The Community Foundation’s Women’s Initiative granted $10,000 to The Athletic Factory for at-risk student athlete tutoring and helped improve the academic future of twenty two students.

“We had two at-risk student-athletes, that were seniors and failing in almost all subject areas, they were not going to graduate,” said The Athletic Factory Founder and Executive Director Cliff Thomason. “Because of the at-risk student-athlete tutoring grant, we were able to provide those students with enough tutoring help to get them caught up and be able to graduate with their peers!”

“The Women’s Initiative couldn’t be more proud of the hard work those students put in to graduate and the opportunity this grant provided them,” said Marnie Rossow, chair of the Women’s Initiative Steering Committee. “The Athletic Factory’s tutoring program for at-risk student athletes was a great opportunity to help local students overcome significant learning hurdles that were exacerbated this past year.”

“In all of the years that we have been servicing students (29 years), we have never seen so many students struggling, both academically and emotionally,” said Jessica Wilson from Teachers Pet Tutoring.  “The recent learning gaps are huge, and students just do not know how to catch up.”

Twenty two Athletic Factory students were considered at-risk and participated in the student-athlete tutoring program. Many of these students were failing most of their core subjects in junior high or high school.

“There were a number of student athletes that were 30 to 40 assignments behind, and there wasn’t enough time to get them to a passing grade,” said Thomason. “However, students still showed a remarkable improvement-like one at-risk student that had a 3% in their Algebra 2 class prior to using the tutoring services. After 13 sessions, the student went from a 3% to a 58%.”

To help local students get back on track, The Athletic Factory partnered with Teacher’s Pet Tutoring to provide comprehensive academic support for their at-risk student athletes. The tutoring program provided students with technical support while also encouraging self-confidence, determination, and academic enthusiasm. The program met each student where they were and provided tutoring support services accordingly.

“Fortunately, because our schools had the support of the Athletic Factory and the at-risk tutoring program, each week our students had the program easily accessible to them either at our high school or at the Athletic Factory,” said Port Huron High School Principal Michael Palmer. “I have no doubt in my mind that the Athletic Factory’s at-risk student athlete program kept many students from failing and helped several students actually reach graduation.”

“I have no doubt in my mind that the Athletic Factory’s at-risk student athlete program kept many students from failing and helped several students actually reach graduation.”

“My heart is full and I am so thankful for the help of Teachers Pet Tutoring, Mr. Palmer and Mrs. Ciesielski at Port Huron High,” said Thomason. “This would not have been possible without the Women’s initiative awarding us with a grant.”

The Women’s Initiative currently focuses on grants to support educational growth and help remove barriers to education. The group focuses on empowering women to participate in philanthropic opportunities while growing the Women’s Initiative Endowment Fund that was able to support a program such as the at-risk student athlete tutoring. For more information about the Women’s Initiative or to apply for a grant, click here.