent is defined as one that (1) is eligible for Free/Reduced Meals in school (2) receives temporary assistance for needy families (TANF), or (3) is eligible for Medicaid. However, I Am a 21st Century Leader Program serves students from all socioeconomic backgrounds and academic achievement levels, and from all school divisions.
WHAT WE DO
I Am a 21st Century Leader Program provides the following academic and leadership opportunities:

• Academic Opportunities:

 In-home Tutoring: offered to 1st -12th grade students in Math, English, Science, and Social Studies, 2-3 times each week. This one-on-one in-home academic support is limited to economically disadvantaged students who are failing a core subject (Math, English, Social Studies, and Science) or have a GPA of 1,99 and below. Parents must apply, read and sign the In-home tutoring contract which includes a$3 hourly fee. Our In-home tutors are certified teachers only.
In-Center Tutoring: offered to 1st -12th grade students, we provide both one-on-one and small group academic support in all subjects included world languages (French and Spanish), and operate a Writing Workshop for students interesting in enhancing their writing skills. It is our goal that by the end of each grading period, each student will produce a book of poems, stories, acts (play), essays, a newsletter, article, or other forms of writings to celebrate their knowledge of writing. Our in-center tutoring is offered on Saturdays from 11-2pm at our office located at 124 Bend Farm Road, Fredericksburg, Virginia 22408. The building which was graciously donated by the First Baptist Church of Love to serve as an office and tutoring space. First Baptist Church of Love is an example of community partnership that Empowering The Poor seeks to form.

• Leadership Opportunities:

Parental Leadership Activities: The goal is to empower parents with skills, tools, and community resources to become accountable for their child’s learning and long term academic success.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
Student Leadership Activities: The goals are (1) to help students understand what it means and takes to become a leader in this 21st century global village, (2) to promote personal and community responsibility through local and global service-learning projects, educational field trips, “Real Talk”, etc.
WHY DO WE EMPLOY A HOLISTIC APPROACH?
 I Am a 21st Century Leader Program strongly believes that long term academic success is built and sustained by what happens in the student’s home and community and not necessarily within the traditional school day. Thus, we seek to mobilize parents, students, school boards, faith-based organizations like churches, public entities, and private corporations to collaborate with I Am a 21st Century Leader Program to reverse the pattern of academic mediocrity that is rampant across disadvantaged communities in Fredericksburg city, and the surrounding counties of Spotsylvania, Stafford, King George, and Caroline. The need for a holistic approach is driven by:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

• The dismal academic achievement measured by indicators such as graduation rate, Sol Passing score rate in core subjects (Math, English, Science, and Social Studies), proficiency level, dropout rate, etc. See tables below (www.doe.virginia.gov). The first table below provides the percentage of students who GRADUATE with a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma in 4 years in each school division and the commonwealth of Virginia for the 2009-2010 school year. The subgroups represented in this table are All students and the Economically Disadvantaged (our targeted subgroup).

The 2nd table below provides the FAILING rate of economically disadvantaged (ECD) students in each school division for the 2009-2010 school year on the achievement of students on the Virginia Standard of learning (SOL) in READING 3rd grade, MATH 7th grade, high school GEOMETRY, ENGLISH WRITING, and U.S History in the Fredericksburg City and the counties of Spotsylvania, Stafford, King George, and Caroline Public Schools.

Source: www.doe.virginia.gov
WHAT IS AT STAKE NATIONALLY?

• One student in America drops out every 26 seconds; that is 1.23million per year. And 60% of the 1.23 million students who drop out each year are from low-income families (Alliance for Excellent Education, http:www.all4ed.org)
• 70% of 8th graders can’t read at grade level and most will never catch up. (ED in 2008, Strong American Schools)
• Nearly one-third (1/3) of all public schools students—and nearly one-half (1/2) of all African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans fail to graduate from public school with their class (Alliance for Excellent Education, http:www.all4ed.org).
• The government would reap $45 billion in extra tax revenues and lower costs for public health, crime, and welfare payments if the number of high school dropouts among 20-year olds in the U.S today, who number more than 700,000 individuals were cut in half (Alliance for Excellent Education, http:www.all4ed.org).
• 65% of convicts are high school dropouts  (ED in 2008, Strong American Schools)

SUPPORT I AM A 21ST CENTURY LEADER PROGRAM-empower economically disadvantaged students!
Your contribution will help covering program cost, which include paying teachers $15/hour for in-home tutoring, gas for transporting students to the in-center tutoring and leadership activities (field trips, and various sites) and food. We are also seeking donation of a van/minivan, computers (used or new desktop/laptops), printer, copy machines, and other office supplies. We believe that any contribution to the I Am a 21st Century Leadership Program is a two-way street. Therefore make:
 General donation ($15-$600) $______   and you will:

• Have the lifelong satisfaction on improving the academic performance of a student, boosting in self-confidence, and propelling her or him on a path for success beyond academics.
• Receive semester progress reports on all the 21st Century Program, which will include data on student’s academic and leadership progress.
• VIP invitation to all I Am a 21st Century Leader Program events.

 Fund a scholarship for 9-weeks, semester, year, or the scholar level, and you will:

• Have the opportunity to develop a personal relationship with the students you have sponsored. You will receive updates on the student academic progress and possibly meet them.
• Receive an enduring recognition for your empowering contribution on our web site, annual reports, and promotional items for all our events.

Sponsor a student for 9 weeks Scholarship (Marking Period) = $607.50    
Sponsor a student for a semester-18 weeks (Marking Period) =$1215                                                                                                                                                                       
Sponsor a student for one school year-36 weeks (Marking Period) =$2,430                                                                                                                                                                                         Scholar-Scholarship= $2,431 - and above

HOW COULD YOU MAKE A CONTRIBUTION?
You may CONTRIBUTE:

• Online at www.empoweringthepoor.org, click on “DONATE” then choose “I Am a 21st Century Leader”
• Make your check or money order to Empowering The Poor and mail it at P.O Box 42031 Fredericksburg, VA 22404
• Stop by our office and tutoring site on Saturdays from 11-2pm at 124 Bend Farm Road, Fredericksburg, VA 22408. It is the building attached to the First Baptist Church of Love.
• Partnership: corporations, small businesses, school boards, churches, school clubs, etc. Join us as a Partner in Education!
• Volunteer as an in-home tutor (licensed teachers only), in-center tutor or leadership activities Facilitator (professionals, teachers, and college students) 

CONTACT US:   Office Telephone: (540) 424-2705
Darius Coulibaly, MA, Program Director, coulibaly@empoweringthepoor.org                                                                                                                                                                 
Michelle Tilghman, BA, Program Coordinator, michelle@empoweringthepoor.org                                                                                                                   
S.J Cordell Robinson, MA,Writing Workshop Instructional Coordinator,sjcordell@empoweringthepoor.org