The Village Group
Cultivating a better community through children
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
A study by Harvard economists rates Georgetown, SC, as a county where “poor children have the most difficulty in the country climbing the income ladder.” (NYTimes, 5/5/15) It is in the bottom 5% of all counties in the U.S. on income mobility. The study concludes, “The broader lesson of our analysis is that social mobility should be tackled at the local level.” In Plantersville: White 19% African-American 77% 23% of Population has Post-Secondary Education Median Household Income $24,554 28% of population on Food stamps 28% are Single Female Head of Household 100% of unwed mothers in Plantersville live below the poverty level In nearly every measurement, families and their children living in the rural, western part of Georgetown County SC face a significant chance of living in poverty, in a single-parent household and facing a considerable struggle. The youth in these homes represent our target audience.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Plantersville Summer Academy (PSA)
PSA is the largest Summer Slide prevention program in Georgetown County, SC. Through pre/post testing we identify the needs and accomplishments of the students. Our Certified teachers provide youth entering k - 9th grade several hours of classroom instruction. Integrated into the day is experiential activities, largely based on STEM such as Young Engineering program, Aeronautical week, field trips to Amtrak, museums, parks, and guest speakers. Literacy is of the highest priority . Students identified needing assistance work with a Reading Specialist . Students receive three nutritious meals a day.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Non-Profit of the Year - Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce 2015
South Carolina After School Alliance 2017
South Carolina Secretary of State Angel 2022
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of students showing interest in topics related to STEM
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Plantersville Summer Academy (PSA)
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Young Engineering Program is available to 5 - 9th graders began in 2018 and was requested by students and parents to be expanded.
Number of students enrolled
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Plantersville Summer Academy (PSA)
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Students are in grades K-9
Number of links and collaborations with external organizations that support student learning and its priority tasks
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Families
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Collaborations with entities like Helping Hands of Georgetown, Lowcountry Food Bank, Baskerville Food Pantry, Coastal Carolina University, etc. provide food distribution and parent/community events.
Number of free participants on field trips
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Plantersville Summer Academy (PSA)
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
The Summer Academy is FREE to all Plantersville Elementary School student participants who go on weekly field enrichment trips as part of the 6-week program.
Number of meals served or provided
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Plantersville Summer Academy (PSA)
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Plantersville Summer Academy serves 3 meals per day, four days per week, for a total of 6 weeks with an average of 200 students per day.
Number of students who demonstrate improved overall literacy
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Plantersville Summer Academy (PSA)
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Academic growth calculated using scholars Star assessment pre-test scores compared to their post-test scores showed that students enrolled in the program gained an average of 1.5 months of reading.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The Village Group is committed to inspiring and encouraging students to appreciate the value of being lifelong learners. The goal is to provide a safe and nurturing environment, while at the same time improve performance on standardized tests and increase the number of students who graduate from high school. Long term, these improvements and positive vision should help their career opportunities and overall life success.
Plantersville Summer Academy's goal is to eliminate summer slide. Summer Slide is particularly acute among low-income students, who lose an average of more than 2 months in reading achievement in the summer, slowing their development and readiness for the next grade. It exacerbates the achievement gap with their middle-class peers. By the fifth grade, low-income students fall about 3 years behind their counterparts due to a lack of summer educational and personal experience opportunities. Yet, studies show that summer learning programs (of at least 6 weeks) can produce statistically significant gains in reading performance. (Handbook of Research on Schools, Schooling and Human Development)
We seek to expand students economic opportunities through greater academic achievement and a broader view of the world and their career possibilities.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
In 2008 The Village Group begun Plantersville Summer Academy (PSA) a 7 week program in June and July offering a bridge to prepare students entering K-9 grades for the next school year. Our premier program seeks to prepare low-income minority youth for academic achievement and STEM-based careers. It involves working with the rural youth on math, STEM and literacy, as well as introducing them to the larger world’s possibilities.
