2. DBEAR 2
Mission statement
Through a partnership with Youth Uprising, DBEAR [Developing and Building Excellent
Academic Relationships] will provide a mentorship program to at risk middle school students in
Alliance Academy within the city of Oakland CA, so that students may achieve future academic
success.
DBEAR services and definitions
DBEAR provides select students of Alliance Academy middle school with personalized
mentorship opportunities that align with California’s Quality Assurance Standards as well as
Mentor’s evidence based standards and practices, that are intended to enhance their educational
experience. DBEAR is a supportive, safe, environment that is designed to equip Alliance
Academy students with the tools they need to become responsible learners. DBEAR provides
hired mentors with the opportunity to build educational and community awareness within a
public school system, as well as crucial training opportunities, which are designed to increase
their ability to be successful within their roles as mentors.
Goals and objectives
The DBEAR program’s primary focus is to build a formal, and evidence centered, school based
mentorship program through associations with Alliance Academy and Youth Uprising using
California Quality Assurance Standards and Mentor . The mentorship program would enable the
students of Alliance Academy to build healthy mentor/mentee relationships with graduates of the
mentorship program, Youth Uprising, and would enhance the students’ academic experience. As
3. DBEAR 3
an organization representing and serving a population of students who are socioeconomically
disadvantaged, DBEAR proposes to meet the following goals and objectives based on research
conducted through the California Research Bureau and Lisa Foster for the “Effectiveness of
Mentor Programs” study:
Goal: Encourage Mentor/Mentee Growth and Development
Objectives:
1.1 Increase mentor/teacher evaluation scores of mentees participating in DBEAR program
1.2 Hold two professional development workshops per academic year at Alliance Academy to
help mentors maintain understanding of DBEAR guidelines, expectations and rules, and
mentor/mentee/teacher evaluation requirements
1.3 Develop mentor training tools needed to strengthen mentorship program
Goal: Build community awareness within Alliance Academy of DBEAR
mentorship program efforts
Objectives:
2.1 Hold outreach and developmental meetings on a biweekly basis
2.2 Maintain mentor/mentee retention rates over time
2.3 Increase enrollment of students in DBEAR over time
2.4 Increase and maintain student graduation rates from DBEAR program
2.5 DBEAR will grow endowment relationships to support sustainable grant opportunities
4. DBEAR 4
Figure 1 DBEAR Logic Model
Questions to consider
What is mentoring?
The California Mentor Foundation (CMF) defines mentoring “as a relationship over a prolonged
periodoftime between one or more people where older, wiser, more experienced individuals
assist youth by providing constant support, guidance, to insure healthy youth development”
(California Mentor Foundation 2013).
Why does mentoring work better than other youth development and preventive services?
CMF conducted two of the largest mentor surveys ever completed in 1998 and 1999 on the
benefits of mentorship programs. CMF concluded “Mentoring works better than other youth
5. DBEAR 5
development and preventive services because it tailors itself to the needs of a particular child
instead of combating problems of all youth today with a single program or slogan. A mentor
holds aspirations, provides friendship, and supports positive youth development” (California
Mentor Foundation 2013). And the results showed “98% of the youth matched with mentors
stayed in school, 85% did not use drugs, 98% did not become a teen parent and 98% did not get
involved in a gang” (California Mentor Foundation 2013).
What are the Quality Assurance Standards and why are they important?
“In 1995, the state of California Governor’s office adopted the Quality Assurance Standards to
ensure maximum protection for mentees age 18 and under, and to foster the longterm
operational stability of mentor programs. The office implemented the following QA Standards:
● Statement of purpose and long range plan for the program
● Recruitment, orientation, and eligibility screening for mentors and mentees
● Readiness and training curriculum for all mentors and mentees
● Strategy for matching mentors and mentees
● Monitoring process of matches
● Support, recognition and retention component
● Closure steps for mentor/mentee relationship
● Evaluation process
More specifically, QA Standards include interviews and background checks on all mentors,
consultations, and on site visits of mentor programs. These standards guarantee that only quality
mentor/mentee matches are made, ensuring a safe and stable mentoring relationship. Other states
6. DBEAR 6
mentoring initiatives lose twothirds of their mentors each year. Because of the effectiveness of
the QA process, California experiences a record breaking 70% mentor retention rate” (California
Mentor Foundation 2013).
Demographics and the Alliance Academy Area
The following section is broken into three parts: the method of research, comparing test scores,
and comparing socioeconomic status.
Figure 2 Racial Diversity in Oakland
Finding and choosing Alliance Academy was a difficult task due to the diverse nature of the
7. DBEAR 7
surrounding city. Oakland, the 8th
largest city in California has a population of 400,000 and is
home to two professional sports teams, Kaiser Permanente (the fifth largest private company in
the U.S), 9 post secondary institutions, and the fifth largest port (in terms of cargo traffic) in the
US. In contrast, Oakland has some of the highest rates of poverty in the state of California and
the highest unemployment rate within the bay area. As for ethnicity, there is no ethnic majority
within the city, depending on the district, the population, can be highly segregated both
ethnically and socioeconomically (cite). What this data shows is that Oakland is an incredibly
diverse city with a large range of environments. In order to find Alliance Academy we used two
criteria: test scores and socioeconomic status. By comparing citywide average test scores and
economics information, we were able to find an area and school that was disproportionately
worseoff.
Transportation Concerns
Transportation comes into play when mentioning the area. As DBEAR is an after school
program, it is important to find how students get to and from home. To get to work, 8,920 out of
the 11,215 citizens in the 94603 zip code use a vehicle to commute to and from work. Also out
of these citizens, 94.1% of them own at least one car. Very few people use or rely on public
transportation. Due to the prevalence of cars and their use, we have strong reason to believe that
students have easy access to a vehicle as one can assume it is their main form of transportation to
and from school. Based on this information, DBEAR is assuming that students in the program
are capable of attending the after school program and getting home using their previous means of
going home.
