Damascus Outreach Association Inc
"Educating The Entire Child!" "Serving The Community!"
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Obtaining major funding is a challenge for rural noon-profits like Damascus Outreach Association, Inc. However, the rural students that we serve here in the region (Gates / Hertford County) of the northeast part of North Carolina tend to have the biggest need . The need is great for an after school STEM program as the student's learning and grade improvement depend heavily upon services like ours to help in areas; STEM, homework help, tutoring and SEL (social emotional learning / Character Education. Transportation is a huge cost due to the massive rural area within the county. Corporations tend to overlook the northeastern rural and poor regions of the state and fund more the central and western parts of the state. However, these overlooked regions desperately need sponsorship & funding just as bad, if not perhaps more because of the lack of major corporations. We seek to reach foundations and the corporations who are willing to help us help these poor, rural, at-risk students.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Damascus Outreach Association STEM Intitiative
Damascus Outreach Association, Inc. After school Program - 5 major components to program:
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math)
Homework / Tutoring Assistance through tutoring, mentoring and use of computer labs
Nutrition education /Meals -to promote healthy lifestyles and combat obesity
Character Education / Life skills which are integrated throughout all phases of the program
Physical Ed/ instruction where participants engage in fun physical fitness, enjoy the camaraderie of playing in a team format with friends and peers, and learn to become responsible adolescents and adults
- serves 100 children tutoring 12 hours/week fall and spring sessions/summer program
POPULATION SERVED Youth 6-13 years old - Gates County Schools - (100 Students) 70 % single parent low-income. 65 % female, 35 % male; 55% African American, 45 % Caucasian. OUTCOMES AND EVALUATION-90% complete program 70 % demonstrate academic improvement
Also- low Income housing services
Damascus Kiddie College / STEM Program
A birth-to 5 years old STEM program to help start the younger ones out right in education. Providing early stimulation for the infants and toddlers as studies shows that children who are engaged in STEM based learning early on go on to become higher achievers in life ,and most are highly successful in life.
We utilize 4- top research data-driven curriculums that re-enforces their learning in a fun, natural ,yet highly effective way.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Chamber of Commerce 2016
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 served who earn passing grades in core subjects
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Women and girls, Men and boys, Children and youth
Related Program
Damascus Outreach Association STEM Intitiative
Type of Metric
Context - describing the issue we work on
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Damascus STEM Academy continues to excel in helping girls and boys gain interest in Science and Technology. We target at-risk and rural students who otherwise would not have an opportunity in STEM.
Number of students showing improvement in test scores
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Women and girls, Men and boys, Children and youth
Related Program
Damascus Outreach Association STEM Intitiative
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
All students showed improvement in one category or another (reading/mat/S.E.L.). Over 91% of the students in the program showed improvement in tests and school grades over the year.
Number of student behavioral issues reported
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Women and girls, Men and boys, Children and youth
Related Program
Damascus Outreach Association STEM Intitiative
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Decreasing
Context Notes
We continue to see great success in our SEL / Character Education Program with the end result of fewer students encountering behavioral issues within the school and after school.
Number of students enrolled
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Women and girls, Men and boys, Children and youth
Related Program
Damascus Outreach Association STEM Intitiative
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Our enrollment continues to grow and reach students who are in need of our STEM Program.
Number of students receiving homework help
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Women and girls, Men and boys, Children and youth
Related Program
Damascus Outreach Association STEM Intitiative
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Decreasing
Context Notes
Our dedicated staff, teachers and tutors provide tips, strategies and hands-on homework help for students who are in need of homework help. Teaching them how to become more self-sufficient .
Goals & Strategy
Learn 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?
Our goals are those of effecting change to the students in the lower percentile 43% - Hertford County,NC & the students in the lower 55% of students in our county (Gates County) - who are falling behind within their grades ,school' EOGs /EOCs and without help like ours are facing a dismal future , if a future at all. Other surrounding counties (Hertford/Bertie County) the picture seems even worst with a higher percentage of failure in the schools and in the learning of the students , that we can help to change , if given the resources ad opportunities to do so. We have had a huge impact on the students within our program with a 75% student improvement rate for our students who are apart of our STEM after school program. We believe we can do even more and for more students but funding is a major factor and what we need most to help these students.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
DOA aims to cultivate the whole child, centering all of it's programming within the fundamental
principles of adolescent youth development. DOA uses the Search Institute's framework of the “40
Developmental Assets" to inform and impact the way programming is implemented. Finally, DOA is
committed to cultivating a generation of students from traditionally underserved communities and
enrolled in underperforming schools, into high performing, high achieving, classroom and community
leaders engaged in the STEM field of study as scholars and professionals. Damascus Outreach
Association,Inc is committed to cultivating a generation of STEM prepared students from traditionally underserved minority communities and increase the number of students who earn degrees in STEM to help match the markets' needs. Damascus' goal is that of increasing the students' education level in technical and,or vocational skills, while preparing and equipping them for college and a career or
profession in the STEM fields. Early student leaders engaged in the STEM field of study in elementary
and middle school tend to follow that track of learning into their college years and beyond as many go on
to have STEM related-professions, and, or careers as scholars and professionals
(http://www.ncpublicschools.org/ncisd/public).
