KU-CRL Wal-mart Announcement
May 28, 2008
The University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning today received a $700,000 donation from the Wal-Mart Foundation to develop a tutoring curriculum to be implemented nationwide at Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
This is the largest donation the Wal-Mart Foundation has given to an organization within the state of Kansas.
“The generosity of the Wal-Mart Foundation will allow important work by KU researchers to ensure generations of children get the help they need to succeed in school and beyond,” said KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway.
The Center will use the money to help BGCA adopt a Strategic Tutoring model that will allow the BGCA staff and volunteers to help students complete homework assignments and build literacy skills. The project will build upon the Boys & Girls Clubs’ proven tutorial program, “Power Hour.”
“We are excited by this opportunity to extend the success we have had working with struggling adolescent learners to support the efforts of Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the country,” said Don Deshler, director of the Center for Research on Learning and the Gene A. Budig Professor of Special Education. “High-quality after-school programs, such as ‘Power Hour,’ are critical to bridging the gap between students’ academic skills and the expectations they face in the classroom.”
The donation was announced today at an event at the Wal-Mart Store at 3300 Iowa St. in Lawrence. Participants in the announcement included Gov. Kathleen Sebelius; Kelvin Lynch, Wal-Mart regional general manager; Jenny Lewis, Boys and Girls Clubs regional director of development; Kathleen McCluskey-Fawcett, KU senior vice provost for academic affairs; Deshler; Darrell Stuckey, KU football player and BGCA volunteer; and members of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Lawrence.