8. DBEAR 8
Method
In order to find Alliance Academy, three major points of data were used. The first was the
Oakland Fund for Children and Youth (OFCY) indicator report. Mandated by the Oakland City
Charter, the indicator report gives a citywide view of the Oakland Unified School District
(OUSD). Using the indicator report, we were able to find a specific neighborhood – specifically
the Elmhurst district within the 94603 zipcode.
Using similar methods within the OFCY indicator report, we then used the California
Standardized Test (CST) scores and the Census’ American Community Survey (ACS) to find
hard data on the area. Socioeconomic status was used as a search criteria due to the
overwhelming evidence found linking low wages to poor school performance (cite). Based on
this examination, we have seen that Alliance Academy’s surrounding is indeed in a much lower
socioeconomic seat and that the school itself has one of the lowest testscores within the City.
Connecting Alliance Academy and the area
9. DBEAR 9
Figure 3 Alliance Academy and Elmhurst
Alliance Academy is within the Elmhurst School district (of the OUSD) which is within the
94603 zip code. Until about 2006, Alliance Academy was a feeder school for children within this
area. Despite its feeder status being revoked, 100% of students that attend the school are located
within the Elmhurst school district and the 94603 area code. This means that Alliance Academy
and the surrounding area are interdependent.
CST Test Scores
Overall, “students in Oakland are performing lower academically than their peers in the county
and state” (OFCY). Additionally, the achievement gap between OUSD students and their peers
as students continue on from elementary, to middle school, and high school. The 2012 CST
summary scores seen below show this disparity from Oakland and Alliance Academy from their
state counterparts.
2012 CST English and History (Grades 8 Mathematics Science CST
10. DBEAR 10
Results Language
Arts (211)
and 11, and
endofcourse)
(Grades 27, and
endofcourse)
(Grades 5, 8,
and 10)
Alliance
Academy
26% 33% 26.2% 77.6%
Oakland
Unified
(OUSD)
45.1% 25% 44.5% 47%
Sacramento
City Unified
51.3%
43.1% 48.5% 51.2%
Fresno
Unified
42.1% 35.7% 42.3% 42.3%
California 57.2% 48.8% 59.5% 46%
Above we can see two cities, Sacramento and Fresno, are two cities with a population of
roughly 400,000. As we can see, OUSD does underperforms Sacramento City Unified in all
categories of the CST while only underperforming Fresno Unified in History. In comparison to
the entire Californian average, OUSD also underperforms in all categories. The chosen school,
Alliance Academy, is similarly achievement challenged. With the exception of science, Alliance
Academy underperforms in the CST to the OUSD, Sacramento City Unified, Fresno Unified, and
the state of California. In short, Alliance Academy has disproportionately bad test scores and is
on what some might call Kenny Loggin’s “Highway to the Danger Zone”.
Socioeconomic Status
The OFCY indicator report brings to light the direct causal link between socioeconomic status
11. DBEAR 11
and low academic performance (cite). As such, we cannot ignore socioeconomic status as a
factor for education, nor can we pick an area with a far greater socioeconomic seat than the city
of Oakland as a whole.
The OFCY indicator report, which uses the ACS 1year estimates from 2010, shows the
median household and family income for families in Oakland is $49,190 and $54,625
respectively (cite). Additionally, 32.7% of people under 18 in Oakland live in poverty and 23.2%
of families with children also live in poverty. In regards to other bay area cities, Oakland has the
highest rate of poverty. Comparatively, the zip code 94603 where Alliance Academy is located
has a median household and family income of $39,045 and $42,014 respectively (cite).
Furthermore, 31.4% of people under 18 live in poverty and 28.9% of families with children are
in poverty. As of 2011, the Oakland unemployment rate reached 16.1% (cite), 4 points above the
Californian rate. Not to be outdone, the 94603 area’s unemployment rate reached 18.4% (cite).
The data depicts, like testscores depict two things as well. One, the socioeconomic state
of Oakland is relatively worse than other areas within California, especially its locational peers.
Two, the 94603 area has need comparable to, if not greater than the city of Oakland.
Partnering with Youth Uprising
Youth Uprising is a local community center in Oakland, California that helps youth ages 1324
in the East Bay Area. Conceptualized by the youth of Oakland in 1997 in response to violence
from racial tension and supported by the community, city, and county, the facility was formally
opened in 2005 and has been a thriving community youth center since.
With the mission statement of transforming “East Oakland into a healthy and
12. DBEAR 12
economically robust community by developing the leadership of youth and young adults and
improving the systems that impact them,” Youth Uprising has four specific program centers that
serve their mission: Career & Education, Health & Wellness, Arts & Expression, and Youth
Leadership Development & Civic Engagement. By having a staff composed of roughly 50
members serving roughly 300 youth on a daily basis, Youth Uprising feels confident that they
have met their values and goals.
With Youth Uprising being a grassroots effort by the community for the community,
developed to positively impact their youth, DBEAR feels confident that partnering with Youth
Uprising would be widely accepted by the youth, parents, and staff of Oakland as Youth
Uprising is a center that serves the public’s interest.
Another reason DBEAR chose to work with Youth Uprising is because the organizations
focuses on helping atrisk youth in several areas, but for the purpose of our program, their
educational issues they are “fighting” include the high school dropout rate, high lackofdiploma
rate, and extremely low math and language arts skills in the local high schools. By partnering
with OUSD and some charter schools, Youth Uprising has been given the opportunity to help
atrisk high school students achieve more than initially expected. However, although Youth
Uprising does serve youth as young as 13, their immediate focus are high school and college
aged youth, focusing on attaining diplomas and securing jobs, rather than working with the
younger kids. By DBEAR developing a fifth branch in Youth Uprising and working with the
Alliance Academy (a member of OUSD), DBEAR would be able to benefit Youth Uprising by
expanding the atrisk age helped, middle school aged youth, and the educational issues
associated with this age group.
