Happy Birthday to The Sunshine Method!

It's time to break out your party pants and dance because on June 15th The Sunshine Method turned 10 years old! Woot, woot! This is a massive milestone and we are grateful for all the tutors, mentors, and families who have supported us on this journey. 

To celebrate this milestone, we have been spreading a little Sunshine to all of our communities as part of our 10 Days of Sunshine series. So far, we have donated to One Simple Wish, UNICEF, Best Buddies, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Project Sunshine. Be sure to check us out on Instagram to see how you can spread some Sunshine too!

Why we do what we do

Did you know less than 50% of youth in foster care graduate from high school? Less than 3% of youth in foster care will graduate with a four-year degree. The odds are stacked against them and they often fall through the cracks of the system. Unfortunately, this is the reality for many children in foster care. Another pressing matter is that 1 in 10 adults in the USA cannot read. It has been reported that a majority of 12th graders in the USA have a 25% proficiency level in math and a 37% proficiency level in reading. This is why we do what we do.

We know that when a child's grades fall behind, it doesn't just affect their GPA, but it also affects their confidence, how they feel about themselves. How we as a society value them. So we integrate tutoring and mentoring intentionally to build a child's academic foundation and confidence from the ground up. 

“I think you have to have a very open mind [when tutoring]. I think you have to be dedicated to the task at hand, which is to help that particular student. You almost have to change your mindset with different students because some students work very well with digital things, and some don't. You almost have to change the way that you're presenting your material for each and every student and do what works for them. That's been challenging but it's not impossible.”                                                                           – Janett Walker, Sunshine Method Tutor

With our program, we continue to provide consistency and stability, guidance, leadership, encouragement, social-emotional development, and long-term relationships to the children we work with. Rather than just applying a blanket approach to every situation, we prioritize building a connection and creating a positive rapport.

Once again, thank you for being a part of our journey. We hope to continue serving our communities and spreading sunshine!