[Durham INC] Your support would be greatly appreciated.

[martina hicks]

Dear members of The InterNeighborhood Council of Durham,



Often we are faced with helping individuals who have somehow failed in the
system. We talk about providing these individuals with opportunities for a
second chance.  However, in many cases, having a second chance is
meaningless, as they never have been given a first chance. A child from a
single parent household, living below the poverty line and growing up in an
impoverished neighborhood often never has a first chance to succeed.



Children in the Northeast Central Durham neighborhoods will soon get access
to a top-tier private education. Making that possible is a partnership
between a neighborhood church and the founder of a program that has helped
many from that area go to college.



*What is the Union Independent School* ~ A laboratory school that prepares
Northeast Central Durham youth for success in the highly volatile global
economy while serving as a replicable model for urban communities
nationwide; An integrated curriculum designed to prepare youth for 21st
century global realities; Technological innovations designed to accelerate
learning, promote physical activity, and encourage pro social behavior;
Communication strategies that promote healthy behaviors; University-linked
evaluation research on school outcomes; and strong formative, summative, and
impact evaluations of innovations designed to facilitate behavioral change
among target population.



*What is our mission* ~ Our mission is to provide a tuition-free, holistic,
K-8 laboratory school for children living in Northeast-Central Durham. To
implement a specially designed, continually evolving curriculum that will
build on best practices from model programs nationwide. An extended school
day and year-round program will provide students with the time they need to
master fundamental skills – reading, writing and mathematics – as well as
afford time for the integration of arts education, global awareness,
character education and entrepreneurial education. The rigorous academic
program and extensive support systems will develop mind, body and character
by preparing students to attend, excel in and graduate from college, and to
achieve success in today’s knowledge-based economy.



*Our Facility* ~ Is a state-of-the-art, 49,000 square foot facility is
currently under construction and scheduled to be completed in June 2009 The
building includes spacious classrooms; a science lab; visual arts and music
rooms; a media center; a gymnasium/multi-purpose area; a full-service
cafeteria; outdoor playground space; a conference room and numerous faculty
and staff office spaces. In addition, the building will also contain
allocated space for a separately run day care, preschool, fitness center and
a planned health & wellness center.



*The Vision behind UIS* ~ The idea to build a school within the economically
distressed 172-block area east of downtown sprang from the Durham Scholars
program, a successful partnership between Union Baptist Church and the
Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC-Chapel Hill.  The late Frank Hawkins
Kenan and Dr. James H. Johnson Jr., Director of the Urban Investment
Strategies Center at the Kenan-Flagler Business School on the campus of the
UNC at Chapel Hill created the Scholars Program in 1995.  The Durham
Scholars Program is located at Union Baptist Church.  It helps to prepare
neighborhood youths for college through after-school, weekend and summer
programs led by college honors students.



The church, founded in 1897, has been an integral part of the community for
more than 100 years. Under Hammond’s leadership, the church’s 5,000-plus
members have recommitted themselves to the area and to its economic and
social improvement.  Union Baptist Church has invested over $2 million to
this project.  The total project cost is approximately $10 million.



I am asking for your support in assisting me reach those youth in the
Northeast Central Durham area.  I would greatly appreciate the opportunity
to talk more with you about our compelling story.  I can be reached at
919-682-5903 or at mhicks at unionis.org.  I look forward to hearing from you.





-- 
Martina Hicks
Union Independent School
904 North Roxboro Street
Durham, NC  27701
(919) 682~5903 Telephone
(919) 682~6056 Fax
"Bridge To Success~Breakthrough Education for Urban Youth"
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