Charleston Promise Neighborhood

 Jim Frye tutors a Mary Ford student in social studies.

By Tracie Miller and Matt Tomsic

Jim Frye sits at a wooden table in the library at Mary Ford Elementary with his back to the shelves he stocked 13 years ago during his first volunteer day at the school.

Frye, a retired executive of a Charleston steel mill, said he came back a week later to volunteer again and the principal jokingly said, “We didn’t really expect you to come back!”

Since his first day, Frye has built a community of support for Mary Ford children and faculty.  Frye has personally mentored and tutored students, started book drives and parent engagement programs, and helped create the Mary Ford Foundation, among many other projects.

A resident living two miles from the school, he said he had “no idea that problems like this existed,” recalling one child sleeping on the floor at night because the child was scared of a bullet coming through his bedroom window. “Conditions like these determine whether or not a kid can learn and survive,” Frye said.

Mary Ford Elementary, North Charleston

Frye’s interactions with students keep him coming back to Mary Ford each year, especially the kindergartners. He was overjoyed that Principal Mary Reynolds sent him back to kindergarten this year.

“It’s just so much fun,” Frye said. “We’ve made so much progress.”

Much of that progress has come from the commitment by Mary Ford faculty, administrators and Principal Reynolds. Mary Ford is a Title I school, and Frye said teachers and administrators work hard to educate their students so they can break the cycle of poverty affecting nearby neighborhoods. Charleston Promise Neighborhood aligns and partners with the educational goals of Mary Ford and other neighborhood elementary schools, because accelerating academic achievement for our youth is central to the development of successful citizens, bright futures for our children, and the transformation of our neighborhood.

Frye also believes, “It all comes back to the school.”  As he mentioned parents need more opportunities and jobs available to them, but first, residents need an education in order to fill higher paying jobs.

Mary Ford has seen improvements since 2009, when the school received an “At Risk” rating from the state of South Carolina. In 2010, the school’s rating was “Below Average;” by 2012, the school had risen to “Average,” and Frye praised the school’s principal and faculty for boosting its performance during the last several years. He also said he’s hopeful that Mary Ford and schools like it will continue to improve as community, business and political leaders learn more about the challenges faced by students.

“You’re never going to solve problems until you learn they exist,” Frye said.

He also credited Charleston Promise Neighborhood and other nonprofit organizations that help give schools the tools needed to continue improving.

“If we can keep that effort up and utilize these organizations properly to help the schools, then I think we have a chance,” Frye said. “It all goes back to education, and I think now people are starting to realize it.”

Source for Mary Ford ratings: http://ed.sc.gov/data/report-cards/2013/elem/c/e1001040.pdf

Dr. Randazzo with a patient at Mary Ford Elementary

Dr. William Randazzo greets his next patient with a smile and compliments the child’s mohawk.

The patient, an elementary student from a Charleston Promise Neighborhood school, smiles back and steps onto a scale to have his weight and height taken.

“That’s an inch, at least, there,” says Randazzo, jokingly referring to the child’s added height.

Randazzo is a volunteer Medical Director for the Charleston Promise Neighborhood and a pediatrician at MUSC. The level of care and concern he provides to the students exceeds expectations. Parents welcome Randazzo’s easy going nature, his clear compassion for children, and his patience to explain and manage a particular health concern. Charleston Promise Neighborhood considers him an advocate for improving health outcomes for children in our community, as seen with his recent nomination and Charleston Regional Business Journal’s 2013 Healthcare Heroes award.

Randazzo began his volunteer work with Charleston Promise Neighborhood (CPN) in 2011 to help establish four school-based pediatric clinics, also known as KidsWell, at Chicora School of Communications, James Simons Elementary, Mary Ford Elementary, and Sanders-Clyde Creative Arts School.

Visiting the schools twice a week, Randazzo compassionately spends time with students with general health concerns, wellness visits, and chronic illnesses. After his volunteer shift, you will find the faithful doctor at MUSC’s Emergency Care Clinic in Mount Pleasant and North Charleston from 4 to 11 p.m.

Dr. Randazzo with CPN’s nurse and staff at the 2013 Health Care Heroes Ceremony

“The Charleston Promise Neighborhood clinics I work in help remove barriers to care, such as transportation, job constraints and child care,” Randazzo said. “In this community – although most students have insurance – getting to a doctor may be difficult. By having a health clinic on-site at school, it is a great benefit to families.”

All students can access the CPN KidsWell clinic, regardless of insurance status. The clinic’s convenience ensures children are healthy and ready to learn, and significantly keeps down cost to the family and the community. A visit to the clinic cost CPN roughly $35.00 compared to a $500-$600 visit to the emergency room.

“Schools are powerful places to shape the health, education and well-being of our children,” Randazzo said. “It’s why I do the work that I do. It’s why I dedicate my time working in a school-based health center.”

Charleston Promise Neighborhood’s KidsWell program is integral to achieving two of our six strategic focus areas for transforming the neighborhood within a generation: education and healthcare.

Volunteers from organizations in the Charleston area joined forces with Charleston Promise Neighborhood for Trident United Way’s Day of Caring 2013 on Friday, September 13th. Forget any “Friday the 13th” superstitions because Day of Caring has once again proved to be one of the luckiest days of the year for the Charleston Promise Neighborhood!

Volunteer from The City of North Charleston

Our volunteers came from different backgrounds and personal life journeys, but shared one thing in common: a willingness to lend a hand to help inspire young people in our community. In just one day, we had a total of 98 volunteers from 12 different organizations that generated over 500 service hours!

Volunteer from MWV at Chicora Elementary

At Sanders-Clyde Creative Arts School, James Simons Elementary, and Chicora School of Communications, teams of employees from Passport Control, Resume Solutions, Cummins, MWV Specialty Chemicals, City of North Charleston, ISHPI, Joint Base Command, City of Charleston, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and the Rotary Club of Charleston mentored elementary school students, talked about the importance of education, following your dreams and going to college! Our Day of Caring service projects were focused on raising the bar for learning, increasing college awareness, and sharing personal educational journeys. “It was a day well spent. I loved seeing the children’s faces light up as I shared my personal story – if what I said inspired just one child, I am happy,” says Amanda Fender, Financial Analyst, MeadWestvaco.

Marshmallow Challenge Winners at Mary Ford Elementary

Blackbaud and Benefitfocus joined CPN at Mary Ford Elementary. This year our project with Blackbaud had a brand new twist. We challenged Mary Ford students to work in small teams to see who could build the tallest marshmallow tower. The competition required teamwork and the use of project management skills. “Build a tower, build a team” was the motto of the day! Blackbaud volunteers paired with teams of students and taught them skills to improve planning, organizing, and controlling resources to reach a specific goal. “When we built our first tower it fell over, our team leader helped us notice areas that needed improvement and our second tower came in first place! Now I understand the steps I need to take when tackling a project”, said a 5^th grade student at Mary Ford Elementary.

See more pictures on our Facebook page!

Thank you to all the volunteers for making Trident United Way’s Day of Caring a success! Your stories and wisdom were an inspiration to our students! See our Facebook page to check out our photo album from Day of Caring 2013!