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Damascus Outreach Association (DOA), has been providing successful after school and summer programming for over 8 years. Founded in 2008, DOA began by providing educational services (tutoring, homework help, summer camp, food/snacks) to the children and families of Gates County, NC, initially serving 25 students. In 2010, DOA received funding from the North Carolina Department of Instruction (NCDI) in 2010 allowing us to support 50 students with it's summer programming, students were able to combat the summer slide showing 62% improvement in the pre-and post GMADE Pre and post assessment tests, because of the success of the program. NCDI continued to fund the program for 4 years. In addition, that same year, DOA was selected as a Supplemental Educational Services (SES) provider and previously served student from Hertford County, Gates County, Pasquotank County, Bertie County and Perquimans County Schools. these students saw a 20% increase in their math and reading scores over the previous year as reflected in their final report cards. Further, we have previous relationships that we will leverage in the school selected for this grant because we previously supported students as their SES provider (Riverview Elementary (served 12 students), Ahoskie Elementary (served 12 Students) and Gates Elementary (served 12 Students)).
With parent feedback leading the way and confirming what the DOA staff suspected, the children in the community were in critical need of tutoring and mentoring services. Damascus Outreach Association board members and staff sought out ways of helping these at-risk students and pleading parents. It was this desire to serve that led DOA to submit a request to serve as a 21st CCLC in Gates County. DOA received the 21st CCLC Grant, and implemented the DOA STEM Initiative, serving 115 “at-risk" students from Gates County in the 2014-15 school year. Of these students 75% showed at least an 15% improvement in their reading and math scores from the previous year. Because of the successful implementation and outcomes DOA was refunded for 2015, 2016 and 2017, the full four-year grant cycle. In 2015 and 2016, DOA successfully replicated and improved on it's 2014 results growing and improving each year. In the final year of the grant, 2016-17, DOA achieved the following:
• Successfully recruited 100 “at-risk" students from Gates County Schools that received either a 1 or 2 on the Math or Reading state assessments
• Successfully retained 86 out of 100 students for the entire length of the program.
• Maintained an average daily at weekly attendance of 63 students.
• 80% of the students served showed improvement in reading and math scores based on their report cards, EOG tests, pre/post session assessments and teacher surveys
• Received the highest audit score of “meets requirements" no with no additional findings.
Key Resources
Computers,Kindles,Microscopes,Telescopes,Calculators and more, 2500 foot facility, transportation.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
76% STUDENT IMPROVEMENT RATE 3 YEARS!Damascus Outreach Association, Inc is playing a big part in the transformation with a 75% student improvement rate for students within our program. Now, instead of seeing throngs of kids hanging out on street corners with nothing to do but engage in illicit activity, you might see kids enjoying a game of structured games and exercise all this AFTER they have finished their homework ,tutoring, STEM and science projects with the help of tutors and mentors.
DOA's STEM initiative is designed to enhance students' performance and increase learning opportunities with a balanced core curriculum paired with additional enrichment opportunities to benefit the whole child. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr said: “ “Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education." DOA's Stem Initiative uses only curricula that is evidence based and scientifically validated through research and further confirmed by the success that we have had in implementation
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
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
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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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.
Damascus Outreach Association Inc
Board of directorsas of 01/19/2022
Dr. Charles Coleman
Bethel University/NY
Term: 2019 - 2022
Mrs. Archinda Batts
Suffolk/Mental Health/VA
Term: 2021 - 2023
Natasha H Norman
Hertford County Schools
Jamilia B Shipman
Christopher Newport University
Andrea M Hargrave
Damascus College
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
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/19/2022GuideStar 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 review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- 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 use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- 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 measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- 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.