13. DBEAR 13
DBEAR’s last reason for developing a partnership with Youth Uprising is due to the lack
of a mentorship program, in addition to the lack of serving the younger age. When looking at
other local community youth centers in Oakland, The Boys & Girls Club and Big Brothers, Big
Sisters each have their own designated mentoring programs, however, Youth Uprising did not
and thus this is where DBEAR’s deciding factor came in. DBEAR would provide a mentoring
opportunity to this target population that Youth Uprising semiserves and improve the outlook
and school performance for this age group.
By partnering with Youth Uprising, DBEAR will help expand their center by accepting
younger youth and providing them with the same services (at Alliance Academy) that Youth
Uprising provides for their initial target population. Eventually, the hope is that the children that
go through DBEAR’s program will “graduate out” into Youth Uprising and continue their
positive community involvement.
Positions
Executive Director: The executive director will be the face of the organization and responsible
for overseeing all DBear operations, finances, community networking, and relationship with the
board of directors. The executive director is in charge of the program growth and managing the
performance of the organization. This individual must have a bachelor’s degree (master’s
preferred) with experience in the nonprofit, government, private, or education sector. Prior
experience managing staff and fundraising capabilities. (Fulltime Position, 40hrs+)
Requirements:
● Strong networking skills
14. DBEAR 14
● Proactive in the community
● Ability to implement new initiatives
● Outstanding work ethic
● Excellent verbal and communication skills
● Event Planning
● Program evaluation
● Schedule, coordinate, and supervise the staff
● Handle hiring, termination, disputes, sexual harassment, and ensure equal employment
opportunity.
● Screening (interviews, background checks) and matching mentors with organizational
needs and requirements
● Train mentors
● Oversee organization accounting, marketing, human resources, and administration
Administrative Assistant: Reports directly to the executive director and responsible for the day to
day operations of the organization. The minimum qualifications include: associates degree,
advanced skills in Microsoft Office, and previous experience working with younger students.
This individual must have excellent organizational skills, ability to handle multiple tasks, and
thrive in a dynamic environment. (Parttime Position, 24wklyMTTR)
Requirements:
● Assist in coordinating/supervising DBear mentors
● Handle questions, administering employee services, and resolvework related issues
15. DBEAR 15
● Advise management (director) on organizational policies
● Create program materials (policies, procedures, applications, mentor agreements,
orientation, training, and guideline books)
● Good interpersonal, organization, and writing skills
● Order software and supplies
● Mentor youth in case of mentor absence
● Provide progress reports to the Executive Director
Mentors: The key employee of DBEAR, the mentors have the responsibility of working with the
youth and building strong relationships. The mentors are recruited from Youth Uprising alumni
and must be at least 21 years old. Minimum qualifications include: Passing the 8th
grade STAR
subject exams with a proficient or advanced score, a minimum 1 year commitment to youth,
reliable form of transportation, and must pass background check. (Parttime Position, MWT)
Requirements:
● Pass DBEAR mentor training
● Enthusiastic about the DBEAR organization
● Strong desire to help kids
● Must be able to make the time commitment
● Abide by program rules and regulations
● Energetic and supportive of the mentees
The DBEAR mentors will work 30 weeks, 3 days a week, and are paid biweekly. All employees
must pass a background check and complete yearly training. The first year, mentors and
administrative assistant will participate in a four day training period. The training is mandatory
16. DBEAR 16
for every mentor before assignment to mentees. Mentor training is based on the AVID Program
Training, a tutoring program with similar qualifications as required by DBEAR. In the first
operating year, DBEAR’s 10 mentors will be assigned to 50 Alliance Academy students. The 1:5
ratio of mentor/mentee is based upon the Mentoring.org and NationalServiceResources.gov
reports on the average ratio. The second year, DBEAR will add 50 additional students and 10
mentors to the program. The organization will continue operating at a similar ratio and continue
to focus on creating a sustainable program.
Methodology of DBEAR budget
The DBEAR budget is based on similar organizations that provide mentoring or tutoring services
to children. Other factors held constant in the analysis were yearly expenditures, mission
statement, children served, and year of operation. The job descriptions of employees are taken
from idealist.org, the bureau of labor & statistics (BLS), various school district webpages, AVID
tutor, and education.gov. The sites were a tool find the common skills required for the
organization’s employees. The executive director salary is based on the minimum average salary
of executive directors with comparable qualifications in the same field of work. The
administrative assistant salary is based upon the BLS wage per hour of the lowest 25%. The
mentors make an hourly wage based on an average wage rate from AVID tutor program. There is
little information of paid mentoring programs, therefore we used an education program providing
similar services as DBEAR.
DBEAR insurance is based on GuideStar reports from other mentoring programs 990 tax
forms that serve a comparable amount of children. The organization will pay Alliance Academy
17. DBEAR 17
rent based on the number of children the mentor program serves. Based on a study from the
RAND Corporation the average cost of schoolbased mentoring use is $60 per a child. This
average was used to by multiplying the average cost per child by the intended amount of mentees
served per a year (50 year one, 100 year 2 & 3). The office space for the executive and
administrative assistant would be at a separate location costing $12667.20 a year. The cost is
associated with office space close to Alliance Academy at a rate of $1055.60/month for
1588sq.ft. The startup cost are associated with desktops, printers, phones, desks, and chairs on
prices from Staples and Office Depot. DBEAR program and operational budget cost were based
upon Big Brothers Big Sisters in San Luis Obispo and Washetnaw County. To supplement these
numbers DBEAR used average cost from the Department of Education, BeAMentor.org, and the
RAND Corporation.
Mentor recruitment
DBEAR requires mentors to have experience working with a mentor organization, be at least 21
years old, and have some college or work experience. Based on these hiring requirements, the
mentors’ responsibility for working with the youth of Alliance Academy, as well as building
influential relationships, potential mentors will be recruited from a pool of students who have
graduated from Youth Uprising. According to Youth Uprising, 1,900 members were served in
2011. Many of those members went on to be placed in jobs or attend colleges. Because of the
large number of Youth Uprising members who have been served, and who will be served in the
future, DBEAR will focus mentor recruitment to past members of the Youth Uprising program.
