Rising Tide Mkec

Rising TIDE @ Marguerite Kiefer Education Center (MKEC), Inc. is housed by Covenant Presbyterian Church. It serves the inner-city downtown area of Long Beach, California, — which is, ethnically and socio-economically diverse. It operates Monday through Thursdays from mid-afternoon to early evening, serving over 400 children and youth. The staff for the center are typically youth and young adults who work in the center as their first job. They are taught both good work ethics and specific skills for working with children and youth. Parents are also part of the staffing team. Volunteers to augment the staffing team are critical for the program’s success. The after-school program now offers one-on-one homework help, reading partners, age specific homework rooms, educational computer games, internet access, a science center, school supplies (based on need), organized sports, free play, and clubs designed to teach skills and open doors to creativity. Successes include: increased daily participation by children and youth (over 100 a day), continued participation by the children and youth if they move out of the immediate neighborhood, increased referrals from local schools, a current participant high school graduation rate of over 95%, and the enrollment of over 80% of the high school graduates from the program in college, university or trade school.