RISE After School Program

One project that we get to partner with at The East Lake Foundation is their "RISE" afterschool program at Drew Charter School. This program serves over 400 youth - ages pre-k through grade 5. This program offers a variety of academic, enrichment, and cultural activities "that strategically reinforce and supplement the school's curriculum and STEAM (A is added for the arts!) model.

The program operates from 4:00pm-6:00pm every weekday - which is crucial for two reasons. 1. it provides 380 additional hours of instruction a year. 2. Creates a solution for many working parents who are unable to pick up their children after school.

Together we are able to help provide additional tools to reinforce student's school day learning in a fun and engaging manner.

• 30 laptops: for each instructor to be used to engage students on the academic days. Currently,  ASP instructors have limited access to technology during the program. ASP designated computers would enable the teachers to utilize online tools and teaching programs with students. Quarterly projects can then be more technology focused and provide an opportunity for more details, technical based instruction.

• Bricklab Classroom Sets for K-5 : these engage students in project based learning activities that help strengthen students in Common Core areas of Science, math, social studies, and literacy. Each set supports 30 students. We would like to provide 2 sets per grade level.
• 3D Systems CubePro Pack:  Will allow students to work through the steps of creating and building designs and then giving them the opportunity to watch those designs come to life through 3D printing. The pack also includes a 3D scanner and all of the software needed for students to build. In conjunction with the laptops, this pack can be used for a variety of STEM related projects for the program

Early education costs more than college!?

Yes, you read the title correct. Recently an article came out stating that it costs more to educate a child under 5 than to pay for a college degree in Georgia. (Read the entire article here )

This makes it very challenging for all families to afford quality early programming, but especially families of low income. Thankfully, The East Lake Foundation believes that better is possible.

The East Lake Foundation views early childhood programing critical as achievement gaps are significantly narrowed for children who are able to receive high quality early childhood education. They also believe that this should be available for all children, which is why they raise scholarship support for 46 Villages children who attend Sheltering Arms. 

That means that these families are able to work and their children are able to receive high quality education....BRILLIANT!

Impact Of East Lake Foundation

Check out this amazing video about the impact East Lake Foundation is having in the community - told by a East Lake Resident whose family has been apart of East Lake for many generations!

Shannon Longino, former East Lake Meadows and Villages resident and granddaughter of Eva Davis, shares her memories of the first meetings with Mr. Tom Cousins and the start of the East Lake Foundation.

A Day At East Lake

This week we had the honor of meeting with the Director Of Development at The East Lake Foundation to learn a bit more about how Brilliant! could partner with them. We learned so much about the amazing history of The East Lake Foundation and their very exciting future!

A quick overview of how The East Lake Foundation came to be: in summary the community of East Lake was once a vacation spot in the early 1900's and slowly descended into a phase of violent crime and drugs by the 1970's. The East Lake community had gained the nickname "Little Vietnam", for good reason as the crime rate grew to 12x higher than the national average. East Lake was a place everyone was retreating from, however Tom Cousins ran head first into the issue based on his belief that this community could be revitalized. Cousins then created a major revitalization project which would transform the entire community.

Within this revitalization project, The East Lake Foundation was created in 1995. Upon just celebrating their 20 year anniversary , Brittany was able to share the amazing impact they have had thus far! The East Lake foundation believes in a holistic approach to redevelopment, focusing on purpose built communities. Communities built on Mixed income housing, cradle to college education, and community wellness. Through this approach they have a wide array of strategic programs throughout the community.

As a result of this, violent crimes have been reduced by 95%, graduation rate near 90% (compared to less than 30% in 1995), ALL eligible adults are working or in job training (compared the the EMPLOYMENT rate of 13.5%).

The East Lake Foundation is incredible, and we are proud to announce we will be working with them this quarter. We are looking forward to see how they continue to break the cycle of inter-generational poverty through holistic re-development over the next 20 + years!

J.Rich Atlanta Team and Brittany from the East Lake Foundation on the East Lake Golf Course