Whether you are interested in and able to commit to

    • as little as one hour / one time (with no further commitments ever ...)
    • or as much as three hours per week / for seven weeks (January 13 - February 26) ...
    • or anything in between ...

Project Elevate, a shining example of Kingdom Community Transformation in action, has focused on a four square mile area of our city to provide a replicatable model by which every neighborhood in our city may receive strategic care and health: "community transformation." Our foundational principle is Kingdom transformation through a servant based approach. Our intent is certainly to be strategic, but it is through a serving mentality intended to bring vision, help, teaching and ultimately the empowering of people to succeed in their lives and community. The ultimate goal is to restore the community to health and release it from further dependence on others.

During our first year we have seen: • Over 550 volunteers have been involved in Elevate • These volunteers have donated over 5,200 hours of time.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: • We have performed 3 major clean ups and painting at the school • We have provided roughly 50 reading mentors for students on a weekly basis • We have provided Brain Integration Therapy that has helped students increase reading and comprehension skills. • A movie/carnival night of celebration for the kids and their families after CSAP's • 4 weeks of strategic values based day camp this summer for up to 150 students • 2 weeks of after school "Adventures in the Bible" • Follow up to each "Adventures in the Bible" student's home, personally inviting the entire family as a special guest to church at Boulder Street Church • Open dialog with D-11 Deputy Superintendent concerning how Elevate could be a benefit to additional schools

MEASURABLE RESULTS: • Over 50 children give their lives to Christ • Over 120 students significantly impacted with value based fun activities and classes • CSAP scores dramatically improved in areas that we have provided mentoring (3-4 percentage points increase in most cases) • Students rising to example driven leadership in the school this year that were part of the summer Encore program • Increase in families determining that their school of choice for their children is Queen Palmer Elementary School • A drastic turnaround in attendance for this year at Queen Palmer. In spite of a great principle and fabulous staff at QP the projected enrollment was scheduled to be at 176 which was down by 24 students confirmed leaving the school for the 08/09 school year. The school as a result of Elevate's Encore summer program and its involvement in the school over the 07/08 year saw the regaining of the 24 students and then another 10 students to a current total of 210This has helped the school in providing excellent training. • There is an increase in excitement and commitment amongst School staff to work together

Summer School Elevate Day Camp (Called by the School "Encore") : Our focus was to provide through a day camp experience linked with a local elementary school's summer school program a Value Based learning experience that was both fun and would challenge each child to think differently about their present and future.

Over a four week period of the 2008 summer school program at Queen Palmer Elementary School we provided from 12:15 to 3:00 p.m. multiple classes each day Monday through Thursday and on Fridays we provided field trips for the summer school program.

Encore Summer Classes Offered: Soccer camp, Art, Water Color Painting, Drumming, Ballet, Wood Shop, Yard Games, Board Games, Model Rockets, Drawing, Skate Board Basics, Gardening, Drama, Journalism, Police Presentation, Fire Department, Jazz Dance, Classical Music for Kids, Basketball Camp, and more.

Examples of Values Based Teaching:

Model Rocket Class. We taught the children to dream big for their future and to not limit themselves by the past or others around then. We showed the film "October Sky", which is the story of a boy that came from a genealogy of coal miners. He broke free from the status quo to become a NASA scientist based on his love and interest of rockets. The students were encouraged to dream big, were taught about setting goals to accomplish their dreams and finally that obstacles would come because they come to everyone. Obstacles are a natural part of life and they must be overcome to accomplish their dreams. We taught them some basics on how to overcome obstacles. They built model rockets and launched them at the end of the week.

Yard Games. Through yard games we taught the children how to work together. We taught them that there are specific rules for playing games. By learning the rules they then can play together and have fun. We helped them learn the rules and because of that they could work together to have fun together.

Drama Class. During Drama the teacher would provide specific subjects such as honesty, forgiveness, working together etc. to the students and their team leaders. Each group then was responsible to discuss the meaning of the subject and then create a skit to teach that to the rest of the class.

Gardening Class. Gardening class taught that the components and the process were important to not nly to plants but also for their lives. The types of seeds you plant will determine what plants you will get. Be wise in the decisions of what seeds to plant in your life. It will many times be a process of time but if you are patient and stick with it you will reap your harvest.

Drumming Assembly. Drumming taught us that math was an essential component to playing music. We learned that the things that might seem boring to some right now such as math are critical components to future things that we will want to do. It is important to learn all you can now of these things because you don't yet know how important they will be later in life.

Field Trips:

Olympic Training Center. The students after seeing a short movie discussing the Training Center and its athletes were joined by an actual athlete who told of their personal story of dreaming to be an Olympian, setting goals, working hard at their goals and overcoming the obstacles that got in their way. Many of the students received personalized signed autographs from the athletes saying "Shoot for the Stars". Each group of children then received a tour of the facilities.

America the Beautiful Park. This was loaded with fun. One of the planned experiences was a scavenger hunt that provided the opportunity for reinforcement of the value of working together. Children had to work together to get prizes that consisted of various toys and school supplies that would be needed to start the school year off right.

