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THINK Together

An Effective Practice

Description

THINK Together partners with schools, parents and the community to provide after-school programs to schools and community centers throughout Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties in California. It was founded in 1994, when it established their first after school program - Shalimar Learning Center in Costa Mesa.

Programs are offered free to students and their families in disadvantaged communities, and consist of homework assistance, academic enrichment, dynamic physical activities and nutrition education. One of the programs, Raising a Reader, provides early literacy education by teaching parents strategies anchored to language development research and storytelling traditions and to routinely read with their young children.

The high school programs include Homework Assistance, Tutoring and Mentoring Services, California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) Prep Classes, and Credit Recovery Classes. Furthermore, THINK together offers Child care services for working parents who need more traditional before and after school care for their children.

Goal / Mission

THINK together's mission is to provide high quality academically-oriented out-of-school programs for students regardless of race, creed, or socioeconomic status.

Results / Accomplishments

THINK Together serves more than 70,000 students through more than 225 daily program sites located in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego Counties. Evaluation results showed that 65% of those participating in the programs showed significant improvement in math, while 60% showed significant improvement in reading. Teacher, parent and student surveys revealed that 71% improved in overall academic performance 92% of students were getting better grades on their report cards.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
THINK Together
Primary Contact
Dr. CynDee Zandes
2100 E. Fourth St., Ste.200 Santa Ana, Ca 92705
(714) 543-3807
info@thinktogether.org
http://www.thinktogether.org/contact/
Topics
Education / Childcare & Early Childhood Education
Education / Literacy
Economy / Poverty
Organization(s)
THINK Together
Date of publication
1994
Date of implementation
2010
Geographic Type
Urban
Location
Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino
For more details
Target Audience
Children, Teens
Healthy Marin