PROMISE
We focus on the needs of the individual child as a whole.
What we've learned:
Core has achieved great success, helping children and families and disrupting the cycle of generational poverty through a unique model and strength driven programs.
Long-Term Support
Unlike most after-school programs, which typically serve children for two years with no subsequent follow-up, Core provides consistent, individualized programming over a long duration. Core believes it is necessary to break the cycle of poverty in order to fulfill our mission to empower, enrich, and educate underserved children to lead choice filled lives, and research shows it takes long-term engagement to do that. While a lot of data says it takes a child twenty years to break out of poverty, Core has shown it can be done in seven. How? By working with children and their families, by building trust, and by providing the tools and resources needed so that everyone--not just students—benefit from the model (i.e., have access to better education and better jobs).
Whole Child Approach
Many after-school programs focus on just one thing, i.e., tutoring, financial literacy, mentoring, etc., whereas Core’s focus is the whole child and the full suite of their needs to achieve academic and life success. Core’s approach isn’t “one size fits all” . . . it’s “whatever it takes”. We carefully analyze what each individual child needs in order to break the barriers and overcome the challenges preventing them from reaching their full potential. Individualized plans encompassing everything from basic needs to academic enrichment to character education are made, executed, and case managed with multiple community partners.
Two Generation Impact
Core adheres to the pioneering work of the Aspen Institute by recognizing the need to provide services and opportunities for children and the adults in their lives in the following areas: 1) postsecondary education and employment pathways, 2) early childhood education and development, 3) economic assets, 4) health and well-being, and 5) social capital. Core is one of only two organizations in Southern Nevada to have formally adopted this whole family approach; the other serves children of color exclusively.
Character Education and Leadership Development
Core’s Character Education curriculum has been specifically developed to be relevant, age appropriate and impactful. Character strengths like self-control, curiosity, and gratitude are vital to social and emotional well- being, physical health, and reaching individual potential. Overwhelming scientific data shows that developing strong character generates greater academic outcomes, better decision-making, healthier relationships, empathy, and greater citizenship. By training and developing interpersonal, intrapersonal, and intellectual strengths, Core Scholars build the skills needed to make good decisions, have a growth mindset, show empathy toward others, and in general exhibit high emotional intelligence. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” Our goal is to make this vision a reality for Las Vegas’s under-resourced youth.
Stronger Children and Families Benefit Everyone
Investing in the success of underserved children and their families is the right thing to do. It benefits everyone. Core is a strength focused program and we understand what is on the line if children and families are not empowered to reach their full potential.
Program Outcomes
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Cost of Core program per year for a Scholar and their family is $5K versus cost to incarcerate a prisoner in the state of Nevada per year is $18K
- NV Department of Corrections. -
*80% of incarcerated inmates are high school dropouts.
- NV Department of Corrections -
Half of all high school dropouts are on public assistance and will cost taxpayers $292K over a lifetime (per drop out) or collectively $957M annually
-America’s Promise Alliance , 2018 -
Increasing children of color’s participation in college to the same percentage as that of white students would create an additional $231B in GDP and at least $80B in new tax revenue
- YES Program (Young. Employed. Successful.)
