RISE (Resources Invested for Student Excellence)
RISE (Resources Invested in Student Excellence) was launched as a demonstration project in 2006 at Greenfield Middle School, and is modeled after the nationally acclaimed “Communities In Schools” model whose purpose is to help kids succeed in school. RISE brings volunteers, social services, and other community resources directly into schools in order to address unmet needs and enhance educational programming.
RISE currently serves 7 area schools, including Greenfield Middle School, Great Falls Middle School, Turners Falls High Schools, Athol-Royalston Middle School, Mahar Regional School, Amherst Regional High School, and Smith Vocational High School.
RISE is a cost-effective approach to improving schools and educational outcomes. The key to its success is the placement of an AmeriCorps member, who serves as a full-time Resource Coordinator in each school. During the first three years of operation the program has reopened a closed library (for which there was no paid staff), begun and led clubs such as Dance Club, Girls Club, Cooking Club, Badminton Bashers, Wood Working Club and Rock Band. RISE members coordinated school-wide performances by Clowns Without Borders, a UMass theatre group, and a Greenfield Community College dance group. RISE also sponsored an anger management project, an anti-bullying campaign, a health fair, and several career fairs.
RISE is funded by private foundations and charitable donations from local residents and generous businesses.
Get involved now by sharing words of advice with local youth.
To find out more about RISE, please contact Lindsay Bennett-Jacobs, RISE Massachusetts Coordinator, at 413-774-7054 ext. 113 or risema@dialself.org.
