Sharp Literacy Inc

SHARP LITERACY ASPIRES TO PROMOTE THE JOY OF, AND THE JOURNEY TOWARD, A LIFELONG PURSUIT OF LEARNING THROUGH EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY. OUR GOAL IS TO IMPROVE LITERACY FOR URBAN YOUTH WITH RELATABLE HANDS-ON PROGRAMMING. WE ENRICH CLASSROOM LEARNING WITH VISUAL ARTS INTEGRATION, EDUCATIONAL TOURS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

IN 2020-21, SHARP PARTNERED WITH 36 URBAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN MILWAUKEE, RACINE AND WAUKESHA, SERVING MORE THAN 6,000 STUDENTS AND 275 TEACHERS. THESE SCHOOLS ARE IN MANY OF THE AREA'S MOST DISTRESSED NEIGHBORHOODS, EVIDENCED BY THE FACT THAT NEARLY 90% OF SHARP STUDENTS COME FROM FAMILIES THAT ARE CATEGORIZED AS ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED. THE STUDENTS WE SERVE REPRESENT A DIVERSE POPULATION; 34% BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN, 46% LATINX/HISPANIC, 9% WHITE/CAUCASIAN, 9% ASIAN AND 2% TWO OR MORE RACES.SUPPORT FROM GENEROUS DONORS ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE RELEVANT, RIGOROUS STEAM PROGRAMMING FOR K3-5TH GRADE STUDENTS AT NO COST TO THE SCHOOLS.STEAM CORE PROGRAM: SHARP'S STEAM CORE PROGRAM LAYS THE GROUNDWORK FOR A STEAM-BASED EDUCATION, BEGINNING IN KINDERGARTEN. IN ALL GRADES, TECHNOLOGICAL AND FINANCIAL LITERACY CONCEPTS AND VOCABULARY ARE INTRODUCED, WHICH LINK TO SCIENCE OR SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULA.DESIGN THROUGH CODE (DTC 3, DTC 4 & DTC 5): DTC IS AN 8-10 SESSION PROGRAM THAT INTRODUCES 3RD THROUGH 5TH GRADERS TO CODING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE. JUST OVER 1,100 STUDENTS FROM 41 CLASSROOMS AT 11 SCHOOLS IN MILWAUKEE AND WAUKESHA PARTICIPATED IN VIRTUAL DTC WORKSHOPS.AFTER SCHOOL LEARNING PROGRAM (ASLP): SHARP'S ASLP PROVIDED A MODIFIED VERSION OF THE SCHOOL YEAR CURRICULUM ADAPTED FOR THE AFTER-SCHOOL SETTING. EACH SITE CHOOSES THE PROGRAM BEST SUITED FOR THEIR STUDENTS. IN 2020-21, WE PROVIDED THIS PROGRAM VIRTUALLY TO TWO PARTNER SITES.