Adolescent Youth Literacy Initiative

Dear Global Giving Donors,

Thank you for your participation in the September Open Challenge!  Your support has enabled the Center for Student Engagement & Community Partnerships to launch an adolescent tutoring and literacy initiative with the Star City Soccer Foundation last week!  Landon Moore, Founder and Director of the Star City Soccer Foundation, had plans underway to start an after-school program for immigrant and refugee youth at William Fleming High School.  The program would provide homework help and tutoring four days a week, followed by recreational soccer.  London contacted me about recruiting Virginia Tech students as tutors.  His timing was providential!  We had just completed the September Challenge and had $1,290 raised to implement a program for adolescents.  By combining our resources and connections, we are able to move forward immediately!  The program opened last week with 25 students.  More participants are anticipated in the weeks ahead.

Landon, who is also a soccer coach at Hollins University, worked with Corey Allder, an ELL Teacher in Roanoke City Public Schools, to obtain approval and space at the high school.  Corey will supervise the academic component of the program.  This week, Landon hired Mohamud Mahdi, President of the Roanoke Somali Bantu, Inc. and founding soccer coach of the Lions FC team, as the Community Coordinator.

Mohamud's position is made possible by Global Giving donations such as yours!

Global Giving has invited us to participate in another Open Challenge in December.  Can you help us to identify other donors that we might invite into this challenge?  Recommendations can be made by emailing me at deramo@vt.edu. 

Once again, thank you for your investment in this new initiative.  I will keep you updated on the progress of the program in the weeks and months ahead.