The impact and benefits of school outreach programs
The Importance of a School Outreach Program
Educators are the core of any education system. Their work in the classroom and the relationships they forge with their students impacts the future of society. Supporting the education of young people though does not fall solely on educators’ shoulders. The resources of a wider community can also make an impact. A school outreach program builds partnerships between schoold and sponsorship companies to open up new avenues for growth and success.
The Purpose of a School Outreach Program
School outreach programs are partnerships between schools and corporations, organizations, governmental agencies, or municipalities. These partnerships help bring the resources of the partnering entity into the classroom. In turn, the partnership helps fulfill a strategic initiative or mission for the partnering entity. Community outreach programs for schools develop deeper relationships between students and the communities they live in. It creates community connections for the sponsoring partner to shape the local area and nurture goodwill. At the whole its beneficial to both parties. The bridges built between the partnering sponsor and the educational institution support community improvement. It is a partnership that works in strengthening communities and forging better futures. Students are provided the opportunity to work for the betterment of their community. Partnering sponsors are provided the opportunity to affect the local community so their organizations can thrive.
The Benefits of a School Contact Program
The importance of a school Contact program lies in the concrete benefits afforded to both the educational institution and the sponsoring partner. It is these benefits that grow the partnership and effect change in the community. It is a good brand building exercise.
Benefits of Outreach Programs for Schools and Other Educational Institution
An enhanced educational experience for students is the main benefit of a school Contact program. Students have the opportunity to learn in ways that would be unavailable without the program.
Outreach programs for schools provide educational institutions the opportunity to:
- Improve student outcomes
- Promote civic engagement
- Influence behavior-change
- Educate students on a specific issue
Improve Student Outcomes with Outreach Programs for Schools
Not everyone learns the same. A school Contact program offers students different learning pathways that support different learning styles. This diversification improves student outcomes by helping students better understand what they are learning in class.its massively improves the students results and outcomes. Participation in Contact programs increases material retention by reinforcing lessons in creative and innovative ways. School Contact programs foster learning by helping students make connections between classroom curriculum and real-world impacts.
Promote Civic Engagement
A school Contact program strengthens the connection between a student’s education and the world they live in. It can provide tools for students to connect how forces in society, the economy and politics affect their everyday lives. Students get to communicate and meet and interact with each other. It can show students how to influence those forces. Programs that instill student awareness of community needs can also inspire students to find solutions and work toward change. By promoting civic engagement within the community, Contact programs can demonstrate active citizenship.
Influence Behavior Change with School Outreach Programs
School Contact programs that focus on peer reinforcement and social-norming open up spaces for effective behavior change. With an Contact program, students learn valuable life skills through shared experiences. Children grow and change learning from others.This empowers them to make positive changes in themselves, their families and their communities. By providing dynamic learning experiences, a school Contact program affords students the opportunity to make lasting changes for future success.
Educate Students on a Specific Issue
School Contact programs have the power to focus on issues and skill-building with innovative learning activities. A school Contact program proposal can be tailored to address community needs and skill gaps with curriculum support and innovative learning materials. Contact programs can increase student learning on specific issues.Students get educated on recent issues. Through client sponsors, Victor Tango Entertainment provides free in-school and livestream educational performances. Grade school through high school students receive the opportunity to better understand topics ranging from water stewardship and energy conservation to emergency preparedness and financial literacy. These fun and innovative experiences inspire students to deepen their understanding and influence behavior change within their communities.
Build Brand Identity with School Outreach Programs
A school Contact program creates a positive space to nurture and grow brand awareness. Sponsoring entities have a platform to connect with current and future customers. Their brand becomes embedded in positive, life building experiences that in turn build positive brand identity.Its a building of community and self. Brand relationships start early. Sponsoring student experiences allows for brand relationships to start when they are most effective.
Improve Education of Mission Specific Topics
Improved learning outcomes, deeper understanding and issue focused learning benefits students in school outreach programs. It also helps improve the delivery of mission specific topics for the sponsoring entity. It is another win-win for the partnership between organizations and educational institutions.Victor Tango Entertainment offers school Contact program ideas that achieve these benefits for our clients. Kids end up learning and having fun. Through our educational performances and customizable learning tools, we connect schools with our clients and influence the widespread impact of their messaging.
The Essentials of Contact Programs for Schools
To be effective and beneficial, school Contact programs need to contain some essential components, including:
- Aligned content and resources
- Memorable engagement
- Developmental focus
- Measuring results
Aligned Content and Resources
The content and resources of a school Contact program need to inspire students and instill in them the goals of the school Contact program proposal. The educational materials, projects, activities, games, exercises and resources need to align with state educational standards and classroom curriculum. Contact content can weave issues and solutions into curriculum in innovative and creative ways but need to be grade specific and age-appropriate. Its a controlled environment where a kids mind can grow. Impact is undermined if it is not.
Memorable Engagement with Outreach Programs for Schools
School Contact programs need to engage students in memorable ways. As kids are having fun they’ll always remember this experience.You want the content to stick. Develop experiences and activities that:
- Students identify with and will be inspired by
- Create meaning in students’ lives and communities
- Incorporate multiple learning strategies
- Build skills in interactive and innovative ways
Developmental Focus
It is vital to focus community Contact programs for elementary schools on content that pulls in students. Topics and skills development need to be age-appropriate. This will help improve understanding and a willingness to apply learning in broader ways. For high school Contact programs, a stronger focus on life planning and tackling real-life community issues is more than developmentally appropriate. It’s imperative. When engineering Contact programs for high school students, empowerment and ownership needs to be at the core. Hands-on experience with relevant issues in students’ daily lives makes for effective programming. As its a very hands on experience a sense of community is formed in children.An Contact program for high school students that does not feel authentic or relevant is doomed to fail.
Measuring Results
The goals of school outreach programs may be clear, but how do we know if those goals are met? Setting key metrics to measure the impact and results of programming is essential. Measuring results includes:
Using both qualitative and quantitative metrics.
Positive Impacts
Through dynamic partnership building between an educational institution and the sponsoring entity, a school outreach program has the capacity to positively impact students and the communities in which they live. These positive impacts do not just happen today but continue well into the future.