Boys & Girls Club of East Providence, Orlo Avenue Elementary School and Providence College Women's Soccer Team Up to Enhance Academic Outcomes for Students

On April 9, everyone had a great afternoon of learning with the students at Orlo Avenue Elementary School. Mayor Bob DaSilva joined students and staff to take part in the afterschool programming funded by Learn365RI grant support to provide more high-quality, out-of-school learning opportunities.

Partnership Details
Members of the Providence College Women’s Soccer Team have been volunteering after school to help over 40 students from Orlo Avenue Elementary School in East Providence reinforce important skills in both math and reading. The weekly visits support K-5th graders through educational games where 3-4 college students participate in one-hour sessions. Over the last few weeks, the children have developed strong bonds with the college students helping to not only strengthen their academic skills but also build their social and emotional skills.

Orlo Avenue Elementary School’s afterschool program is in partnership with the East Providence Boys & Girls Club through Learn365RI grant support to provide more high-quality, out-of-school learning opportunities. The collaboration with Providence College Women’s Soccer Team is a great example of the deep partnerships that exist in our community to improve student outcomes across the state. The sessions with Providence College Women’s Soccer Team began in late February and will conclude at the end of April.

The underlying program for the Boys & Girls Club’s after school activities draws heavily from Boys & Girls Clubs of America's Project Learn. More than just a single activity, Project Learn is designed as the backbone of the Club’s academic enrichment activities, as it ties all programs - from the classroom to the playground, to the gymnasium - back to academics. Based on the research of Dr. Reginald Clark, Project Learn was formally reevaluated by Columbia University and has been proven to boost the academic performance of its participants. The program’s design recognizes that homework help and tutoring are critical components of after-school enrichment, particularly for low-income students, who may not have the same access to after-school resources as their more affluent peers.