Expanded Learning Initiative
WHAT IS THE EXPANDED LEARNING INITIATIVE?
The Expanded Learning Initiative (ELI) was designed in response to the need for intentional, high-quality, experiential, and equitable learning opportunities for young people in Tulsa Public Schools. Focusing on relationships, engagement, and social emotional wellbeing, high-quality out-of-school time (OST) learning has been shown to improve academic outcomes, reduce risk-taking behaviors, and mitigate trauma, such as what many young people experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As Tulsa’s only intermediary, The Opp supports and coordinates OST/Expanded Learning efforts through site-coordinating agencies and partner organizations providing programming at Tulsa Public Schools sites.
School Year 2023-2024 Program Partners
Antioch - I Am A Promise
Camp Fire
Clark Youth Theatre
Common Good
Education For Scholars
Fab Lab
FC Tulsa
Gaining Ground
Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma
Global Gardens
Growing Together
Hot Toast
Humble Warriors Yoga Collective
My Brothers Keeper
New Hope
OK Aquarium
Oklahoma Performing Arts
One Hope Tulsa
Outdoor Classroom - Tulsa
Sistema Tulsa
SWAT Meet
Terence Crutcher Foundation
The bArt
Tri-City Collective
Tulsa Changemakers
Tulsa Debate League
Tulsa Youth Rowing Association
Tulsa Zoo
Under The Canopy
YMCA
Youth At Heart
The Zone
School Year 2023-2024 School Partners
Anderson
Bell
Booker T. Washington
Burroughs
Carnegie
Carver
Celia Clinton
Central HS
Clinton West
Cooper
Council Oak
Disney
Dolores Huerta
East Central MS
Eisenhower
Eliot
Emerson
Eugene Field
Felicitas Mendez
Greenwood Leadership Academy
Grissom
Hale MS
Hamilton
Hawthorne
Hoover
John Hope Franklin
Kendall-Whittier
Kerr
Key
Lanier
Lewis and Clark
Lindbergh
MacArthur
Marshall
Mayo
McClure
McKinley
McLain
Memorial HS
Memorial MS
Mitchell
Monroe
Owen
Patrick Henry
Peary
Robertson
Rogers
Salk
Sequoyah
Skelly
Springdale
Unity
Wayman Tisdale
Webster
Whitman
Zarrow
From August 2023 through March 2024, 8,471 unique youth engaged in afterschool programming.
“When I come here I have fun and make friends from different grades. When I’m here I feel like this is where I belong.”
WHAT IS TULSA ENRICHED?
Tulsa EnrichED is The Opp Project’s unique approach to fostering dynamic teacher-led and support staff-led afterschool experiences across Tulsa. Investing in school personnel to lead expanded learning experiences is a well-documented strategy with proven advantages. Research consistently demonstrates that educators engaged in leadership roles not only experience heightened job satisfaction and professional growth, but their active involvement in afterschool programs significantly enhances the academic and socio-emotional development of youth. Studies indicate that youth participating in structured afterschool activities led by trained educators show improvements in academic performance, increased engagement in school, and a decrease in at-risk behaviors.
Through Tulsa EnrichED, The Opportunity Project can leverage a $200 investment to provide 3 hours a week for 28 weeks of afterschool programming (totaling 84 hours!) to a single Tulsa youth.
Do you want to bring Tulsa EnrichED to a school near you?
Contact Lauren Sivak, The Opp Project’s Executive Director at lsivak@theopp.org.
“Our afterschool clubs allow our youth the chance to explore sports, music, arts, and literacy. it strengthens the community and feeling of belonging within our school. Our clubs are a source of increasing attendance because our youth show up on their club days! Having clubs at Marshall Elementary is part of our DNA.”