Mentor methodology
18. DBEAR 18
DBEAR mentors will meet with their mentees three days per week: Mondays, Tuesdays, and
Thursdays. The threeaweek approach was chosen based on the competition of services
provided by the Boys and Girls Club as well as Youth Uprising in similar programs that are
currently in operation. DBEAR will afford services for select middle school students in Alliance
Academy, services which have not yet been provided by other programs in the area; however in
order for the DEBAR mentorship program to be successful, the organization must align with
mentor service programs that are currently being provided to the community through Boys and
Girls Club and Youth Uprising.
Curriculum standards
The state of California public school system abides by a curriculum of educational standards
called the Common Core State Standards, or CCSS. “Since 2010, 45 states have adopted the
same standards for English and math. Having the same standards helps all students get a good
education, even if they change schools or move to a different state” (cde.ca.gov 2013).
Furthermore, according to the California Department of Education, “Educational standards
describe what students should know and be able to do in each subject in each grade. In
California, the State Board of Education decides on the standards for all students, from
kindergarten through high school. The California Department of Education helps schools make
sure that all students are meeting the standards” (cde.ca.gov 2013). Because Alliance Academy is
a public school under the Oakland Unified School District, students are expected to meet CCSS
standards and expectations in order to be promoted to the next grade level.
DBEAR is not a supplement for the education student’s receive while enrolled in
19. DBEAR 19
Alliance Academy; however, DBEAR will seek to improve student’s academic performance
through mentor understanding of California’s CCSS, and effectively implementing DBEAR’s
organizational objectives and standards with those standards in mind. Doing so will most likely
increase students’ likelihood of meeting the state requirements for their grade level.
Research conducted by Lisa Foster for the California Research Bureau and the
“Effectiveness of Mentorship Programs” argues that with the growing number of mentor
programs across the country, quality of services has become a major issue. According to Foster,
“Not all mentoring programs result in benefits to the mentees. Research shows that mentoring
programs with strong infrastructure can produce positive impacts. A primary reason is that
program infrastructure directly affects the mentor/mentee relationship. Solid mentor/mentee
relationships are essential for improving mentee’s attitudes, behaviors, and performance” (Foster
p. 10). Furthermore, mentor programs that demonstrate elements of screening, orientation and
training, as well as support and supervision, were more likely to succeed than programs that
lacked one or more elements (Foster p. 1011).
Based on the organization’s understanding of the research supporting strong internal
infrastructure within mentorship programs, DBEAR will follow operational standards developed
by Mentor. DEBEAR’s operational standards align with policies and procedures designed by the
National Mentor Partnership, or Mentor. In order for a mentorship program to be successful, the
Mentor program advocates for evidencebased standards for practice. Mentor’s Executive
Director, Gail Manza, argues for the effectiveness of these standards and procedures in the
following quote:
“In 1990, we joined with United Way of America to convene a blueribbon panel of mentoring
experts to produce the nation’s first set of rigorous mentoring guidelines, the first edition of the
20. DBEAR 20
Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring™. Those Elements served as the gold standard for
quality mentoring for more than a decade. Since then, the world of mentoring has changed. New
types of mentoring have taken hold, requiring new guidelines. In 2003, through the generosity of
the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, we again convened a blueribbon panel of mentoring
experts to produce the second edition of the Elements of Effective Practice, which reflects the
latest mentoring research, experience and practices. Among the experts contributing to the effort
was two of the nation’s top mentoring researchers: Dr. Jean Rhodes of the University of
Massachusetts, Boston, and Dr. David DuBois of the University of Illinois at Chicago.” (Manza
vii)
To further add to Mentor’s curriculum credibility, their policies and procedures for effective
mentoring programs have been successfully implemented in public school programs around the
country. Additionally, Mentor methodology also aligns with the California Governor’s Office
“Quality Assurance” standards and procedures (California Mentor Foundation 2013). However,
the Mentor organization is also partnered with the Center for Evidencebased Mentoring, which
provides supplemental tools and resources, free of charge, to new and emerging mentoring
organizations. DBEAR employees may find these resources useful during their time working for
the organization.
DBEAR curriculum
DBEAR’s schedule operates on a biweekly rotation. Every 5 weeks the mentees are given a
modified version of the CST test’s math and English portion to gather data.
There will be no DBEAR on the Thursday of Thanksgiving or the week leading up to Christmas.
DBEAR will have a party before Halloween and one on the last day of DBEAR semester before
Christmas. A detailed explanation of the components of the curriculum can be found after the
daily schedules.
DBEAR Daily Schedule Fall 2014:
25. DBEAR 25
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Development Time (Sports Activity)
5:456:00 Clean Up and Parents Pick up kids
Tuesday Week 9 November 4, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Development Time (Leadership Development Community leader guest speaker talks
about the Election (it’s election day))
5:456:00 Clean Up and Parents Pick up kids
Thursday Week 9 November 6, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Development Time (Game Night)
5:456:00 Clean Up and Parents Pick up kids
Monday Week 10 November 10, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Take CST test
5:456:00 Play in games until Parent pick up
Tuesday Week 10 November 11, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Development Time (Learn about the Arts from Youth Uprising Art & Expression
staff)
5:456:00 Clean Up and Parents Pick up kids
Thursday Week 10 November 13, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Development Time (Sports)
5:456:00 Clean Up and Parents Pick up kids
Monday Week 11 November 17, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
26. DBEAR 26
4:455:45 Development Time (Health and Life Skills taught by Youth Uprising Health &
Wellness staff)
5:456:00 Clean Up and Parents Pick up kids
Tuesday Week 11 November 18, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Development Time (Leadership Development Community leader guest speaker talks
about the Election (it’s election day))
5:456:00 Clean Up and Parents Pick up kids
Thursday Week 11 November 20, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Development Time (Game Night)
5:456:00 Clean Up and Parents Pick up kids
Monday Week 12 November 24, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Development Time (Health and Life Skills taught by Youth Uprising Health &
Wellness staff)
5:456:00 Play in games until Parent pick up
Tuesday Week 12 November 25, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Development Time (Learn about the Arts from Youth Uprising Art & Expression
staff)
5:456:00 Clean Up and Parents Pick up kids
Thursday Week 12 November 27, 2014
NO DBEAR! IT’S THANKSGIVING BREAK!
