"Our first exposure to things is frequently what we carry with us." - Mr. Rochel Coleman

What is the South Eastern Achievement Project?

South Eastern Achievement Project (SEAP) is an non-profit educational collaborative project designed to support the Guilford County School system to achieve its goal of raising the End Of Grade Test results annually and the overall academic experience of each served. Its focus group is the under-achieving student population of the Southeast region of Guilford County in grades 4 through 6.

The focus groups for SEAP have been identified based upon the disparity of the academic assessment results of the entire school district. The academic performance results of the children in the southeastern sector of the district clearly lag behind that of their peers in the remaining geographical sub-sectors of the district. In general, this can be seen when they are divided in terms of the region of the county in which they reside. The groups of learners in the 4^th – 6^th grades, at that time, are in the critical stages of personal development and self-perception in their learning careers. It is for that reason that we seek to intervene through this collaborative effort to meet them and under-gird them during these times.

SEAP is firmly founded upon the principles of “partnership.” Therefore, we are ever forging partnership efforts within the social, educational and business communities to fulfill the fundamental purpose of its existence.

At the South Eastern Achievement Project we believe that a partnership approach to education is ideal. When a partnership approach is employed many of the variables that contribute to the failures of our youth can be turned into a positive desired outcome. In affect, we are pooling resources together in a concentrated manner to support the common objective of creating a brighter future for a larger number of our young learners.

Partnering for Progress

The importance of the education platform is easily perceived by the amount of press and rhetoric it receives. However, no matter your position on educational debates, the stance of undeniable commonality is that - our children deserve the best. It is with this ideal that we present the following thesis for why an agency like SEAP must exist:

Thesis: A shared vision and deep commitment among partners can overcome weaknesses in education program design, implementation and overall results.

At the South Eastern Achievement Project we believe that a partnership approach to education is ideal. When a partnership approach is employed many of the variables that contribute to the failures of our youth can be turned into a positive desired outcome. In affect, we are pooling resources together to support the common objective of creating a brighter future for a larger number of our young learners.

Over the last several years, educational partnerships have proliferated across the country. Some have developed in response to legislative outcomes while others have proven instrumental in manifesting endeavors for fundamental educational reform as a whole. At its core, the rudimentary value of SEAP is to deliver services to students and faculty to enhance educational experiences and improve student outcomes. Partners undertaking joint endeavors with schools also vary greatly. Partnership relationships are built among schools and social service agencies, cultural institutions, businesses, industries, and institutions of higher education.

The CHALLENGE

Educational reform is a burning topic of discussion that divides leadership and homes. We are seeking to introduce an initiative that will offer many of the pros of each position, whether for or against, on the subject of education reform – hopefully without the cons. Dollars are being invested in unprecedented variety, seeking to educate our youth. Are these investments paying off? What makes education efforts more or less effective? It is believed that smaller class sizes and greater curriculum concentrations would produce the desired student performance result. Evaluation of the various sub-sectors of the Guilford County School system unveils a stark contrast in performance by the constituent student populations.

The SEAP Strategy

At SEAP, we believe that we are positioned for success with our target population because our four focus areas of supplemental academic instruction, primary teacher support, parental counseling and involvement, and socialization. With our collaborative approach to this initiative we are pulling in the experience and talent already found in the community to inspire our children teachers and participants to reach the common goal of closing the achievement gap.

Supplemental Academic Instruction

It is vitally important to understand that SEAP is not seeking to replace the school district, but is partnering to achieve a common goal. For this reason, we refer to the academic instruction as “supplemental.” We are seeking to undergird and enhance the education provided by our school district to further work toward student success. Therefore, we are providing supplemental instruction that would reinforce the curriculum instruction from the primary teaching experience – all the while readying the learner to perform at a higher level during standardized testing. With a diverse team of educators, SEAP is poised to provide a nurturing environment of specialized attention unable to be achieved by the district because the volume of students they serve.

Primary Teacher Support

We believe that through our partnership we can provide a support base to the primary teacher of children we serve. This additional support would enable the teacher to channel their efforts more and not feel isolated. Ultimately, this creates an environment for greater success.   

Parental Counseling and Involvement

By far, the parents are the component of this collaborative effort that would make the greatest impact in the success of the school district, but they for many arguable reasons have faded away. Some believe that the parents have faded into the background of the children’s educational experience as compared to generations past the parents were in the forefront in greater quantity.

Socialization

The children that will be served at the South Eastern Achievement Project will be afforded opportunities to be exposed to new adventures and experiences that will be educational and enriching to them as individuals.