Urban Learning Center makes a difference

Through the Urban Learning Center (ULC) after-school program, led by Dr. Theresa Foster, Hospitality House is committed to offering a positive learning environment that nurtures the intellectual, spiritual, social and physical development of urban youth.For the past eight years, HHYD has been working closely with parents and the schools in our nearby North Minneapolis neighborhoods to provide a Christ-centered, safe place for North Minneapolis youth while enriching and improving student academic achievement.

The ULC program is targeted for students from low-income families who have scored 40 percent or lower on standardized tests. In 2006-2007, 323 students between grades 1 and 8 were enrolled in this program. Of these, 85 percent were eligible for free and reduced lunches. The positive impact of the ULC program has been well documented in partnership with teachers from participating Minneapolis Public Schools. During the 2006-2007 year, 90 percent of our students raised their reading ability by 35 percent. In addition, there has been a decline of 20 percent in school suspension rates for students in our program. This decline has also been noted by both teachers and parents.

Teachers and parents also inform us about the increased frequency of homework being completed and turned in by the students in our program. Parents have commented that the behavior of their child(ren) has improved and that their attitude(s) in particular have changed. Primarily, they are less frustrated because they are learning better school work habits and their test scores are improving. They are developing confidence in terms of learning. Parents express their appreciation to us that their child(ren) are being challenged and supported.

Many young people in the North Minneapolis community fail to fulfill their educational goals; however, the ULC program hits homeruns with the youth we serve. The youth that participate in the ULC program are not the ones who fail in school; they are a part of the group that graduate from high school and in many cases go on to college.