Monday Week 13 – December 1, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Development Time (Sports Activity)
5:456:00 Clean Up and Parents Pick up kids
27. DBEAR 27
Tuesday Week 13 December 2, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Development Time (Leadership Development Community leader guest speaker talks
about the Election (it’s election day))
5:456:00 Clean Up and Parents Pick up kids
Thursday Week 13 December 4, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Development Time (Game Night)
5:456:00 Clean Up and Parents Pick up kids
Monday Week 14 December 8, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Development Time (Health and Life Skills taught by Youth Uprising Health &
Wellness staff)
5:456:00 Play in games until Parent pick up
Tuesday Week 14 December 9, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Development Time (Learn about the Arts from Youth Uprising Art & Expression
staff)
5:456:00 Clean Up and Parents Pick up kids
Thursday Week 14 December 11, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Development Time (Sports)
5:456:00 Clean Up and Parents Pick up kids
Monday Week 15 – December 15, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Take CST Test
5:456:00 Clean Up and Parents Pick up kids
28. DBEAR 28
Tuesday Week 15 December 16, 2014
2:303:00 Greeted and checkedin by mentor, social time.
3:004:30 Homework help and 20 minutes of reading in
4:304:45 Snack
4:455:45 Development Time (Leadership Development Community leader guest speaker talks
about the Election (it’s election day))
5:456:00 Clean Up and Parents Pick up kids
Thursday Week 15 December 18, 2014
2:30 2:50 Participants picked up from Alliance Academy and bused to Youth Uprising
2:503:00 Greeted and Checkedin by mentor
3:005:30 Open Holiday Party
5:306:00 Clean Up and Parents Pick up kids
Snacks
Snacks follow the Oakland Unified School District guidelines for healthy snacks. Snacks will
follow the dietary guidelines of the USDA.
Example snack time options:
● Raisins
● Apples
● Carrots
● Popcorn
● Granola Bars
● Orange juice
● Water
Why healthy snacks? The Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP) reviewed best practices of
afterschool programs all over the country and found that not only could afterschool programs
affect overall health, but that they indeed did affect health of participants in a positive manner.
By introducing the mentees to healthy eating and fitness habits, HFRP reports that there can be a
reduction in the body mass index of mentees, an improvement in blood pressure, as well as an
improvement in body image.
29. DBEAR 29
Sports activities
DBEAR will insure that all of our mentors are certified operators of the sports we play. Football
and soccer will be played in the green space surrounding the “knowledge” walkway in front of
Youth UpRising. Water will always be available for our DBEAR mentees as they play sports.
DBEAR will emphasize honest and good sportsmanship as key components to any sport played
in hopes of establishing fair and responsible youth in East Oakland.
Why sports? Though DBEAR can not make promises to lessen diabetes, or lower body
mass index it can look at after school programs that integrate physical activity in their curriculum
to see the outcomes of fitness and health in an afterschool setting. In a 12 weeklong
experimental study of the Minnesota afterschool program “Girlfriends for KEEPS” that studied
54 preteen girls who attended an afterschool program that implemented physical activity
twiceaweek. The study showed an improvement concerning knowledge of proper diet
practices, preference of healthy habits like physical activity, and a higher inclination to maintain
healthy behavior.
In a Georgia study of an after school program for elementary school students which
combined healthy snacks, academic help, and physical activity found increased cardiovascular
fitness as well as a decrease in the body fat percentage. Afterschool mentoring programs have
the potential to increase overall health of the participants, and this is what we hope to do for
DBEAR mentees. Through physical activities like basketball, football, soccer, baseball, jump
rope, dodge ball, kick ball, and running we hope that our mentees are not only motivated
academically but physically to become better individuals.
30. DBEAR 30
Game nights
Board and card games like Clue, Go Fish, and BINGO allow DBEAR students to have fun in a
safe environment with their mentors and the relaxed atmosphere allows mentors to have quality
conversation in a fun environment. These also act as incentives for hard work and attendence to
help discourage attrition.
Leadership development, community leaders, guest speakers
Tentative speaker schedule:
DBEAR wants all of the speakers to not only stress the importance of values such as
honesty, integrity, and diligence but also engage mentees to promote and develop social skills.
Through the social time at the beginning of leadership development, DBEAR hopes that mentees
develop personal and social skills.
September 9, 2014 Olis Simmons, President of Youth Uprising
Olis Simmons, 2012 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award recipient has lived and worked
in East Oakland all her life. As a former lowwage worker in East Oakland Simmons has since
helped an estimated 3,000 a year since Youth UpRisings inception 10 years ago. A strong and
connected community leader, Simmons has helped create a youth operated organization that has
become a $7 million annual industry. Simmons is not only driven but inspiring and knows how
to reach kids. We hope that our DBEAR mentees can learn the value of hard work and
overcoming adversity.
September 23, 2014 Officer Jumaal Hill, Advisor for the Oakland Explorer Program
Jumaal Hill works with the Oakland Explorer program which allows Oakland teens to explore
31. DBEAR 31
and learn about law enforcement. Their program allows teens to see new career opportunities,
learn by serving others, experience leadership, learn life skills and build character. By
challenging Oakland youth to become better the Oakland police hope to see a brighter Oakland
community. Officer Hill will talk about leadership and character in a way that middle school
students will understand and be able to relate to.
October 8, 2014 Desley Brooks, Councilmember for the 6th
district of Oakland
Desley Brooks has spent her time as a city councilmember working to increase public safety and
economic development in the 6th
district of Oakland (where Youth UpRising is located). Desley
Brooks has a heart for atrisk, socioeconomic disadvantaged youth in the Oakland area and seeks
to help them when they need it most (she is throwing a party for teachernominated
socioeconomically disadvantaged youth this Christmas and is providing each child with a gift
card for the holidays). DBEAR hopes that Brooks will impress upon our mentees the importance
of community involvement and service and the success that can come from hard work.
