This holiday season we are grateful to reflect on how Ascend has grown throughout 2023. Easily one of our best years to date, we saw our community grow in so many ways. From the tutoring program to our fundraising efforts we saw growth in all sectors. All of this growth was thanks to you, our donors. Here is a recap of what we accomplished.
Back in January we were excited to have a complete coaching staff full of Ascend veterans who know how to run a fun practice. Our coaching team led multiple basketball sessions each week for our students, weekend sessions open to the community, and a community tournament in the spring. This tournament was organized by our staff and ran smoothly because of the support from our Ascend Alumni volunteers. We hosted guest speakers, community members, and even representatives from the professional Gambia basketball organization.
To wrap up the year, our students helped to plan and organize a sleep-away field trip. Our staff took a bus full of Ascend students up-country to learn about local economies. Our students broadened their view of what it takes to run a small business, the environmental impact development has on our land, and more.
One of the most exciting moments of the year was getting summative academic feedback from students. We learned that our tutoring program helped nearly 10 of our students move on to the next track at school. Many students reported increased confidence, higher test scores, and better overall achievement in school thanks to our programming.
Hearing from our students helped to shape our goals for the current school year. Our students had asked for increased support in the classroom so, this fall, we welcomed two new staff members.
Madam Clara and Mr. Jarju are teachers at St. Therese school. They each hold a weekly session with our Academy students to offer specific math and English support. In addition to the math and English sessions, our students benefit from the test taking and life skills curriculum led by our other staff members.
Looking back, it is amazing to reflect on how far we have come in nearly a decade of programming. We have 5 staff members who actively respond to student feedback and adjust programming to best fit the needs of our community. We have a strong group of Alumni students who volunteer to support sessions and offer mentorship both on the court and in the classroom. We have the best problem, our students never want to leave!
All of this is because of support from people like you. Our spring sponsorship campaign enabled all students to finish the academic year with full programming and events in addition to receiving much needed school supplies. Our fall fundraisers, the t-shirt drive and charity benefit concert, raised enough money to fund school year start up costs, hire two new staff members, and fund general programming costs for more than half our programming year. We are humbled by your support and want you to know that this support truly impacts the lives of many people.