Statements
Mission
The Project Reflect mission is to transform urban America through education and policy reform?to save every child. We envision a community of empowerment and equality through education, self realization, personal responsibility, and service to others.
Background
Project Reflect was founded in 1992 to serve children living in poverty and to transform urban America through education and education reform. One program to fulfill this mission is Smithson-Craighead Academy, a K-4 charter school opened in 2003. Serving close to 240 students, SCA offers children, some at risk of school failure due to socioeconomic stressors, a strong education with emphasis on math and literacy. 92% of students in SCA live in poverty, and 30% of households reported annual incomes of $10,000 or less. Specialized interventions and collaborations with other nonprofit agencies allow Project Reflect to surround families with critical support. Project Reflect has been recognized for its work by being selected 5th best Nashville school by Education Consumers Foundation (2008) and the Nashville Chamber's Red Apple education award (2008).
Impact
We seek to be a "one stop shop" for all things necessary to positively impact the community. Our goal is to empower and impact scholars from all backgrounds and ability levels. We will accomplish this through:
1) Implementation of a strong academic mastery tracking software that will enable the instructional staff to track the academic progress of students on an ongoing basis2) A strong before and after school program that offers extensive academic intervention programming to address the individualized needs of the students3) Implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI) that carries out instruction in small groups to closely address the instructional needs of the students by grouping them in different tiers.4) Well established early childhood / PreK program. 5) Implementation of mentoring programs, parenting academy that offers EL, HISET/GED, and Financial Literacy Courses to our parents and adults in the community.
Needs
Our school is in need of upgrades to our facilities to expand another grade level and a growing number of students. We need a complete overhaul of our restrooms, a new roof, mounted projectors, other technology, gym floor. and other projects to beautify our campus.
CEO Statement
I have been employed with Project Reflect Smithson Craighead Academy since 2017. It has been extremely gratifying to see the transformations of so many students who have had received their academic foundation at the school. This organization is special because we strive to fulfill a great mission of transforming urban America and we are able to do this by fulfilling the needs of our students, but in addition to that, we serve the families. We work to provide resources that will benefit the not only the students at Smithson Craighead but the families overall. We are committed to making a positive difference. We want to provide a safe haven and nurturing learning environment and it takes a committed staff that is dedicated to carry out a do what it takes mentality to ensure that the students and families receive the support they need to maximize the positive effect of what we offer both in the classroom and through our family focused events. As a former teacher and principal, the importance of education was instilled in me early on. I believe all children deserve the opportunity to receive a great education regardless of where they come from or what hardships they face in life. As long as we can instill in our students that they are capable to attain the goals that they set for themselves and they have the intrinsic motivation to soar (the mascot of SCA is the Eagles), then the sky is the limit!
Board Chair Statement
Our Board of Directors is charged with faithfully implementing change according to the mission and goals of the organization. We believe strongly in the mission and vision of Project Reflect as a vehicle to make possible real and dynamic change in the lives of children of poverty?to transform them through a comprehensive, educational immersion experience to lives of greater opportunity. In today's national climate of economic instability and increased incarceration, the work that we are doing at Project Reflect to educate and to advocate for underachieving children continues to influence public policy. Amidst our recent challenges, our board and staff have worked to transform our agency?thus transforming those we serve?to create a current stability, to experience dramatic growth, to establish a clear and exciting vision for the future, and to provide quality service to those we have promised an experience of transformation through education, empowerment, and equality.Our resources include strong community support, a stable and committed staff, and a mission that drives every aspect of organizational life on behalf of children and families living in poverty. We invite your participation in our mission and in our service.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Education - Educational Services |
| Secondary Category: | Youth Development - Alliances & Advocacy |
| Tertiary Category: | Public & Societal Benefit - Public & Societal Benefit NEC |
Areas Served
We serve children and families in Davidson County with an emphasis on building a strong academic foundation while also working to address their emotional and social needs. Currently, our client population is primarily African American (42%) with a Hispanic population of (49%), and our Caucasian and Other population consists of (8%).
| TN - Davidson |