October 21, 2014 Rashad Jennings, Running Back for the Oakland Raiders
Rashad Jennings is a stand up member of the Raiders team and though he is injured right now, in
his downtime he teaches the importance of health, exercise, and financial literacy to middle
school students in the Oakland community. Jennings is a responsible member of the community
and hopes to help the children of Oakland in their future endeavors. DBEAR hopes that Rashad
can communicate the importance of sportsmanship, teamwork, and health to our mentees and
empower them to achieve more.
32. DBEAR 32
November 4, 2014 Sandre R. Swanson, Deputy Mayor of Oakland
Swanson is a senior policy advisor to the Mayor works to develop career opportunities for
Oakland’s youth. Sandre R. Swanson once served as Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on
the Status of Boys and Men of Color. DBEAR hopes that Mr. Swanson can explain the
importance of voting and being involved in the community. Hopefully Mr. Swanson can bring
VOTE buttons as it is election day.
November 18, 2014 Teresa Deloach Reed, Oakland Fire Chief
Not only is Teresa Deloach Reed is not only a respected member of the Oakland community but
also the first African American woman to lead a major metropolitan fire department. Less than
5% of firefighters in the country are women according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and
DBEAR hopes that Reed can impress the importance of equality and opportunity to the mentored
youth she will be speaking to
December 2, 2014 Sarah Shubitowski, associate at Money Savvy Youth
Money Savvy Youth is an East Oakland nonprofit that teaches students the importance of
financial responsibility. We hope that Ms. Shubitowski can give our DBEAR mentees some tips
on how to be moneywise young adults and how to spend and save money wisely in preparation
for the future.
December 16, 2014 Sepehr Vakil, Ph. D. candidate at Berkeley
33. DBEAR 33
Vakil works in the program of Education in Mathematics, Science, and Technology in the
Graduate School of Education in the department of Cognition and Development. Sepehr works
with the nonprofit OSMO, an organization that seeks to empower youth through math and
science. DBEAR hopes that Sepehr Vakil can encourage DBEAR mentees to see math and
science as more than just a discouraging subject matter but rather an opportunity to achieve and
lead.
Health and life skills
DBEAR hopes to help our mentees avoid dangerous and risky behavior like drugs and alcohol
and also help them express feelings of frustration in a healthy way. Using best practices like
those outlined in the Journal of Primary Prevention’s metaanalysis of schoolbased drug
prevention programs DBEAR will use interactive programs to teach students about drugs, their
side effects, how to say no to drugs, tobacco, and alcohol and how to avoid risky situations. The
practices outlined in the metaanalysis show that interactive programs like those used in
PROJECT STAR in Michigan will serve as a model for DBEAR’s use.
Drugs
In a 2005 study by the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth it was found that 40% of Oakland
11th
graders smoked marijuana in the 30 days proceeding the survey and 34% overall reported
being high from drugs at least once in their life. DBEAR recognizes that drugs are prevalent and
dangerous in the life of a high school student. DBEAR wants its mentees to know the dangers of
34. DBEAR 34
drugs and how to resist peer pressure from other students, as well as the legal consequences of
drugs. This information will be presented by a Youth UpRising health employee.
Alcohol
The 2005 study reported that 56% of Oakland juniors had consumed alcohol in the last 30 days
and 13% admitted to binge drinking. Youth UpRising staff will present the consequences (both
long term and short term) of consuming alcohol and how it effects the mind and body. We hope
that DBEAR mentees will be able to withstand peer pressure and understand the lasting effects
of their decisions concerning substance abuse.
Depression and anxiety
A 1997 Princeton Study reports that children from low income homes are more likely than
nonpoor children to suffer from depression and behavioral disorders. We hope that the health
professionals at Youth UpRising can communicate the importance of open conversation and self
evaluation or being able to spot depression in friends to our DBEAR mentees. Hopefully this
session can prove beneficial in the grand scheme of the lives of DBEAR mentees.
Nutrition and health
The California School Health Centers Association note that the percentage of children and youth
in California who are obese or over recommended weight has gone up in the past three decades.
This, in turn, leads to chronic diseases (type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and respiratory
problems). By talking to kids about the importance of health and fitness in the long term DBEAR
35. DBEAR 35
hopes that our mentees take responsibility for their futures and seek healthy lifestyles.
Bullying
The California Department of Education and the Alameda County Office of Education have
identified bullying as a major issue in the California system. Bullying makes school unsafe for
students as well as teacher. We hope that DBEAR mentees will understand the right steps to take
if they are bullied or if they are the bullies the Youth UpRising health staff can work with them
to find ways to control anger or harsh feelings.
Smoking
According to the American Cancer Society 99% of smokers start smoking before age 25%.
Every day almost 4,000 youth below age 18 try their first cigarette and another 1,000 become
addicted smokers. We hope that DBEAR mentees learn the risks and long term harm that
cigarettes can cause in their lives. Cancer, asthma, and other health trials run hand in hand with
smoking and can cause death. We hope that Youth UpRising staff can communicate the dangers.
The Arts
DBEAR wants its mentees to create and take ownership of their ideas. Through art, drama,
poetry, and music DBEAR hopes that the students can continue to be engaged while utilizing
parts different parts of the brain than are used during homework time. Art allows the DBEAR
mentees to collaborate and work together therefore allowing them to develop better social and
36. DBEAR 36
personal skills. In a policy brief by the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, &
Student Testing it was found that effective and successful structured afterschool programs spend
an average of 77 min on art on over half of the days that the after school program met. DBEAR
wants kids to experience cross content integration through art activities that help them develop
confidence and individuality.
Art schedule
● Week 2 September 19: Street art (chalk art outside)
● Week 4 September 30: Painting
● Week 6 October 14: Sculpting
● Week 8 October 28: Poetry/ Rap
● Week 10 November 11: Music
● Week 12 November 25: Dance
● Week 14 December 9: Drama
DBEAR operational standards for mentorship program
37. DBEAR 37
● Standard 1. Recruitment: Recruit appropriate mentors and mentees by realistically
describing the program’s aims and expected outcomes. Mentees and Mentors will be
evaluated on a first come, first served basis.
