Organization: The Achievement Center
Program Name: Empower ED
The Program Need: Empower ED: Tutoring and Mentoring for Achievement addresses the critical need for academic support among underserved K-12 students in Southern Palm Beach County. Data from ACCF’s school district data-sharing agreement highlights students' significant gaps in literacy, numeracy, and overall academic performance, compounded by limited access to resources, parental support, and structured interventions.
Empower ED seamlessly integrates with ACCF’s existing programs, leveraging the organization’s holistic approach to address the multifaceted needs of students and their families. This year-round, evidence-based program improves literacy, math, and overall academic success through individualized tutoring, social-emotional learning (SEL), and mentorship. Led by ACCF’s new Senior Director of Education, Empower ED operates on ACCF’s campus and at two Title I schools. A diverse team of paid tutors is recruited from the local community, including retired professionals, college students, and high school honor society members. Empower ED also integrates highly qualified interns from ACCF’s Teen Internship Program, providing local youth with paid opportunities to develop teaching and leadership skills.
Empower ED delivers transformative support that ensures students achieve academic milestones and develop resilience for future success. It is not just a program to improve grades—it is a 30% of students meet grade-level proficiency standards, EmpowerED provides individualized academic support, mentorship, and social-emotional learning (SEL) to ensure students academically and personally thrive.
Why its this project transformational?
What makes Empower ED transformational is its comprehensive approach, seamlessly integrating academic support with ACCF’s existing programs and partnerships. These include the Early Learning Program, which lays the foundation for school readiness, Family Support services that address barriers to success, and robust out-of-school time programming for K-12 students, which provides consistent academic and social-emotional support. Additionally, the program employs a certified teacher, and a team of highly qualified tutors recruited from the community, ensuring targeted, personalized academic interventions. Empower ED further stands out by offering select ACCF’s Teen Internship participants the unique opportunity to be moved into tutoring roles, fostering youth leadership, and providing mentorship opportunities while creating a pathway for future career development. Empower ED bridges critical academic gaps while addressing the social, emotional, and logistical barriers under-resourced students and their families face. By cultivating pathways to success—from infancy through adolescence—ACCF improves academic outcomes and builds resilience, confidence, and generational change.
How will the Impact 100 Men of Palm Beach County’s money be used?
The total proposed budget for Empower ED is $275,523, with the $75,000 grant from Impact 100 Men mostly allocated to salaries over two years. These funds will support the certified teacher overseeing the program ($85,000) and the team of 15 qualified tutors delivering individualized academic support to students ($150,000). By focusing on staffing costs, this grant will directly enable Empower ED to provide high-quality tutoring and mentorship, addressing academic disparities for under-resourced students. Additional expenses include DCF certification for tutors and the teacher ($1,920), training pay during their preparation period ($12,800), and payroll taxes and fringe benefits account for $13,303. Lastly, $10,000 is allocated for supplies and equipment essential for tutoring and mentoring activities, and $2,500 will cover event-related costs, such as a year-end celebration and food for participants. This funding will enable Empower EDto provide impactful, individualized academic support and mentorship to under-resourced students, ensuring measurable outcomes and long-term success.