Mr. Biggs Amusement Center was the culminating party of the four weeks. Each child throughout the four weeks learned key skills that would help them succeed in life such as listening and obeying to those in authority, reconciliation skills and positive thinking along with leadership skills. Each student was required to show improvement in each of these areas to be able to be apart of the final party at Mr. Biggs. We are pleased to report that all students were able to go.

Adventures in the Bible was a two week after school Bible adventure for the kids. The program was custom created with skits, music, games and Bible training. Over 50 kids gave their lives to Christ. During the last day of the after school Adventures, Nationally known Christian "Pro" skateboarders came in to do their demonstration. They interacted with the crowd of kids throughout the time and gave their testimony at the end. About 10 of the 50 total salvations happened there.

We expect the life skills and values that were taught will have a significant impact on this school year and as we continue to build on these areas we believe that it will significantly impact the future of these children's lives catapulting them into better futures as they think differently about themselves and their options for the future.

We desire to build upon a great year of foundation building that has transpired this last year. Over 550 people giving in excess of 5,200 hours were apart of Elevate in its first year of operation. This on-purpose strategic approach to changing a determined community has been met with positive response. Many that were unable to mobilize in time for this summer opportunity desire to get involved in the 08/09 year. We have verbal commitments at this time from organizational leaders expressing individuals that they will provide towards Elevate this year that could easily be in excess of 2,000 people. This could easily translate into over 40,000 donated man hours in areas that will make a significant difference. Our greatest need for Elevate will be to continue to build the infrastructure for people to be able to connect in their area of expertise.

Our Goals for this Year:

• Community Light Houses: We desire to have various homes/families that are part of the connection point in the community that are places of hope and help. These will be where real everyday life relationships and life happen. People in the community will find strength and help in these places.

• Queen Palmer School: We will once again provide mentors to help children in key areas such as reading. We desire to continue to see CSAP scores increase. During the month of September we will be providing up to two free eyeglasses for each student that is in need. The second pair will remain in their desk at school to provide clear vision to increase chances of learning.

We will be providing a daily after school program which will be a key component for increasing student's achievement. This after school program will provide tutoring for excellence, fun activities, and enrichment classes similar in nature to this summer's Encore program. Low income students will get the opportunity to partake in Ballet classes, Singing, Music, Sports and other classes that will build self esteem which they normally would not be able to afford. Through this after school program it is also our desire to provide a safe environment for students to finish out their day until parents return home from work.

We will also be expanding the ways to partner with the excellent staff of Queen Palmer Elementary which could include assistants in various classes during key times of the day. We desire to provide some celebration parties which we intend to teach children to work hard and then celebrate their accomplishments. We also desire to provide fieldtrips through relationships we have to various strategic places to instill vision and hope in the students for their future. Some of these locations may include the State Capital, a local college, a local business and maybe even another trip to Mr. Biggs as a special reward for achievement. We look forward to coming along side parents of students in the school to help them build their PTO involvement to strengthen the school. It is our desire that the children of QP adopt a sister school that is less fortunate than they are to create the understanding that their economic level in life when compared to the majority of the rest of the world is rather high. This will help them to see that as they receive they have something to offer which will increase personal and school pride in a positive way.

As we continue to take the next steps at QP we are in discussions with School District 11 Leadership for ways to help other schools in need to create a partnership to excellence.

• Adults in the Community: Based on our credibility that has been earned this year we will be providing key classes and mentoring on subjects such as how to get a pay increase by becoming a more skilled employee or how to get a better paying job. We also desire to provide mentoring based classes on improving your marriage and parenting skills. Budgeting your way to security is another felt and real need that will be addressed. Through various relationships that we have established with an existing Health Clinic we will be providing some health care needs to those who do not fit into any of the conventional and government run programs. We will be making lower cost food available for individuals to help finances stretch further. Each individual that receives help will learn of their responsibility to help others in the community. By this many more will be helped and it will create a caring for one another that will build community. We desire to provide life coaches in the area that will provide mentoring for small groups of families sharing life together. We are already in discussions with a few families that are considering moving into the area to provide life on life mentoring.

• Businesses in the Community: Through relationships we have with successful business owners and consultants we will be providing monthly training and mentoring for local business owners. Our mentoring will be based on a commitment of business owners to give back into their community as their business increases as a result of our efforts. Healthy businesses can provide job training for marginally trained people to hiring individuals with given skills in the community. Business owners can gain ownership of part of the process of transformation by collectively determining projects they desire to fund and give leadership to in the community. Once again the concept of giving back from receiving will be instilled into the DNA of this project. This is on-purpose strategically intended to create a healthy community that gains its strength where it is weak in order to thrive significantly on its own.

• Miscellaneous Items: There will no doubt be other items that will be afforded to us this next year. They will be evaluated based on their strategic impact, available leadership and financial resources.

Remember ... our request of you is for one hour per week to read with a student. If you subsequently choose a greater level of involvement, Bless You!

God is indeed at work, but He needs you and me to be His arms and legs ...

May God Bless You This Day!