Operation Shoestring

BancorpSouth Supports Operation Shoestring

rwalker — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:43:20 +0000

Long-time Operation Shoestring supporter BancorpSouth presented a check for $15,000 to Executive Director Robert Langford this week. We thank BancorpSouth for their generous investment in the children and families of our central Jackson community! Left to right: Amber May, Project K.I.D.S. coordinator; Evelyn Edwards, BancorpSouth; Lawanda Hamilton, Shoestring parent; Robert Landford, Executive Director; children from our Project K.I.D.S. after-school program.

Help Us Kick Off Summer Reading

rwalker — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:52:01 +0000

Supplies for activities are needed, like colored construction paper, scissors, mini-staplers with staples, glue, tape, and paper lunch bags. Have experience working with children? Volunteers willing to present activities for children and their parents are needed as well. Please call Rolanda Alexander at 601-353-6336 ext. 13 for more information.

Operation Spring Fling: We had a great time!

rwalker — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:34:19 +0000

Operation Spring Fling was a great success! We had a great turnout, enjoyed fun music and dancing, and partied into the night! Thanks to everyone who came to support Operation Shoestring and the children and families we serve. Be sure to visit our facebook page to see photos from the evening.

Help us celebrate Sharon’s joy on April 26th

rwalker — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:19:44 +0000

“This was the best experience—the best experience—I’ve had in so long!” This high praise came from Sharon Epps, a mother of five who came to an employment workshop for adults at Operation Shoestring. Sharon and the rest of the group learned how to present themselves professionally, respond to interview questions, and prepare their resumes. Sharon’s excitement came yesterday following her hire by a local temp agency for a job she’ll begin today. Sharon said her children know she’s been preparing for job interviews in this workshop, and she can’t wait to tell them it’s paid off. “I did this because I want to set an example for my children that I can complete a goal. I can get a job, and this will help me get the money to finish my GED and train to do medical billing work.” She said her 12-year-old daughter will be the most excited about her success from the workshop. “She helped me pick out this interview outfit, so she’ll know she did good!”

Help us celebrate the joy that Sharon and so many other moms, dads, and their children get from Operation Shoestring’s work and ministry–thanks to your support. Join us at Operation Spring Fling on Thursday, April 26^th, in the Art Garden. We’ll enjoy music from The Vamps, good food, drinks and fun! Admission is free, so bring your friends. Want to do more than attend the party? We’d love to add you to our list of Event Hosts for Spring Fling. Couples who give $250 and individuals who give $125 will be listed. And if your company wants to support our work and be listed as a sponsor, even better! It takes less than a minute to do it online! See you on the 26^th!

Spring Fling!

admin — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:52:26 +0000

Celebrate the empowerment of children and families in the heart of our capital city! Join us on the 26th at the coolest garden party in Jackson! Admission is free. There’s still time to join our list of Event Hosts.

SOLD OUT

whoverstreet — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:11:53 +0000

Thursday’s Conversation About Community is sold out! We are so thankful for the generosity of our donors and the interest in our mission by this community!

Videos, pictures, updates and more at Facebook

whoverstreet — Mon, 09 May 2011 21:18:41 +0000

Remember to visit www.facebook.com/operationshoestring for regular updates on our mission

Teacher of the Year! One of our own…

whoverstreet — Mon, 09 May 2011 21:10:36 +0000

Chloe Garth-Elkins, an English teacher at Lanier High School, was named JPS Teacher of the Year recently. Ms. Elkins is very special to us at Shoestring. In addition to her indispensable help with our Youth Employment Program (YEP) for students at Lanier, she continues to play a key role as the site coordinator (and awesome teacher!) in our 21st Century after-school and summer program for more than 100 Lanier students. She is a passionate teacher who shares our vision for a better Jackson – starting with a quality education for all of its children.

Entergy Steps Up Its Support

whoverstreet — Mon, 09 May 2011 20:56:19 +0000

Operation Shoestring received a very generous gift from Entergy, a longtime supporter, at a recent meeting. Pictured left to right are Evelyn Edwards, board chair; Liz Brister, Entergy Mississippi; Doug Boone, board treasurer; Robert Langford, executive director.

Preparing for Summer

whoverstreet — Mon, 09 May 2011 19:51:20 +0000

Every child deserves a summer filled with fun. Summers, like childhood, pass quickly – and people in Jackson can help us make a memorable summer possible for hundreds of children.

For some children, summer vacation means camp, family trips, visits to museums, parks and libraries and a variety of enriching activities. But other children – like many we serve – find that when schools close for the summer, healthy meals, and fun and engaging activities are out of reach, as are activities that strengthen academic achievement and provide opportunities to explore new interests. At Operation Shoestring, we are providing those summer activities.

The phenomenon of summer undoing school-year learning has come to be known as “summer learning loss.” The Afterschool Alliance notes that this was first commented on in 1906 followed some decades later by the 1978 book Summer Learning and the Effects of Schooling, by Barbara Heyns, which was based on her study of Atlanta students. More recently, a number of researchers have found that nearly all the differences in achievement between poor and middleclass children can be attributed to changes in learning that take place over the summer..

Quality summer experiences give children access and exposure to the opportunities and relationships within their communities that promote learning and development. In fact, summer programs have the potential to close the test-score gaps that plague Mississippi. At Operation Shoestring this summer, we will provide fun and academic enriching camps here on Bailey Avenue and at several schools in the Lanier feeder pattern. We know that these efforts will help the students we serve close the gap between where they are and where they need to be.

We have seen our children work hard every day after school to become better students and to attain higher grades. With help from our donors, they can continue their learning and their growing this summer and be better prepared for school’s start in August.