Project UpLift
Project UpLift has allowed me to have a program at my school that zeroed in on our youngest learners at the elementary level. It has made a remarkable impact on reading proficiency at Village Academy, transforming the way students engage with reading in an exciting and enjoyable manner.
LaToya Dixon – Principal, Village Academy
Changing Lives, One Student at a Time
At Roots and Wings, we believe that literacy is the foundation for lifelong learning and success. Project UpLift embodies this belief by providing struggling young readers with the tools, guidance, and confidence they need to thrive. Through this transformative, free, after-school program, we support students in grades 1-3 who are reading one or two grades below grade level, helping them make significant strides in their reading abilities and academic confidence.
With personalized instruction led by dedicated, certified teachers from their own schools, students in Project UpLift benefit from small-group settings that foster learning in a fun way. Each school has a Literacy Coordinator who creates lesson plans that are individuated by need and works with the teachers to ensure student success. In these safe, nurturing environments, children are not just improving their reading skills – they’re discovering a love for learning and the belief that they can achieve greatness.
We are thrilled to report that all participating students in Project UpLift demonstrated reading growth. Project UpLift has not only strengthened our students’ reading skills, but it has also fostered a love for learning within them.
Rona Tata – Principal, SD Spady
Changing Lives Through Literacy
For the 2024-2025 school year, Project UpLift will reach over 1,200 students in 15 Title One public elementary schools throughout Palm Beach County, offering a lifeline to children at a critical juncture in their education. Without the ability to read proficiently by the end of third grade, many children face significant academic challenges. Project UpLift aims to ensure that every Project Uplift student has the support they need to succeed.
The results speak for themselves: in the 2023-2024 school year, 97% of students in the program showed reading gains. Although our students begin the year in the bottom 25% of their class, by the time the year ends, they are being promoted at a similar rate to the other students. This is a testament to the power of focused remedial support provided in a small-group setting by a teacher who knows the students best. But beyond the numbers, it’s the stories of transformation that drive us – stories of children who once struggled with words but now walk into class with newfound confidence and joy.
Roots and Wings goes beyond providing resources for after-school tutoring. Project UpLift serves as a vital pillar in the framework established by our Title One school to ensure student achievement.
Ronda Smith – Principal, Plumosa School of the Arts
A Community of Support
Project UpLift isn’t just about academic success; it’s about building academic confidence and promoting the joy of learning. With the unwavering support of teachers, parents, and the community, we are creating a brighter future for our students.
By investing in early literacy, we are lifting up children, schools, and communities – one word, one page, one book at a time.
This unique tutorial program builds confidence in the children. We had two second-grade students who entered Project UpLift as non-readers and ended up reading close to grade level.
Michael Sabatino – Principal, Freedom Shores