Partners: Mississippi Children’s Museum, Raising Cane’s, Bellwether Church and Northminster Church

Students impacted: 510
Volunteers: 75
Partnership duration: MCM - 7 years; Raising Cane's - 5 years; Bellwether Church - 2 years; Northminster Church - 30 years

Spann Elementary is working with its partners to provide children the tools to believe in themselves. When these partnerships began several years ago, volunteers started coming to the school to help teach students how to make lemonade, serve as Book Buddies, or offer opportunities to attend summer camps free of charge. They’re continually implementing plans and activities to build background knowledge and enrich literacy experiences. Today, Spann has hundreds of students whose lives have been enhanced by museum learning activities, church donations for supplies and clothing, and literacy experiences that teach them how to analyze, evaluate, and investigate the world in which they live. 

Activities:

• "Planting the Seeds to Read" literacy sessions for parents and students
• Book Buddies program
• Imagination Celebration field trips to MCM

Impacts:

• Rising GATE Assessment test scores
• 90% of students had improved STAR Reading Test scores
• Increased focus on early literacy