RAP: Real Academic Progress

Five Literacy and Educational Support Programs

We call our community center The Reality Center because we want this place to be a safe, warm and enriching environment where the young people of Durham can know that the deepest reality of their lives is God’s love for them. It’s true that the RC is a great place to have fun, play games, and make friends. But we would be doing our after-school students a disservice if we were not also involved in their education. The following five programs are offered free of charge, so that we are able to help our students receive all the personal and professional attention they need to succeed in school:

• Our “Giving Library”. ” This is the truth… Good readers have a better chance of academic success. With that in mind, we have developed a collection of hundreds of quality school-age books in order to help our students build a home library of their own. Research is clear that high-performing students in high school have at least 25 books of their own at home. Any student coming to the RC is able to browse for a book, take one home, read it, and keep it. Reality will provide a free steak dinner to every student who has read and kept at least 25 books.

• AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING. The Reality Center offers tutoring and homework help every day that the public schools are in session, from 4:00-6:00 pm. Our tutoring lab has trained volunteer tutors from the Triangle area who want to come alongside each student to help them reach their academic goals. Our doors are open for drop-in tutoring, or by call-in appointments. The tutoring lab is also available as a study hall for those students who merely want a quiet place to complete their homework.

• REBOUND: For Students on Short-Term Suspension. We are offering an academic support program for those students on 3-10 day suspension. With parental permission, each student can spend the school day at the RC receiving homework help, study skills training, and such life skills development as personal goal-setting and career-planning. Each REBOUND student will also work on community service projects and have occasional recreational breaks as well. Our goals are to come alongside and encourage the students, to help them understand their strengths and personal gifts, and inspire them to develop lives of purpose and resilience.

• S.A.T. PREP CLASSES. Each month during the school year we will offer S.A.T. Prep classes on Saturday mornings, from 10 a.m.-12:00 pm. The classes are led by an experienced teacher of college entrance test preparation, and has been involved as a personal coach for those walking through the college application process. The only cost for this class is a $10 charge for the materials. Next session dates: February 11, 18, 25, & March 3. To sign up email: realityministriesinc@gmail.com.

• College Essay Help – Get help with your college application. This a free course that will be offered April 30 & May 14 from 10:00-noon at the Reality Center. To sign up email: realityministriesinc@gmail.com

• Middle School Workshops for Excellence.  We also provide academic support for 6^th-8^th graders on most Saturday mornings, 10 a.m.-12:00 p.m. These workshops aim to develop the tools needed to succeed in middle school and prepare well for high school. Registration and parent consent is required, the only cost being $5 for materials. We try to put the fun back in fundamentals.

If you are interested in any or all of these Reality programs, contact Mr. Steve Larson, coordinator of the Reality Center, by email at SteveWLarson@gmail.com or by calling the Center at 919-688-7776.

Director, Steve Larson, B.S., Physical Education; M.A., Counseling,  35 years experience in education as teacher, headmaster, school director, and chaplain.