http://practicemakesperfect.org/
Practice Makes Perfect works to narrow the achievement gap in low-income U.S. neighborhoods through summer enrichment programs that pair skills development for younger students with leadership and career training for older students.
Vision
One day summer school will be replaced by Practice Makes Perfect programs in financially constrained neighborhoods nationally.
Mission
Redefine the summer learning experience for underprivileged students.
Model
Practice Makes Perfect is a comprehensive summer education program with a proven “near-peer” model to support students from grade one through college matriculation. Our programs pair skills development for younger students with leadership development, career training and college prep for older students. Through a unique multirelational approach, PMP pairs academically struggling elementary and middle school students with older, higher achieving mentor peers from the same inner-city neighborhoods, all under the supervision of trained college interns for a six-week, full-day academic experience.
How We Work
Practice Makes Perfect works to provide all students with an equal chance at achieving the American Dream.
SUMMER ENRICHMENT FOR STRUGGLING LEARNERS
Our Common Core-aligned curriculum focuses on targeted skill development and exercises to ensure mastery of concepts. With thousands of common core aligned problems, our curriculum translates the objectives into easy-to-accomplish goals. PMPs struggling learners benefit from summers that rebuild their confidence and appreciation for learning and models strong academic habits through friendly relationships with ambitious mentors.
LEADERSHIP, CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND COLLEGE PREP FOR HIGH ACHIEVING LEARNERS
Higher achieving middle and high school students receive leadership development and career training as well as college-going support. Students are provided with a professional development stipend and leadership development. Every student receives 70+ hours of college-going support, test preparation for standardized exams, guidance on personal statement writing and applying for financial aid and scholarships. During the week, older students tutor younger struggling learners. On weekends, they participate in community service projects within their neighborhoods with local volunteers.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND TEACHING EXPOSURE IN HIGH-NEED ENVIRONMENTS
College students gain hands-on teaching experience, leadership development, and first-hand perspective teaching inner-city youth for six weeks. The time spent in the classroom allows them to make an informed decision as to whether they would like to teach as a career.
Problem
The achievement gap costs our economy between $310-$525 billion each year. Two-thirds of the disparity in academic achievement was traced to unequal summer opportunities. The National Association for Summer Learning estimates that the summer learning loss (what students forget over the summer) is equivalent to 2.5 – 3.5 months of academic learning. At the most competitive universities only three percent of students come from families in the bottom quartile.
Practice Makes Perfect works to narrow the achievement gap in low-income U.S. neighborhoods through summer enrichment programs that pair skills development for younger students with leadership and career training for older students.
Vision
One day summer school will be replaced by Practice Makes Perfect programs in financially constrained neighborhoods nationally.
One day summer school will be replaced by Practice Makes Perfect programs in financially constrained neighborhoods nationally.
Mission
Redefine the summer learning experience for underprivileged students.
Redefine the summer learning experience for underprivileged students.
Model
Practice Makes Perfect is a comprehensive summer education program with a proven “near-peer” model to support students from grade one through college matriculation. Our programs pair skills development for younger students with leadership development, career training and college prep for older students. Through a unique multirelational approach, PMP pairs academically struggling elementary and middle school students with older, higher achieving mentor peers from the same inner-city neighborhoods, all under the supervision of trained college interns for a six-week, full-day academic experience.
Practice Makes Perfect is a comprehensive summer education program with a proven “near-peer” model to support students from grade one through college matriculation. Our programs pair skills development for younger students with leadership development, career training and college prep for older students. Through a unique multirelational approach, PMP pairs academically struggling elementary and middle school students with older, higher achieving mentor peers from the same inner-city neighborhoods, all under the supervision of trained college interns for a six-week, full-day academic experience.
How We Work
Practice Makes Perfect works to provide all students with an equal chance at achieving the American Dream.
Practice Makes Perfect works to provide all students with an equal chance at achieving the American Dream.
SUMMER ENRICHMENT FOR STRUGGLING LEARNERS
Our Common Core-aligned curriculum focuses on targeted skill development and exercises to ensure mastery of concepts. With thousands of common core aligned problems, our curriculum translates the objectives into easy-to-accomplish goals. PMPs struggling learners benefit from summers that rebuild their confidence and appreciation for learning and models strong academic habits through friendly relationships with ambitious mentors.
LEADERSHIP, CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND COLLEGE PREP FOR HIGH ACHIEVING LEARNERS
Higher achieving middle and high school students receive leadership development and career training as well as college-going support. Students are provided with a professional development stipend and leadership development. Every student receives 70+ hours of college-going support, test preparation for standardized exams, guidance on personal statement writing and applying for financial aid and scholarships. During the week, older students tutor younger struggling learners. On weekends, they participate in community service projects within their neighborhoods with local volunteers.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND TEACHING EXPOSURE IN HIGH-NEED ENVIRONMENTS
College students gain hands-on teaching experience, leadership development, and first-hand perspective teaching inner-city youth for six weeks. The time spent in the classroom allows them to make an informed decision as to whether they would like to teach as a career.
Problem
The achievement gap costs our economy between $310-$525 billion each year. Two-thirds of the disparity in academic achievement was traced to unequal summer opportunities. The National Association for Summer Learning estimates that the summer learning loss (what students forget over the summer) is equivalent to 2.5 – 3.5 months of academic learning. At the most competitive universities only three percent of students come from families in the bottom quartile.
Do You Want To Be A Positive Role Model In Your Community?
The Practice Makes Perfect Mentor Scholar position is a volunteer and development opportunity. Mentor Scholars start working with Practice Makes Perfect as early as the summer before entering 6th grade until they enter college. Each summer, they mentor and tutor four elementary and middle school students while simultaneously engaging in community service projects, and intensive high school and college readiness. By the summer of their senior year, our Mentor Scholars will have completed their college admissions statements, created a list of four-year colleges to apply to, and helped better their communities by becoming positive role models and leaders in their communities.
Each summer commitment is roughly seven-weeks long. At this moment, the opportunity is only open to students attending one of our partnering high schools. At the conclusion of each summer, our Mentor Scholars who successfully complete 95% of all tasks are provided with a financial stipend of at least $200 to alleviate a financial burden.
MIddle & High School Students...
Do You Meet These Requirements To Be A Mentor Scholar?
Middle School & High School students interested in becoming a Mentor Scholar must:
- Have a GPA of 85% or higher
- Commit to taking at least one Advanced Placement Exam before high school graduation, those with schools that do not offer classes have the option to self-study to fulfill this requirement
- To be a Mentor Scholar one must be referred by their school
If You Are Passionate About Helping Others Learn Then Apply To Be A Summer Fellow For Practice Makes Perfect
This 8-week internship with Practice Makes Perfect will give you hands-on experience working closely with Summer Directors to provide high quality education that builds lost confidence in underprivileged youth. As a Summer Fellow, you will play a critical role in ensuring that our students are working cohesively to achieve academic success.Here are a few additional perks:- Receive a $400 stipend for the duration of the summer
- Lead lessons in Math, Reading, Writing, and SAT/PSAT exams
- Work with Summer Directors to design and implement engaging lessons
- Empower students to succeed both in and out of the classroom
- Grade tests, provide feedback and support to program participantsImportant information to keep in mind:- This is a full-time commitment that requires you to be on-site every day and several Saturdays during the summer
- The PMP summer program runs from July 7th 2014 until August 15th 2014
- Online training begins June 23rd 2014
- New York City summer program locations are in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan
- Assignments are made in early JuneApplications close Friday, March 14th. Subsequent rounds of the admissions process can include an online activity, phone interview, and final in-person interview.
