YES for Prep
The mission of YES for PREP is to increase the pool from which all major institutions draw leadership by developing the leadership potential of able young people from groups grossly underrepresented in that pool.

Story Readers
Why are YES Foundation® Volunteers so happy? Because YES Volunteers show kindergarten students they care about them by providing weekly one hour story reading sessions for 21 weeks each school year. The volunteers give children new books and expose them to literature, which helps expand their vocabulary and improve language and listening skills. Our volunteers are caring, committed adults who enjoy sharing their time and talent. They also receive many benefits including:
• Face-to-face involvement with young people
• Training in program areas
• Direct impact and enhancement of children’s lives
• Opportunity for personal growth
• Recognition for service

Did You Know?
• The average child of a middle-income family has been exposed to 1,500 hours of one-on-one reading time. In contrast, the average child of a low-income family has only been exposed to 25 hours of one-on-one reading time.
• The most successful way to improve the reading achievement of low-income children is to increase their access to print.
• The number of books available to children in the home significantly correlates to reading scores.
• The gap between children from low and high income families on reading comprehension scores is over 40.

How Do You Get Involved?
If you would like to volunteer to be a YES Foundation® Story Reader or if you are a school principal and would like YES Story Readers in your school call the YES Foundation® office today! (248-646-5696)

This program is funded by:
Thompson-McCully Foundation
Frederick Vollbrect Foundation
UAW-GM
YES Members and Friends

The Buddy Academic Coaching Program
The Buddy Academic Coaching Program is an innovative, volunteer-driven, early literacy intervention program designed to help ensure that area first-graders obtain critical pre-reading skills and begin to read by the end of first grade. Each year hundreds of Detroit area children leave kindergarten and enter first grade unable to read. Many are unable to identify and sequence letters of the alphabet, sounds associated with letters, sounds associated with blends and combinations and whole words necessary for reading at grade level.

This YES Foundation® program provides specialized one-on-one literacy coaching that is effective in helping students master critical pre-reading skills and begin to read.

We believe this is an important first step toward a happy, productive life.

E-Buddy
21st century literacy requirements demand we use every possible approach to teaching our children to read. YES Foundation® volunteers are trained to use not only standardized phonics systems, games and books, but state-of-the-art technology. Our technology-assisted literacy coaching helps bridge the “digital divide” by bringing the research-based Accelerated Reader program to schools, students and parents who currently have no access to this technology.

Program Objectives and Outcomes
Teachers at selected schools identify first grade students who have not yet mastered the alphabet and cannot read. With parental consent, those students are extracted from the classroom for 1-2 hours/week for 21 consecutive weeks to be nurtured, coached and tutored by trained YES volunteers. During the weekly sessions, students are taught important pre-reading skills and coached in spelling and reading. To enhance the program's impact, free books are distributed to parents/guardians to read to their child at home.

Student Outcomes Include:
• Increase in knowledge of letters A–Z
• Increase in knowledge of sequencing letters A–Z
• Increase in knowledge of letter sounds
• Increase in attempts to spell and read
• Demonstrated belief in ability to read
• Positive change in attitudes and motivation to read
• Positive change in letter/sound identification skills
• Positive change in phonemic awareness
• Positive change in parent-child relationship

This Program is made possible thanks to funding from:
THE THOMPSON-MCCULLY FOUNDATION
THE SKILLMAN FOUNDATION
UNITED WAY COMMUNITY SERVICES SPECIAL PROJECT AWARDS
THE IBM CORPORATION

Academic KinderCamp
Academic KinderCamp will provide kindergarten and first grade students an opportunity to learn, in a fun and risk-free environment, where they can improve reading skills needed for life-long learning.

Overview
Reading is the foundation for all formal education. One of the main skills needed for becoming a good reader is phonics. The Academic KinderCamp is a six-week summer program that helps kindergarten and first grade children to feel confident with letters and sounds in a fun-learning environment.

Field Trips
Every Friday, campers will take a field trip that relates to the weekly theme. For example, during Farm Week campers will visit a farm and take pictures of animals to include in their alphabet book. Each field trip will give campers a chance to see how letters, sounds, and words are every where.

Exciting Themes
Each week, campers will have a chance to explore a new theme to help them learn to read. Themes will include: Down on the Farm, Science Week, Fun With Music, Library Week, Fun with numbers and More!

Data-Driven
Each camper is given a pre-assessment, which will allow for the preparation of an "Individual Student Plan" (ISP) to help our staff establish goals for each child. During camp, children will participate in small group activities that will help campers reach their goals. Parents/Guardians are invited to participate with their child. At the close of camp, the same test will be given to the children to give staff and parents an academic "snap shot" of the child's camp experience. Academic aids, which can be used to help your child during the school year, will be distributed.

Computer Technology
Academic KinderCamp also uses state-of-the-art computer programs to help campers learn reading skills. We believe that technology is a powerful learning tool.

Camp Sessions
Attendance is mandatory so that the program can effectively help all children. Classes are held from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, Monday–Friday. The Camp will take place at: University of Michigan-Dearborn, 19000 Hubbard Drive, Dearborn, MI 48126. Light breakfast and a snack will be served daily.

Registration Information
Academic KinderCamp is provided for a nominal fee. Based on needs of students who have academic challenges (regular education students)
Enrollment based on first come, first serve basis
Space is limited to 50 students from the entire Detroit Public Schools District
Please attend our information session on Saturday, May 30, 2009 to register.

The YES Foundation®
30600 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1260
Bingham Farms, Michigan 48025
Telephone: (248) 646-5696
Fax: (248) 646-6197
E-mail: administration@theyesfoundation.org
Ms. Michelle Morden
Camp Curriculum Director

Academic Camp Exploration
This camp is designed to provide participating students with a sound footing in the offered courses, which include algebra, English, literature/writing and Spanish to prepare them for the seventh grade.

Who Can Participate
Student's entering the 7th grade in the fall following the summer in which they participate in the camp can enroll. Students will be selected on a first come first serve basis.

Courses/Experiences Offered
Algebra
English
Literature/Writing
Spanish
Field Trips

When Does the Camp Take Place
The camp runs from mid-June through the end of July. Classes meet from 8:00–12:00 on Monday–Thursday. Field trips are on every Friday.

Where Will the Camp Take Place
The University of Michigan-Dearborn
Fairlane Center, 19000 Hubbard Drive
Dearborn, MI 48126-2613

Registration
Call The Yes Foundation® at (248) 646-5696

Explorers Learning Academy
The Explorers Learning Academy aims to support high school success by providing students in grades 6–8 with opportunities to strengthen the prerequisite skills for entering and succeeding in high school.

Registered students may participate in an extracurricular exploration of four (4) academic domains: Mathematics, English, Science and History. In some workshops, which could range from one meeting to six meetings (a strand), students will have an opportunity to revisit basic concepts that were missed in earlier grades Students will have opportunities to engage in group discussions as they learn study skills and public speaking. Positive peer support will be encouraged, facilitated and supported.

Explorers Workshops are scheduled on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Students will have an opportunity to:
• Experience focused enrichment classes in Mathematics, English, Science and Social Studies
• Explore and assess career interests
• Learn how to select a high school and appropriate high school courses
• Learn study skills and test taking skills
• Pre ACT/SAT test practice
• Develop internet research skills
• Engage in academic competitions

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