Grinnell Education Partnership Secures New Funding, Inspires Student Involvement with Local Youth
For years, the Grinnell Education Partnership (GEP) has helped support early literacy efforts for youth in Grinnell. A network of more than 20 community organizations drives this work, coordinating efforts and facilitating meaningful student programming. This fall, GEP will expand its reach even further, mobilizing newly allocated funding from the John M. Campbell Trust Fund to support the whole family to ensure the success of Grinnell’s next generation.
What is GEP?
The GEP is a collaboration between Grinnell College, the Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation, and an ever-growing list of local organizations that bring their respective resources, skills, credibility, influence, access, and knowledge to the table in support of area students and families.
Melissa Strovers is the director of collective impact in the Office of Community Partnerships, Planning, and Research; she focuses on the College’s contributions to the partnership. Strovers says Grinnell College and Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation together form the “backbone” of the network, with responsibility for facilitating the alignment of different community organizations in support of Grinnell families.
“The Grinnell Education Partnership is about creating transformational partnerships bringing organizations together to support both youth and families in Grinnell,” Strovers said.
GEP’s strategies include early literacy enrichment activities, equity and inclusion, and family engagement to help interrupt intergenerational poverty.
Supported by GEP, community organizations have increased transportation options for after-school activities, built and expanded free “Little Libraries” throughout the community, and created online and “take-out” enrichment programming during the COVID-19 pandemic — among many other ongoing initiatives.
The tangible impact of the GEP’s efforts is apparent: in 2020, the Grinnell-Newburg School District reported that over 70% of third graders were reading proficiently, 75% of incoming kindergartners were prepared for school, and 84% of summer school students displayed improved reading skills.
Looking forward, GEP hopes to focus its energies on programming to engage families as well as children, such as workforce development and financial empowerment.
GEP receives $250,000 from the John M. Campbell Trust Fund
Recently, the city of Grinnell voted to allocate $50,000 from the John M. Campbell Trust Fund to the GEP over the next five years, beginning in August 2023.
Strovers reported that GEP program leaders are still in the fundraising and research phase of this project. Their plan is to work with local and regional partners to co-create solutions that make social infrastructure resources more accessible to families needing assistance and helping adults secure a job that could sustain a family, while reducing debt, establishing savings, and breaking the cycle of poverty.
Summer 2023 programs
One of GEP’s key goals is the “mitigation of summer learning loss” through engaging summer-break programming. As part of this initiative, GEP is currently recruiting students for AmeriCorps VISTA service member positions.
For summer 2023, individuals can apply to serve in one of the summer learning sites: the Drake Community Library/Grinnell College Museum of Art, Grinnell Area Summer Camp, or LINK/SLICK. Selected participants will serve directly with children, leading activities focused on literacy and art, while encouraging both individual and group learning.
Last summer, 15 AmeriCorps members — nine of whom were Grinnell College students — spent their summer serving in Grinnell community summer youth programs.
Aliya Singleton ’24 was among these college student service members. She spent her summer facilitating youth enrichment programming hosted by the Grinnell-Newburg Community School District (SLICK) and LINK.
“I loved working at AmeriCorps this summer with the GEP. I was able to assist with summer learning and gain a greater understanding of how to cater a classroom to the needs of the kids to prevent summer slide,” she said. “The classroom setting and our field trips enabled me to form connections with the kids and watch them grow throughout the summer.”
For Singleton, observing the educational development of students during the program was the most rewarding aspect of working with AmeriCorps and GEP.
“The kids [at SLICK/LINK] really seemed to benefit from close relationships with the staff and their peers. This was a rewarding experience that ultimately led to me getting to work with the same kids during the school year,” she said. “I can't wait to see them continue learning and making friends.”
Elisabeth Kille ’23 also found the transformative nature of the program inspiring, especially the bond between AmeriCorps service members and students.
“Over the course of the summer, a lot of kids opened up to us and got more comfortable interacting,” Kille said.
Liz Hansen, GEP program coordinator, shared, “Since 2015, AmeriCorps members serving with the Grinnell Education Partnership have truly made a difference in the lives of children in the Grinnell community through their service in our community partner summer programs. Grinnell College students often cite their desire to ‘give back to the Grinnell community’ as their reason for serving in our program. They become ‘rock stars’ in the community when students recognize them outside of the service day. It is a very rewarding experience for many.”