Learning Club of KCK

The Learning Club is working to address education inequity in our community. Believing that each child is inherently good and immensely valuable, we strive to create an environment in our classrooms and in our neighborhoods where it is easier for youth to be good, to dream, and to succeed. The Learning Club's mission is to provide a positive, pivotal educational experience for the children in Kansas City who need it most. To that end, we are working to address a lack of opportunity and human and information resources for low-income families, by providing positive adult relationships, mentors who can model adult thinking, and one-to-one support with schoolwork. We are also working to create space and resources for students to become interested in and flourish in the education field. By growing our own teachers in the urban core, we are increasing diverse representation within our classrooms which will promote further growth at all levels of our community.

In our after-school tutoring program, children receive homework help and social-emotional support from a caring mentor one-on-one. Through Learning Club’s in-school program, children chosen by their teachers experience targeted literacy intervention. With the Learning Club Teaching Internship, high school students are trained to serve as mentors for younger students in our after-school program. During our summer program, children who are most susceptible to summer learning loss are enrolled in a full-time enrichment program at the local community college. In all programs, Learning Club seeks to serve those most marginalized members of our community.

Since 2002, the Learning Club has steadily grown from serving 20 children each week to nearly 300 students a week through our various programs. This growth is possible due to the high need of children and families in our community, the generosity of our donors, and the dedication of our incredible staff and volunteers.

At the request of USD 500 administrators, the Learning Club has recently added an in-school reading program that includes intensive, one-on-one reading intervention for students selected by teachers. We have also expanded our summer program through a partnership with Kansas City Kansas Community College so all Learning Club students are welcome to attend their full-time summer enrichment program, which includes academic programs, two meals a day, and physical education. The Learning Club will continue to grow our services in breadth and depth – trying to reach as many students and youth as possible with high-quality supports and programs.