Statements
Mission
An Array of Charm's mission is to empower disadvantaged youth by equipping them with the academic competencies, social skills and leadership training required to create permanent, positive change in their lives. We accomplish this through a foundation of training in etiquette, civility, and protocol- the three core assets that transform societal and socioeconomic differences into the common language of success.
Background
An Array of Charm, 'AAOC', was founded in January of 2004. The AAOC program was initially designed to teach today's "little girls," through classes in etiquette, manners, and character, to become tomorrow's "young ladies.' Since that time, our mission and programs have grown both in depth and in scope. Our desire to dig deeper is grounded in our belief that every child can achieve his or her goals, despite his or her circumstance. Our unique approach involves addressing cultural, economic, and educational poverty first through gender-specific foundations training in etiquette, civility, and protocol. We understand that these are three universal languages that, once learned, empower our youth to transcend the social barriers they encounter because of their socioeconomic status. These languages simultaneously broaden the world they live in and narrow it, so that their life goals are no longer out of reach. This serves as the foundation for all of our programming, which also includes academic support, character education, and leadership training.
Impact
In the past few years we have seen a tremendous growth in the work and scope of AAOC. Not only has our budget increased by at least 20% each year, but enrollment in our programming has increased from 25 students to 75 students. This growth is partly due to the establishment of partnerships between AAOC and Hull Jackson Montessori, Jones Padeia, IT Creswell Middle, Head Magnet, East End Prep and Robert Churchwell all of whom are located in North Nashville.We provide transportation and aftercare services including homework help, tutoring, etiquette training, and physical education to children at these schools. We also partner with Nashville Rescue Mission to inform families about the services AAOC provides to children. We are poised to continue this growth and expand our services in the coming year. Through new funding sources, we will be offering our services to more low-income kids than ever before, especially the children who live within walking distance.
Needs
As an all-encompassing summer program, we would almost 50 campers on educational and recreational field trips each summer. Most recently, we visited Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, a lauded research center that promotes understanding for the significance of civil rights developments in Birmingham and Kings Island Amusement Park, the largest amusement and waterpark in the Midwest. For many of our campers, out-of-town trips are not feasible due to their parent/guardian's socioeconomic statuses. Additionally, we pride ourselves in providing inner city youths with a comprehensive understanding of black history. Lastly, we believe the summer is a critical time to develop positive lifelong memories and these visits would allow our campers to collectively share an exciting and unique times.
CEO Statement
This year has been off to a great start for AAOC Camps for Youth Development. As everyone is aware, it is our nineteenth (19th) year providing services to inner city youths. This summer we are anticipating the registration of over seventy-five (75) boys and girls for summer camp. I am proud to say that the increase in enrollment over the years is due to our partnerships with Hull Jackson Montessori School, Jones Paideia Magnet School, Head Middle School and Haynes Middle School, Purpose Prep Academy and more. We have proudly provided after school care services for almost ten (10) years to these schools and the local community of North Nashville. In summary, I am happy to state that AAOC operates yearly providing services to youths, parents and the North Nashville community as a whole. To accommodate our expanding growth, we are aggressively pursuing funds to help purchase a center to operate for our children so that we may continue to fulfill our mission.
Board Chair Statement
As the chairperson of AAOC, my greatest desire is to reach out and redefine those basic values that have been cast aside and that are not taught in the traditional school classroom nor in many homes to our children. I believe that social skills such as etiquette, self worth and esteem, character building, and the practice of abstinence are very important parts in the building blocks to becoming a successful person. For example, I believe strongly that etiquette builds character. A strong character builds confidence and with confidence we have the inner ability to go forth and achieve our goals. As the chairperson for AAOC, it has afforded me the personal opportunity to work with many children from all walks of life and teach them those basic human values that hopefully they may grow up to become successful individuals in their everyday lives. Through AAOC, I find it personally rewarding in knowing that I have contributed in a small but significant way in their growth and development. I believe in teaching children that what they learn and do today will always affect their future tomorrow.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Youth Development - Youth Development Programs |
| Secondary Category: | - |
| Tertiary Category: | - |
Areas Served
We focus our services in North Nashville, which has one of the lowest median incomes in Middle Tennessee.
| TN - Cheatham |
| TN - Davidson |
| TN - Robertson |
| TN - Rutherford |
| TN - Sumner |
| TN - Williamson |
