Partners for HOPE Monthly Coalition Meeting

Lincoln School-HOPE Center

Student attendance numbers are increasing according to Lori Hammer, Executive Director of the Center at the former Lincoln School on North 10^th Street.  “We’re averaging about 120 a day right now, which is showing a general increase in our student after school attendance,” she explained during the February 21^st gathering.

The One Step Up students are currently working on a bird and a monarch butterfly project with the purchase of a storage shed for the community garden planned as well as an opportunity to work with and paint a piece of abstract art in the form of a cow, donated by local artist, Jeremy Cooper who has contributed a lot of his time and energy to the Center over the years.  A new irrigation system is also being installed at the garden which will free up time for the volunteers who water the crops throughout the summer.

Members were given several information sheets, the results of a student and parent survey taken by both groups this past fall.  The students are divided into two groups, 3^rd through 5^th and 6^th through 12^th grades. The survey did a comparison in the questionnaire results between the first survey in 2015, up to 2022.

Each group answered 10 questions on a rating system from ‘strongly agree’ to ‘strongly disagree’ and ranged from such subjects as:

I always finish my homework
I am happy with my grades
I get in trouble a lot at school
I am involved in activities outside of school
I feel it is important to do well in school
The HOPE Center adults care about me and offer help when I ask.

The results from the parent’s questionnaire will be available at a later meeting.

Members said the March 16^th Book to Movie Event for HOPE Center students will generate a large turn-out.  A series of informative and fun events such as dinosaur trivial pursuit and other activities are leading up to a pizza party in March as well as a free showing of the new science fiction movie, “65” which will be offered to 200 student ticket holders on the afternoon of March 16^th at the Lamar Theater.  The event was created and organized by board member, Byron Hill.

By Russ Baldwin