New program seeks to Elev8 east Balto. youth, families

A program new to Baltimore is aiming to help nearly 500 families on the eastside suceed by focusing specifically on its young people.

City, school system and community leaders welcomed a $12 million grant from the Atlantic Philanthropies yesterday to implement Elev8 [pronounced elevate]. Atlantic Philanthropies is an international foundation with a focus on children and youth.

The East Baltimore Development Inc. (EBDI) will administer Elev8 Baltimore, that is designed to improve educational and social outcomes for middle-grade youth and their families. The grant is part of a national effort to prepare youth for high school and continue on to graduation.

"It is our strong belief that our redevelopment efforts in east Baltimore will be significantly enhanced by the Elev8 Baltimore initiative,” said Christopher Shea, interim President & CEO of EBDI. “With Elev8 Baltimore in place, our greatest contribution to this community will be the legacy of high quality learning, health and family supports that children, youth and adults in this neighborhood can rely upon for years to come.”

The grant will allow Elev8 Baltimore to transform Collington Square School for the Arts, Dr. Rayner Browne Academy, Tench Tilghman Elementary/Middle School and the new East Baltimore Community School, which opened in August.

“This is huge for us,” said Baltimore City Schools CEO Dr. Andres Alonso. “This is exactly the type of partnerships we need in this city.”

The Elev8 Baltimore network will demonstrate how school-based integration and family engagement can positively influence efforts in low-income areas via comprehensive, age-appropriate health services, after-school and summer learning opportunities and access to information about valuable public programs, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and child health care coverage.

Tench Tilghman Principal Jael Yon noted that before Elev8’s presence, students had no after school opportunities. They now can join a band or learn to play an instrument, get free tutoring, be exposed to something new or simply be safe off the streets in a positive environment.

"A student who enters high school prepared to succeed in ninth grade has a far better chance of graduating, and therefore will be in a better position to shape his or her own path in life,” said Alice Walker Duff, Programme Executive, Children and Youth, for The Atlantic Philanthropies. “ That's why we are so focused on supporting middle-school students. Through school-based integration, we hope to demonstrate to schools across the country that every child, regardless of income or background, can succeed when they receive strong support."

Elev8 also connects parents with economic resources for their families and engages them in schools and community activities. Elev8 will share lessons from its work with policymakers on the local, state and national levels to help influence the ways in which young people are prepared for the future.

Baltimore City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said she is “excited at the possibilities” Elev8 brings to the city. She added that Baltimore’s selection as one of only four locations where Elev8 is making a difference raises the city’s profile nationally. Schools, local non-profits and community partners are also currently working together through Elev8 in Chicago, the state of New Mexico, and Oakland, CA.

EBDI is a non-profit partnership of private and public entities that is undertaking the single largest redevelopment project in Baltimore, transforming 88 acres on the northern border of the Johns Hopkins Medical Campus with $1.8 billion in new investments. EBDI’s mission is to attract market-oriented development to its community while equipping neighborhood residents with the skills, information and resources they need to benefit from new housing, employment, business and educational opportunities.

The Atlantic Philanthropies is dedicated to bringing about lasting changes in the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people. Programs funded by Atlantic operate in Australia, Bermuda, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United States and Viet Nam. To learn more, visit: www.atlanticphilanthropies.org.