● Standard 2. Screening: Screen prospective mentors to determine whether they have the
time, commitment and personal qualities to be an effective mentor.
● Standard 3. Training: Train prospective mentors in the basic knowledge and skills
needed to build an effective mentoring relationship.
Benchmarks: Mentor Training
B.3.1 Program provides a minimum of two hours of prematch, in person training.
B.3.2 Mentor training includes the following topics, at a minimum:
a. DBEAR program rules;
b. Mentors’ goals and expectations for the mentor/mentee relationship;
c. Mentors’ obligations and appropriate roles;
38. DBEAR 38
d. Relationship development and maintenance;
e. Ethical issues that may arise related to the mentoring relationship;
f. Effective closure of the mentoring relationship; and g. Sources of assistance available
to support mentors.
Enhancements:
E.3.1 DBEAR program uses evidence based training materials.
E.3.2 Program provides additional prematch training opportunities beyond the twohour,
inperson minimum.
E.3.3 Program addresses the following developmental topics in the training:
a. Youth development process;
b. Cultural, gender and economic issues; and
c. Opportunities and challenges associated with mentoring specific populations of
children (e.g., children of prisoners, youth involved in the juvenile justice system, youth
in foster care, high school dropouts), if relevant.
d. California topics of performance level descriptors for the California Standards Tests
(CSTs) levels 7 and 8, for subjects: ELA, History and Social Sciences, Mathematics and
Algebra I, and Science.
E.3.4 Program uses training to continue to screen mentors for suitability and develops techniques
for early troubleshooting should problems be identified.
a. Mentors must pass certain proficiency levels for subject areas in which students are
tested on CSTs. Doing so will add credibility that our mentors are competent to be
mentoring and “tutoring” mentees during homework help time.
E.3.5 Program provides training for the mentee and his or her parent(s)/guardian(s) (when
appropriate) on the following topics:
a. Program guidelines;
b. Mentors’ obligations and appropriate roles;
c. Mentees’ obligations and appropriate roles; and
d. Parental/guardian involvement guidelines.
● Standard 4. Matching: Match mentors and mentees along dimensions likely to increase
the odds that mentoring relationships will endure. MENTOR CORE matching software
will conduct matches of mentors and mentees.
39. DBEAR 39
● Standard 5. Monitoring and Support: Monitor mentoring relationship milestones and
support mentors with ongoing advice, problemsolving support and training opportunities
for the duration of the relationship.
● Standard 6. Closure: Facilitate bringing the match to closure in a way that affirms the
contributions of both the mentor and the mentee and offers both individuals the
opportunity to assess the experience.
Indicators of success
As stated previously, through the implementation of the DBEAR mentorship program, we expect
to see improvements in Mentor Feedback Forms (mentor assessment of their mentee) as well as
Teacher Feedback forms (TFF). Alliance Academy submits student grade reports every
sixweeks. DBEAR will also conform to Alliance Academy’s reporting methods, and mentors
will collect supplemental mentee information for MFFs and TFFs. Mentors will review and
assess these forms with their mentees every sixweeks. Doing so will allow mentees to measure
their levels of success and improvement throughout their enrollment in the program.
Another measure of success is retention rate. In a Big Brothers Big Sisters school based
mentoring study it was found that the average rate of attrition for youth school based mentoring
programs was 12.7%. DBEAR assumes that the afterschool mentoring program at Alliance
Academy will follow suit. DBEAR hopes to combat attrition by following the tips given by the
Weisman and Gottfredson in their after school attrition study. By creating incentives like the
halloween party, christmas party, and even a field trip or two (paid for by program costs)
DBEAR believes that youth would stick with the program longer, and feel that their time was
40. DBEAR 40
being well spent.
Additional sources of funding
In addition to the $400,000 grant awarded to DBEAR for a threeyear consecutive period, we
have budgeted a need of $63,000 for the third year and thus have identified two California
Department of Education grants and 6 foundations for funding that we plan on applying to in the
second year. The selection process is detailed below including the types of programs that receive
funding and the requirements from us:
The California Department of Education
Supplemental Education Services
Provides funding to certified tutoring programs that have shown student improvement
and proficiency over a twoyear period. By filing our application, supplemental questions, and
additional documents such as request for an SES provider, we are eligible for funding as a
successful tutoring/mentorship program in the State of California. The award is determined on a
perpupil amount agreed to by the individual service providers. The average for other California
Department of Education grants is $7.50 per child per day served. With a school year of (on
average) 275 days, DBEAR operating 3/5 of the time, serving 100 students; the total amount on
this average would be roughly $123,750.
After School Education and Safety
Provides funding to nonprofits that have supervision from a local educational agency (the
school district) that provide afterschool programs that partner with schools or local community
agencies. By filing a general universal application and specific certifications, we are prime
41. DBEAR 41
candidates for funding from the State of California as an afterschool program. The award is
$7.50 per child per day served. With a school year of (on average) 275 days, DBEAR operating
3/5 of the time, serving 100 students; the total amount on this average is roughly $123,750.
Foundations
The Harry Chapin Foundation
Provides funding to nonprofit organizations that focus in Community Education
Programs, ArtsinEducation Programs, and Agricultural and Environmental Programs. By
falling in the Community Education Program category that identified the societal need (regarding
education), filing a general application and providing specific program details, we are eligible for
an award that ranges from several hundred to $10,000, with the average being roughly $3,000.
The Clorox Foundation
Provides grant funding to Oakland nonprofit organizations that focus in Education and
Youth Development and Culture/Civic Programs. As we are an educationtargeted program, we
will apply under the educational improvement guidelines which serve youth aged kindergarten
through 12th
grade, that focus on improving performance and promoting positive relationships
amongst diverse youth. By adequately describing our mission statement, detailing our target
population, explaining our program and the projected outcomes, and discussing changes in future
funding, staffing, and/or partner agencies, we will ensure that our program fulfils the
requirements for the grant.
