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Dear Friends,
As many prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday, let me take a few moments to reflect on the many things we have to be thankful for and to share my appreciation to our many supporters. I am very thankful and appreciative of the wonderful partnerships we have developed at Project GRAD Akron. We are fortunate to live in a collaborative community, where people enjoy working together for the common good. In this newsletter edition, I will highlight just a few of the things that we are thankful for at Project GRAD Akron!
In September, we held our Achieving Dreams' Back to School Bash and raised significant dollars to support our organization. The collective efforts of the members of the Homecoming Court raised more than $50,000 for our scholarship fund! These funds were in addition to the other funds raised to support our programs, services, and scholarship fund! Thank you to the committee, sponsors, donors, and supporters for your generosity! Please save the date of Saturday, September 7, 2024 for our annual Achieving Dreams, which will be another Back to School Bash, at the Hilton Akron/Fairlawn!
In the fall, Project GRAD Akron expanded our services to two additional high schools in the Akron Public Schools. Project GRAD Akron is now providing services to students in the Buchtel, East, North, and Garfield Clusters! With this expansion, we have increased our program staff persons to provide the much-needed direct services to students and families! Please review our website to learn a little about the various programs and services we are providing. Thank you for your generosity, which allows us to support additional young people in our community!
I am thankful to work with a dedicated group of staff, team, and Board members, who tirelessly support our mission! They are generous with their time, talent, treasures, and ties. They are willing to work together to support the success of young people. Recently, we took a group of students bowling for an after-school activity. The students and adults were able to see each other in a different setting from their normal classroom activities. It was so much fun watching the students and the adults interact with each other and even compete with each other. It was genuine, warm, caring, and fun!
On Saturday, December 4, 2023, Project GRAD Akron will host our 17th Annual Breakfast and Educational Fun with Santa event. We will host it at Buchtel and East CLCs from 9 am to 12:00 noon. A special thank you is extended to the Akron Public Schools, CareSource, Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, IdeaStream, and our generous volunteers for supporting Project GRAD Akron for this fun family event! Volunteers are always welcome and appreciated!
Finally, we are thankful for the safety of our students, school staff, and families, as we continue to fulfill our mission of supporting young people from kindergarten to career. No matter the age of the student, please remember, your time and treasure, makes a difference! Please continue to say an encouraging word to a young person and let them know how much they are valued and appreciated! Also, please encourage each other. With all the negative news in the world, please be a light to comfort another person.
In closing, I am thankful that the work that we do at Project GRAD Akron is making a positive difference in the lives of young people. I love hearing positive stories about our young people. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to phone, text, email, and sometimes visit our college students to see how they are doing. Sometimes, they will reach out to me or one of our staff persons to just check-in. They always share how much they appreciate Project GRAD Akron and the many people who are supporting them on their journey. It is humbling to know that what may seem small to us, means so much to them. Again, let us all be a light in someone's world.
Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you for believing in the GRAD motto that Graduation Really Achieves Dreams! Feel free to contact us at 330-761-3113, email info@projectgradakron.org, or visit our website at www.projectgradakron.org. Take care!
In grateful appreciation,
Jacqueline A. Silas-Butler, Esq.
Executive Director
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