We emphasize development of character, healthy behavior, and an optimistic attitude, Then academics

Homework Assistance: We provide one-one and small group tutoring. By combining a child’s natural enthusiasm and desire to learn with the quality instruction and resources, our kids develop the confidence, attitude and mental scaffolding to propel them upward. We help our children understand the importance of habituating the intellectual values of hard work, rigorous study habits and organized goal-setting.

Guest Speakers: To guide, motivate, and inspire the potential in children and youth. They speak on the values of disciplined persistence and drive, vision, hard work and preparation.

Programs we offer in addition include:

English as a Second Language (ESL) Classes: We offer adult beginner and intermediate ESL courses in morning hours of Strive. The aim of our low-cost course is to provide parents access to the instruction they need to advance themselves and be a greater help to their children and their community. 

Financial Literacy: Our ‘Strive Bucks’ banking system teaches our kids (1st – 12th grades) the importance of managing funds from a young age. Keeping this in mind, we offer Financial Literacy as an elective course to better equip our middle & high school students with crucial skill sets they will use the rest of their lives. By focusing on fundamental tools such as budgeting, our students begin to develop an awareness of their financial decisions and learn the benefits of earning, saving, and financial planning from an early age. Our goal is for our students to apply the tools of being financially literate to their own decision making but also to take the opportunity to help their parents in real world situations.

Teen Night: Strive stresses the importance of not only academics but the ability to make healthy life choices. During our Teen Nights, our middle & high school students have an opportunity to engage separately in various topics including the social pressures they experience in theirs schools, homes and communities. These discussions with our teens are an ‘anything goes’ type forum (approved by parents). The range of topics our kids bring up are healthy, topical and challenging to say the least. The demand for such a space was high amongst our youth that we increased our meeting times to bimonthly.

Collaboration with Youth Entrepreneurs: Strive incorporated the Youth Entrepreneurs, “YE” project into our middle school and high school program every Friday. “YE” is a nonprofit organization that provides resources to educators interested in teaching entrepreneurship to students. The aim of YE is to help transform the mindsets of students about what is possible with hard work and creativity, as well as empower them to seize the initiative in their own lives. Topics discussed include an introduction to entrepreneurship, economics, principles of marketing, business finance, and how to create a business model canvas. The focal program goal is to give students the tools to prepare themselves for Market Day--an opportunity for the students to experience first hand the ups and downs of running an actual business.

Theatrical Production: One of our program’s objectives is to inspire a love of learning by providing a “playground for the mind.” We accomplish this through our Theater Arts elective which enables our 4th to 12th grade students to become self-confident and practice all forms of public speaking skills. Moreover, Students are given the opportunity to explore the different career options that are involved in producing a theatrical play. Through our disguised learning strategy, Students engage creatively and develop their understanding of ELA concepts such as plot, story-structure, character development, cause and effect, themes, and story setting.

Strive Board Game Group: We encourage our students to engage beyond their cellular device and to keep an active mind. To this regard, we now offer our middle school and high school students an alternative activity they can join every other Saturday morning. The purpose of the board game group is to help our students improve their social skills and critical thinking skills while playing engaging board games. Board games allow students to practice their social understanding, social-emotional, and communication skills by cooperating and engaging their peers in games and activities that require risk analysis, logic, statistics, and problem solving. During game days, we’ve observed students working together to solve fluctuating challenges and calculating their probability of obtaining a desired outcome, which reflect real life experiences.

Student Staff Volunteer Program: The aim of our student volunteer program is to prepare all participants with the skills, work ethics and discipline to become the best possible employee for their future employment. We help develop their understanding of professionalism by emphasizing on work values such as punctuality, dependability, readiness and responsibility. All student volunteers must sign and adhere to our Affirmation Statement as well as our Employee Rules and Procedures. A 3.0 or above GPA is required. After completion of their service hours students who demonstrate strong work ethics may be considered for a paid position as student staff. For a handful of our student staff this is their first paid employment.