The Irene S. Scully Family Foundation
Provides grant funding to Alameda County 501(c)3 organizations that work on creating
42. DBEAR 42
more equal opportunities for its youth. By providing a mentoring environment that is “free from
violence, crime, and harassment, students have the opportunity to develop selfawareness,
emotional control, selfesteem, conflict resolution strategies, and teamworkbuilding skills”
(Irene Scully Foundation, 2013). By identifying the community issue we are trying to solve,
discussing both short and long term outcomes, and having team members that are knowledgeable
and dedicated in our program and field, we become prime candidates for this opportunity.
The W. K. Kellogg Foundation
The W. K. Kellogg Foundation provides grants to organizations that have focus areas
such as education, health, and racial equity. By operating as a 501(c)3 organization focused on
improving education and communal relationships, we are automatically eligible for this grant.
However, by also serving a large populace of single parent households and racial minorities, in
addition to helping a vulnerable population succeed, DBEAR becomes an optimal program to
receive this funding.
Opus Community Foundation
“The Opus Community Foundation supports programs in the areas of education,
afterschool activities, mentoring, literacy, and other programs that give our youth a sense of
community, inspiration, and promote selfworth” (opusbank.com). By being an afterschool
mentoring program, we serve as an ideal candidate for this funding opportunity. To receive
funding that ranges from $250$25000, with the average being $5,000, we must supply an
application, our IRS forms and notification letter, a list of current board members and partners,
and our most recent audited financial statement.
Union Bank of California
43. DBEAR 43
Provides grant funding to helping low and moderateincome households in four main
areas: affordable housing, community economic development, education, and the environment.
DBEAR has the perfect objectives for the education aspect of this grant, focusing explicitly on
tutoring, outreach, and enrichment programs for low and moderateincome household’s youth.
By applying online and providing all of the needed documents such as our taxpayer I.D.
verification, 5year trend of our operating budget, and a current list of our staff and board
members, we can be eligible for up to $10,000 and in some cases, more.
Applying Bolman and Deal’s four frames of organization
Structural
DBEAR has a simple structure of function. DBEAR has a top down foundation, with a
hierarchy that includes one executive, one administrative assistant, and ten to twenty mentors.
The executive is in charge of the entire organization including supervision of employees,
networking with the community and other communal organizations, and any issues that may
occur flow up the hierarchy ending with him. The administrative assistant is directly under the
executive and assists in training mentors and supervising the mentormentee relations. The
mentormentee relationship is one that fosters learning, selfesteem, and personal growth over a
twoyear period, with the mentee’s educational attainment being our measurable output.
Human Resource
The human resource frame focuses on the inter and intrapersonal relationships and needs
of the mentors and mentees. DBEAR invests in the mentors by providing adequate training, and
satisfying mentor needs on a financial basis so they have a sense of security in the workplace.
44. DBEAR 44
DBEAR invests in seeking out energetic, lively, and caring people to tutor and be role models for
our students. The relationship mentees develop with their mentor satisfies the mentee’s need for
educational improvement, while working in a positive and safe environment.
Political
The political frame focuses on internal and external conflicts of the organization and its
relationships. Internal conflict can arise between the mentees and their mentors by the potential
lack of acceptance of a mentor from a mentee’s perspective; we adjust for this possibility with
our matching program software that assigns students to their mentors based on similarities of
interests.
External conflict arises in multiple ways: the first from acceptance into the community.
As a new organization working with the community’s youth, it is extremely important that we
are accepted into the community for parents, teachers, and other members to trust us with their
children and students. We relieve this tension by partnering with Youth Uprising, a local
grassroots effort to improve the outlook of atrisk youth, and working at Alliance Academy, a
local public middle school.
The second external conflict arises from competition for funding from local and national
sources with other organizations. It is vital for the success of our organization to receive
additional funding from outside governmental sources such as the California Department of
Education and foundations like the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. By having multiple options, we
alleviate this stress of competition by not placing all of our hopes of funding from one source.
Our last external conflict is acknowledging possible discrimination or marginalization of a group
of students based on certain demographics. By allowing any student from Alliance Academy, we
45. DBEAR 45
remove the potential discrimination due to a first come, first serve basis.
Symbolic Frame
Due to the unique relationship between the mentor and the mentees, the mentor has an
opportunity to play a part in the development of the child’s emotional and educational identity.
Developing this relationship allows for the mentor to be seen as a role model for the mentee. The
mentor becomes a committed figure in the mentee’s life, and provides access to life skills and
development opportunities.
Symbols of hope and opportunity are demonstrated by using graduates of the Youth
Uprising program for our mentor positions; as former students initially considered “atrisk” have
the chance to give back to members of DBEAR. Opportunity is also displayed through improved
educational attainment because the potential of graduating high school, and going to college or
acquiring a job is increased from the experience provided at DBEAR.
![DBEAR 2
Mission statement
Through a partnership with Youth Uprising, DBEAR [Developing and Building Excellent
Academic Relationships] will provide a mentorship program to at risk middle school students in
Alliance Academy within the city of Oakland CA, so that students may achieve future academic
success.
DBEAR services and definitions
DBEAR provides select students of Alliance Academy middle school with personalized
mentorship opportunities that align with California’s Quality Assurance Standards as well as
Mentor’s evidence based standards and practices, that are intended to enhance their educational
experience. DBEAR is a supportive, safe, environment that is designed to equip Alliance
Academy students with the tools they need to become responsible learners. DBEAR provides
hired mentors with the opportunity to build educational and community awareness within a
public school system, as well as crucial training opportunities, which are designed to increase
their ability to be successful within their roles as mentors.
Goals and objectives
The DBEAR program’s primary focus is to build a formal, and evidence centered, school based
mentorship program through associations with Alliance Academy and Youth Uprising using
California Quality Assurance Standards and Mentor . The mentorship program would enable the
students of Alliance Academy to build healthy mentor/mentee relationships with graduates of the
mentorship program, Youth Uprising, and would enhance the students’ academic experience. As](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)