In 2017 through a grant from the South Carolina Department of Education we implemented the Plantersville Enrichment Academy (PEA). This after school program provides remedial education and academic enrichment at Plantersville Elementary School. PEA provides students with tutoring, homework assistance, recreation, character education, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math), Mentoring, Entrepreneurship experiences, and nutritious snacks after-school.
The Village Flyers Bike Club engages mentor-mentee pairs for regular bike rides. This ongoing interaction develops connection between under-served youth and the community. Kids experience movement and activity as part of a healthy lifestyle – developing beneficial habits.
Mentors’ interaction, activity and guidance instill positive growth and leadership skills in mentees. The bike club empowers the youth through teaching goal setting and responsibility. Kids can earn bicycle ownership through consistent participation and commitment.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Plantersville Summer Academy uses nationally certified teachers to spark interest in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math) and inspire STEM-related career choices. To enhance other academic achievements, we work on math aptitude and have a certified Reading Specialist providing one-on-one and small group lessons to those found to be performing below grade level. In addition to the academic emphasis and daily outdoor exercise activities, we broaden students’ views of the world through life-enriching field trips, to increase knowledge, help mold positive attitudes and raise their self-expectations. Trips have included visits to:
• Industries (Boeing, BMW, SC Ports)
• Delta Airlines maintenance center
• Colleges and university (Howard in Washington, DC, Tuskegee in AL and Bethune Cookman in FL)
• Washington DC’s Air & Space Museum
• Wildlife refuges
• Art galleries
Plantersville Enrichment Academy 's certified teachers provide support to 88% of Plantersville elementary school's attendees. Working in partnership with the school's teachers we provide the "extra" assistance necessary in order for the children to perform at or close to grade level.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
• In 2019, we reviewed our board of directors and recruited on the need for specific professions, younger professionals, people who resided outside of Plantersville and individuals with non-profit board experience. Efforts are in progress to recruit individuals to serve on committees that reflect the community we serve, as well as board candidates with specific areas of expertise.
• A full-time Chief Operating Officer with demonstrated experience in non-profit management was hired.
• Donated land in Plantersville was developed as the Plantersville Cultural Center and serves as TVG headquarters. It may also house other TVG activities and community programs, creating an ongoing visible presence to the community of our commitment to Plantersville.
• Several program participants have now graduated from college and returned to The Village Group to share what they are doing. For example, one works with Microsoft. Another is an elementary teacher. Another began teaching math at Georgetown Middle School in the fall of 2019. She also is now a teacher with our Plantersville Summer Academy. The return of these former students, sharing their experiences and stories while acting as mentors demonstrates the possible careers our students can pursue.
. Added a 10-session series on character values that is currently used in schools in Ohio, Florida and Texas with some 10,000 youth. The series helps “young students, who can change the world” understand the value of attitude, self-esteem, willpower, understanding people, forgiveness and hope. They learn that thoughts become actions, actions become habits and habits become your destiny.
• Participated in a Summer Film Literacy Youth Program.
. Took students on the Capstone Trip to the National Museum of African-American History & Culture (Washington, DC) and Morgan State University (Baltimore, MD).
• Through a new partnership, initiated a Water Safety Program
What is next - The Board of Directors' Strategic Planning Committee is leading the BOD in determining the next one- three year plan based on information secured through an independent consultants interviews with stakeholders such as parents, funders, teachers, board members and volunteers. In addition, the board is having discussions about maxing out the physical space at Plantersville Elementary School and researching expansion to a second location with similar demographics and issues.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
The Village Group
Board of directorsas of 01/18/2024
Mr. Edrick Alston
Georgetown County School District - Carver Bay Middle School
Term: 2021 - 2024
Edrick Alston
Georgetown County School District - Carver Bay Middle School
Mack J Burgess
Georgetown County School District - McDonald Elementary School
Pamela Martin, PhD
Coastal Carolina University
Ashley Nelson
The Frances P. Bunnelle Foundation
Sarah Smith
Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments
Vanessa Dease
Cross High School
Talicia McCants
Santee Cooper
Michael Wright
AMI Kids
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 04/29/2020GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.